diff --git a/sdrgui/mainwindow.cpp b/sdrgui/mainwindow.cpp
index 86993c8df..957485e30 100644
--- a/sdrgui/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/sdrgui/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -457,13 +457,13 @@ void MainWindow::loadPresetSettings(const Preset* preset, int tabIndex)
         {
             deviceUI->m_spectrumGUI->deserialize(preset->getSpectrumConfig());
             deviceUI->m_deviceSourceAPI->loadSourceSettings(preset);
-            deviceUI->m_deviceSourceAPI->loadChannelSettings(preset, &(m_pluginManager->m_pluginAPI));
+            deviceUI->m_deviceSourceAPI->loadChannelSettings(preset, m_pluginManager->getPluginAPI());
         }
         else if (deviceUI->m_deviceSinkEngine) // sink device
         {
             deviceUI->m_spectrumGUI->deserialize(preset->getSpectrumConfig());
             deviceUI->m_deviceSinkAPI->loadSinkSettings(preset);
-            deviceUI->m_deviceSinkAPI->loadChannelSettings(preset, &(m_pluginManager->m_pluginAPI));
+            deviceUI->m_deviceSinkAPI->loadChannelSettings(preset, m_pluginManager->getPluginAPI());
         }
 	}
 
diff --git a/sdrgui/plugin/pluginmanager.cpp b/sdrgui/plugin/pluginmanager.cpp
index 1051122e9..2ba6324b2 100644
--- a/sdrgui/plugin/pluginmanager.cpp
+++ b/sdrgui/plugin/pluginmanager.cpp
@@ -14,31 +14,31 @@
 // along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.          //
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-#include <plugin/plugininstancegui.h>
-#include "device/devicesourceapi.h"
-#include "device/devicesinkapi.h"
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QPluginLoader>
 #include <QComboBox>
+#include <QDebug>
+
 #include <cstdio>
 
-#include "plugin/pluginmanager.h"
+#include <plugin/plugininstancegui.h>
+#include "device/devicesourceapi.h"
+#include "device/devicesinkapi.h"
 #include "settings/preset.h"
-#include "mainwindow.h"
 #include "gui/glspectrum.h"
 #include "util/message.h"
-
-#include <QDebug>
 #include "dsp/dspdevicesourceengine.h"
 #include "dsp/dspdevicesinkengine.h"
 
+#include "plugin/pluginmanager.h"
+
 const QString PluginManager::m_sdrDaemonHardwareID = "SDRdaemonSource";
 const QString PluginManager::m_sdrDaemonDeviceTypeID = "sdrangel.samplesource.sdrdaemonsource";
 const QString PluginManager::m_fileSourceHardwareID = "FileSource";
 const QString PluginManager::m_fileSourceDeviceTypeID = "sdrangel.samplesource.filesource";
 const QString PluginManager::m_fileSinkDeviceTypeID = "sdrangel.samplesink.filesink";
 
-PluginManager::PluginManager(MainWindow* mainWindow, QObject* parent) :
+PluginManager::PluginManager(QObject* parent) :
 	QObject(parent),
     m_pluginAPI(this)
 {
diff --git a/sdrgui/plugin/pluginmanager.h b/sdrgui/plugin/pluginmanager.h
index d2f5ca9ef..801468cc8 100644
--- a/sdrgui/plugin/pluginmanager.h
+++ b/sdrgui/plugin/pluginmanager.h
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 class QComboBox;
 class QPluginLoader;
 class Preset;
-class MainWindow;
 class Message;
 class MessageQueue;
 class DeviceSourceAPI;
@@ -36,9 +35,10 @@ public:
 
 	typedef QList<Plugin> Plugins;
 
-	explicit PluginManager(MainWindow* mainWindow, QObject* parent = NULL);
+	explicit PluginManager(QObject* parent = 0);
 	~PluginManager();
 
+	PluginAPI *getPluginAPI() { return &m_pluginAPI; }
 	void loadPlugins();
 	const Plugins& getPlugins() const { return m_plugins; }
 
@@ -134,8 +134,6 @@ private:
     static const QString m_fileSinkDeviceTypeID;      //!< FileSink sink plugin ID
 
 	void loadPlugins(const QDir& dir);
-
-	friend class MainWindow;
 };
 
 static inline bool operator<(const PluginManager::Plugin& a, const PluginManager::Plugin& b)