diff --git a/acctest/plugin/bundled_plugin_test.go b/acctest/plugin/bundled_plugin_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e9308a59869
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acctest/plugin/bundled_plugin_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,181 @@
+package plugin
+
+import (
+	_ "embed"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
+	amazonacc "github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-amazon/builder/ebs/acceptance"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-sdk/acctest"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/packer/hcl2template/addrs"
+)
+
+//go:embed test-fixtures/basic_amazon_bundled.pkr.hcl
+var basicAmazonBundledEbsTemplate string
+
+func TestAccBuildBundledPlugins(t *testing.T) {
+	plugin := addrs.Plugin{
+		Hostname:  "github.com",
+		Namespace: "hashicorp",
+		Type:      "amazon",
+	}
+	testCase := &acctest.PluginTestCase{
+		Name: "amazon-ebs_bundled_test",
+		Setup: func() error {
+			return cleanupPluginInstallation(plugin)
+		},
+		Teardown: func() error {
+			helper := amazonacc.AMIHelper{
+				Region: "us-east-1",
+				Name:   "packer-plugin-bundled-amazon-ebs-test",
+			}
+			return helper.CleanUpAmi()
+		},
+		Template: basicAmazonBundledEbsTemplate,
+		Type:     "amazon-ebs",
+		Init:     false,
+		Check: func(buildCommand *exec.Cmd, logfile string) error {
+			if buildCommand.ProcessState != nil {
+				if buildCommand.ProcessState.ExitCode() != 0 {
+					return fmt.Errorf("Bad exit code. Logfile: %s", logfile)
+				}
+			}
+
+			rawLogs, err := os.ReadFile(logfile)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to read logs: %s", err)
+			}
+
+			var errs error
+
+			logs := string(rawLogs)
+
+			if !strings.Contains(logs, "Warning: Bundled plugins used") {
+				errs = multierror.Append(errs, errors.New("expected warning about bundled plugins used, did not find it"))
+			}
+
+			if !strings.Contains(logs, "Then run 'packer init' to manage installation of the plugins") {
+				errs = multierror.Append(errs, errors.New("expected suggestion about packer init in logs, did not find it."))
+			}
+
+			return errs
+		},
+	}
+
+	acctest.TestPlugin(t, testCase)
+}
+
+//go:embed test-fixtures/basic_amazon_with_required_plugins.pkr.hcl
+var basicAmazonRequiredPluginEbsTemplate string
+
+func TestAccBuildBundledPluginsWithRequiredPlugins(t *testing.T) {
+	plugin := addrs.Plugin{
+		Hostname:  "github.com",
+		Namespace: "hashicorp",
+		Type:      "amazon",
+	}
+	testCase := &acctest.PluginTestCase{
+		Name: "amazon-ebs_with_required_plugins_test",
+		Setup: func() error {
+			return cleanupPluginInstallation(plugin)
+		},
+		Teardown: func() error {
+			helper := amazonacc.AMIHelper{
+				Region: "us-east-1",
+				Name:   "packer-plugin-required-plugin-amazon-ebs-test",
+			}
+			return helper.CleanUpAmi()
+		},
+		Template: basicAmazonRequiredPluginEbsTemplate,
+		Type:     "amazon-ebs",
+		Init:     false,
+		Check: func(buildCommand *exec.Cmd, logfile string) error {
+			if buildCommand.ProcessState != nil {
+				if buildCommand.ProcessState.ExitCode() != 1 {
+					return fmt.Errorf("Bad exit code. Logfile: %s", logfile)
+				}
+			}
+
+			rawLogs, err := os.ReadFile(logfile)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to read logs: %s", err)
+			}
+
+			var errs error
+
+			logs := string(rawLogs)
+
+			if strings.Contains(logs, "Warning: Bundled plugins used") {
+				errs = multierror.Append(errs, errors.New("did not expect warning about bundled plugins used"))
+			}
+
+			if !strings.Contains(logs, "Missing plugins") {
+				errs = multierror.Append(errs, errors.New("expected error about plugins required and not installed, did not find it"))
+			}
+
+			return errs
+		},
+	}
+
+	acctest.TestPlugin(t, testCase)
+}
+
+//go:embed test-fixtures/basic_amazon_bundled.json
+var basicAmazonBundledEbsTemplateJSON string
+
+func TestAccBuildBundledPluginsJSON(t *testing.T) {
+	plugin := addrs.Plugin{
+		Hostname:  "github.com",
+		Namespace: "hashicorp",
+		Type:      "amazon",
+	}
+	testCase := &acctest.PluginTestCase{
+		Name: "amazon-ebs_bundled_test_json",
+		Setup: func() error {
+			return cleanupPluginInstallation(plugin)
+		},
+		Teardown: func() error {
+			helper := amazonacc.AMIHelper{
+				Region: "us-east-1",
+				Name:   "packer-plugin-bundled-amazon-ebs-test-json",
+			}
+			return helper.CleanUpAmi()
+		},
+		Template: basicAmazonBundledEbsTemplateJSON,
+		Type:     "amazon-ebs",
+		Init:     false,
+		Check: func(buildCommand *exec.Cmd, logfile string) error {
+			if buildCommand.ProcessState != nil {
+				if buildCommand.ProcessState.ExitCode() != 0 {
+					return fmt.Errorf("Bad exit code. Logfile: %s", logfile)
+				}
+			}
+
+			rawLogs, err := os.ReadFile(logfile)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to read logs: %s", err)
+			}
+
+			var errs error
+
+			logs := string(rawLogs)
+
+			if !strings.Contains(logs, "Warning: Bundled plugins used") {
+				errs = multierror.Append(errs, errors.New("expected warning about bundled plugins, did not find it."))
+			}
+
+			if !strings.Contains(logs, "plugins with the 'packer plugins install' command") {
+				errs = multierror.Append(errs, errors.New("expected suggestion about packer plugins install in logs, did not find it."))
+			}
+
+			return errs
+		},
+	}
+
+	acctest.TestPlugin(t, testCase)
+}
diff --git a/acctest/plugin/test-fixtures/basic_amazon_bundled.json b/acctest/plugin/test-fixtures/basic_amazon_bundled.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f674cd130d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acctest/plugin/test-fixtures/basic_amazon_bundled.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+	"builders": [{
+		"type": "amazon-ebs",
+		"region": "us-east-1",
+		"instance_type": "m3.medium",
+		"source_ami": "ami-76b2a71e",
+		"ssh_username": "ubuntu",
+		"ami_name": "packer-plugin-bundled-amazon-ebs-test-json"
+	}]
+}
diff --git a/acctest/plugin/test-fixtures/basic_amazon_bundled.pkr.hcl b/acctest/plugin/test-fixtures/basic_amazon_bundled.pkr.hcl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c17a09df04f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acctest/plugin/test-fixtures/basic_amazon_bundled.pkr.hcl
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+source "amazon-ebs" "basic-test" {
+  region = "us-east-1"
+  instance_type = "m3.medium"
+  source_ami = "ami-76b2a71e"
+  ssh_username = "ubuntu"
+  ami_name = "packer-plugin-bundled-amazon-ebs-test"
+}
+
+build {
+  sources = ["source.amazon-ebs.basic-test"]
+}
diff --git a/acctest/plugin/test-fixtures/basic_amazon_with_required_plugins.pkr.hcl b/acctest/plugin/test-fixtures/basic_amazon_with_required_plugins.pkr.hcl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f9ba5a55b2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acctest/plugin/test-fixtures/basic_amazon_with_required_plugins.pkr.hcl
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+packer {
+  required_plugins {
+    amazon = {
+      source = "github.com/hashicorp/amazon",
+      version = "~> 1"
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+source "amazon-ebs" "basic-test" {
+  region = "us-east-1"
+  instance_type = "m3.medium"
+  source_ami = "ami-76b2a71e"
+  ssh_username = "ubuntu"
+  ami_name = "packer-plugin-bundled-amazon-ebs-test"
+}
+
+build {
+  sources = ["source.amazon-ebs.basic-test"]
+}
diff --git a/command/build.go b/command/build.go
index b707fe22d6f..842938adcb9 100644
--- a/command/build.go
+++ b/command/build.go
@@ -87,7 +87,15 @@ func (c *BuildCommand) RunContext(buildCtx context.Context, cla *BuildArgs) int
 		return ret
 	}
 
-	diags := packerStarter.Initialize(packer.InitializeOptions{})
+	diags := packerStarter.DetectPluginBinaries()
+	ret = writeDiags(c.Ui, nil, diags)
+	if ret != 0 {
+		return ret
+	}
+
+	diags = packerStarter.Initialize(packer.InitializeOptions{})
+	bundledDiags := c.DetectBundledPlugins(packerStarter)
+	diags = append(bundledDiags, diags...)
 	ret = writeDiags(c.Ui, nil, diags)
 	if ret != 0 {
 		return ret
diff --git a/command/meta.go b/command/meta.go
index 99123fd8ec7..1579d152237 100644
--- a/command/meta.go
+++ b/command/meta.go
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
+	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2/hclparse"
 	packersdk "github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-sdk/packer"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-sdk/template"
@@ -179,3 +181,176 @@ func (m *Meta) GetConfigFromJSON(cla *MetaArgs) (packer.Handler, int) {
 	}
 	return core, ret
 }
+
+func (m *Meta) DetectBundledPlugins(handler packer.Handler) hcl.Diagnostics {
+	var plugins []string
+
+	switch h := handler.(type) {
+	case *packer.Core:
+		plugins = m.detectBundledPluginsJSON(h)
+	case *hcl2template.PackerConfig:
+		plugins = m.detectBundledPluginsHCL2(handler.(*hcl2template.PackerConfig))
+	}
+
+	if len(plugins) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	buf := &strings.Builder{}
+	buf.WriteString("This template relies on the use of plugins bundled into the Packer binary.\n")
+	buf.WriteString("The practice of bundling external plugins into Packer will be removed in an upcoming version.\n\n")
+	switch h := handler.(type) {
+	case *packer.Core:
+		buf.WriteString("To remove this warning and ensure builds keep working you can install these external plugins with the 'packer plugins install' command\n\n")
+
+		for _, plugin := range plugins {
+			fmt.Fprintf(buf, "* packer plugins install %s\n", plugin)
+		}
+
+		buf.WriteString("\nAlternatively, if you upgrade your templates to HCL2, you can use 'packer init' with a 'required_plugins' block to automatically install external plugins.\n\n")
+		fmt.Fprintf(buf, "You can try HCL2 by running 'packer hcl2_upgrade %s'", h.Template.Path)
+	case *hcl2template.PackerConfig:
+		buf.WriteString("To remove this warning, add the following section to your template:\n")
+		buf.WriteString(m.fixRequiredPlugins(h))
+		buf.WriteString("\nThen run 'packer init' to manage installation of the plugins")
+	}
+
+	return hcl.Diagnostics{
+		&hcl.Diagnostic{
+			Severity: hcl.DiagWarning,
+			Summary:  "Bundled plugins used",
+			Detail:   buf.String(),
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func (m *Meta) detectBundledPluginsJSON(core *packer.Core) []string {
+	bundledPlugins := map[string]struct{}{}
+
+	tmpl := core.Template
+	if tmpl == nil {
+		panic("No template parsed. This is a Packer bug which should be reported, please open an issue on the project's issue tracker.")
+	}
+
+	for _, b := range tmpl.Builders {
+		builderType := fmt.Sprintf("packer-builder-%s", b.Type)
+		if bundledStatus[builderType] {
+			bundledPlugins[builderType] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, p := range tmpl.Provisioners {
+		provisionerType := fmt.Sprintf("packer-provisioner-%s", p.Type)
+		if bundledStatus[provisionerType] {
+			bundledPlugins[provisionerType] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, pps := range tmpl.PostProcessors {
+		for _, pp := range pps {
+			postProcessorType := fmt.Sprintf("packer-post-processor-%s", pp.Type)
+			if bundledStatus[postProcessorType] {
+				bundledPlugins[postProcessorType] = struct{}{}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return compileBundledPluginList(bundledPlugins)
+}
+
+var knownPluginPrefixes = map[string]string{
+	"amazon":        "github.com/hashicorp/amazon",
+	"ansible":       "github.com/hashicorp/ansible",
+	"azure":         "github.com/hashicorp/azure",
+	"docker":        "github.com/hashicorp/docker",
+	"googlecompute": "github.com/hashicorp/googlecompute",
+	"qemu":          "github.com/hashicorp/qemu",
+	"vagrant":       "github.com/hashicorp/vagrant",
+	"vmware":        "github.com/hashicorp/vmware",
+	"vsphere":       "github.com/hashicorp/vsphere",
+}
+
+func (m *Meta) fixRequiredPlugins(config *hcl2template.PackerConfig) string {
+	plugins := map[string]struct{}{}
+
+	for _, b := range config.Builds {
+		for _, b := range b.Sources {
+			for prefix, plugin := range knownPluginPrefixes {
+				if strings.HasPrefix(b.Type, prefix) {
+					plugins[plugin] = struct{}{}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		for _, p := range b.ProvisionerBlocks {
+			for prefix, plugin := range knownPluginPrefixes {
+				if strings.HasPrefix(p.PType, prefix) {
+					plugins[plugin] = struct{}{}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		for _, pps := range b.PostProcessorsLists {
+			for _, pp := range pps {
+				for prefix, plugin := range knownPluginPrefixes {
+					if strings.HasPrefix(pp.PType, prefix) {
+						plugins[plugin] = struct{}{}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, ds := range config.Datasources {
+		for prefix, plugin := range knownPluginPrefixes {
+			if strings.HasPrefix(ds.Type, prefix) {
+				plugins[plugin] = struct{}{}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	retPlugins := make([]string, 0, len(plugins))
+	for plugin := range plugins {
+		retPlugins = append(retPlugins, plugin)
+	}
+
+	return generateRequiredPluginsBlock(retPlugins)
+}
+
+func (m *Meta) detectBundledPluginsHCL2(config *hcl2template.PackerConfig) []string {
+	bundledPlugins := map[string]struct{}{}
+
+	for _, b := range config.Builds {
+		for _, src := range b.Sources {
+			builderType := fmt.Sprintf("packer-builder-%s", src.Type)
+			if bundledStatus[builderType] {
+				bundledPlugins[builderType] = struct{}{}
+			}
+		}
+
+		for _, p := range b.ProvisionerBlocks {
+			provisionerType := fmt.Sprintf("packer-provisioner-%s", p.PType)
+			if bundledStatus[provisionerType] {
+				bundledPlugins[provisionerType] = struct{}{}
+			}
+		}
+
+		for _, pps := range b.PostProcessorsLists {
+			for _, pp := range pps {
+				postProcessorType := fmt.Sprintf("packer-post-processor-%s", pp.PType)
+				if bundledStatus[postProcessorType] {
+					bundledPlugins[postProcessorType] = struct{}{}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, ds := range config.Datasources {
+		dsType := fmt.Sprintf("packer-datasource-%s", ds.Type)
+		if bundledStatus[dsType] {
+			bundledPlugins[dsType] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return compileBundledPluginList(bundledPlugins)
+}
diff --git a/command/validate.go b/command/validate.go
index 1bc4cc1d7eb..2b7e2107b0d 100644
--- a/command/validate.go
+++ b/command/validate.go
@@ -65,9 +65,17 @@ func (c *ValidateCommand) RunContext(ctx context.Context, cla *ValidateArgs) int
 		return 0
 	}
 
-	diags := packerStarter.Initialize(packer.InitializeOptions{
+	diags := packerStarter.DetectPluginBinaries()
+	ret = writeDiags(c.Ui, nil, diags)
+	if ret != 0 {
+		return ret
+	}
+
+	diags = packerStarter.Initialize(packer.InitializeOptions{
 		SkipDatasourcesExecution: !cla.EvaluateDatasources,
 	})
+	bundledDiags := c.DetectBundledPlugins(packerStarter)
+	diags = append(bundledDiags, diags...)
 	ret = writeDiags(c.Ui, nil, diags)
 	if ret != 0 {
 		return ret
diff --git a/command/vendored_plugins.go b/command/vendored_plugins.go
index 0718b91a7c5..d6e5f836338 100644
--- a/command/vendored_plugins.go
+++ b/command/vendored_plugins.go
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 package command
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"strings"
+
 	packersdk "github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-sdk/packer"
 
 	// Previously core-bundled components, split into their own plugins but
@@ -102,6 +106,170 @@ var VendoredPostProcessors = map[string]packersdk.PostProcessor{
 	"vsphere":              new(vspherepostprocessor.PostProcessor),
 }
 
+// bundledStatus is used to know if one of the bundled components is loaded from
+// an external plugin, or from the bundled plugins.
+//
+// We keep track of this to produce a warning if a user relies on one
+// such plugin, as they will be removed in a later version of Packer.
+var bundledStatus = map[string]bool{
+	"packer-builder-amazon-ebs":               false,
+	"packer-builder-amazon-chroot":            false,
+	"packer-builder-amazon-ebssurrogate":      false,
+	"packer-builder-amazon-ebsvolume":         false,
+	"packer-builder-amazon-instance":          false,
+	"packer-post-processor-amazon-import":     false,
+	"packer-datasource-amazon-ami":            false,
+	"packer-datasource-amazon-secretsmanager": false,
+
+	"packer-provisioner-ansible":       false,
+	"packer-provisioner-ansible-local": false,
+
+	"packer-provisioner-azure-dtlartifact": false,
+	"packer-builder-azure-arm":             false,
+	"packer-builder-azure-chroot":          false,
+	"packer-builder-azure-dtl":             false,
+
+	"packer-builder-docker":               false,
+	"packer-post-processor-docker-import": false,
+	"packer-post-processor-docker-push":   false,
+	"packer-post-processor-docker-save":   false,
+	"packer-post-processor-docker-tag":    false,
+
+	"packer-builder-googlecompute":               false,
+	"packer-post-processor-googlecompute-export": false,
+	"packer-post-processor-googlecompute-import": false,
+
+	"packer-builder-qemu": false,
+
+	"packer-builder-vagrant":              false,
+	"packer-post-processor-vagrant":       false,
+	"packer-post-processor-vagrant-cloud": false,
+
+	"packer-builder-virtualbox-iso": false,
+	"packer-builder-virtualbox-ovf": false,
+	"packer-builder-virtualbox-vm":  false,
+
+	"packer-builder-vmware-iso": false,
+	"packer-builder-vmware-vmx": false,
+
+	"packer-builder-vsphere-clone":           false,
+	"packer-builder-vsphere-iso":             false,
+	"packer-post-processor-vsphere-template": false,
+	"packer-post-processor-vsphere":          false,
+}
+
+// TrackBundledPlugin marks a component as loaded from Packer's bundled plugins
+// instead of from an externally loaded plugin.
+//
+// NOTE: `pluginName' must be in the format `packer-<type>-<component_name>'
+func TrackBundledPlugin(pluginName string) {
+	_, exists := bundledStatus[pluginName]
+	if !exists {
+		return
+	}
+
+	bundledStatus[pluginName] = true
+}
+
+var componentPluginMap = map[string]string{
+	"packer-builder-amazon-ebs":               "github.com/hashicorp/amazon",
+	"packer-builder-amazon-chroot":            "github.com/hashicorp/amazon",
+	"packer-builder-amazon-ebssurrogate":      "github.com/hashicorp/amazon",
+	"packer-builder-amazon-ebsvolume":         "github.com/hashicorp/amazon",
+	"packer-builder-amazon-instance":          "github.com/hashicorp/amazon",
+	"packer-post-processor-amazon-import":     "github.com/hashicorp/amazon",
+	"packer-datasource-amazon-ami":            "github.com/hashicorp/amazon",
+	"packer-datasource-amazon-secretsmanager": "github.com/hashicorp/amazon",
+
+	"packer-provisioner-ansible":       "github.com/hashicorp/ansible",
+	"packer-provisioner-ansible-local": "github.com/hashicorp/ansible",
+
+	"packer-provisioner-azure-dtlartifact": "github.com/hashicorp/azure",
+	"packer-builder-azure-arm":             "github.com/hashicorp/azure",
+	"packer-builder-azure-chroot":          "github.com/hashicorp/azure",
+	"packer-builder-azure-dtl":             "github.com/hashicorp/azure",
+
+	"packer-builder-docker":               "github.com/hashicorp/docker",
+	"packer-post-processor-docker-import": "github.com/hashicorp/docker",
+	"packer-post-processor-docker-push":   "github.com/hashicorp/docker",
+	"packer-post-processor-docker-save":   "github.com/hashicorp/docker",
+	"packer-post-processor-docker-tag":    "github.com/hashicorp/docker",
+
+	"packer-builder-googlecompute":               "github.com/hashicorp/googlecompute",
+	"packer-post-processor-googlecompute-export": "github.com/hashicorp/googlecompute",
+	"packer-post-processor-googlecompute-import": "github.com/hashicorp/googlecompute",
+
+	"packer-builder-qemu": "github.com/hashicorp/qemu",
+
+	"packer-builder-vagrant":              "github.com/hashicorp/vagrant",
+	"packer-post-processor-vagrant":       "github.com/hashicorp/vagrant",
+	"packer-post-processor-vagrant-cloud": "github.com/hashicorp/vagrant",
+
+	"packer-builder-virtualbox-iso": "github.com/hashicorp/virtualbox",
+	"packer-builder-virtualbox-ovf": "github.com/hashicorp/virtualbox",
+	"packer-builder-virtualbox-vm":  "github.com/hashicorp/virtualbox",
+
+	"packer-builder-vmware-iso": "github.com/hashicorp/vmware",
+	"packer-builder-vmware-vmx": "github.com/hashicorp/vmware",
+
+	"packer-builder-vsphere-clone":           "github.com/hashicorp/vsphere",
+	"packer-builder-vsphere-iso":             "github.com/hashicorp/vsphere",
+	"packer-post-processor-vsphere-template": "github.com/hashicorp/vsphere",
+	"packer-post-processor-vsphere":          "github.com/hashicorp/vsphere",
+}
+
+// compileBundledPluginList returns a list of plugins to import in a config
+//
+// This only works on bundled plugins and serves as a way to inform users that
+// they should not rely on a bundled plugin anymore, but give them recommendations
+// on how to manage those plugins instead.
+func compileBundledPluginList(componentMap map[string]struct{}) []string {
+	plugins := map[string]struct{}{}
+	for component := range componentMap {
+		plugin, ok := componentPluginMap[component]
+		if !ok {
+			log.Printf("Unknown bundled plugin component: %q", component)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		plugins[plugin] = struct{}{}
+	}
+
+	pluginList := make([]string, 0, len(plugins))
+	for plugin := range plugins {
+		pluginList = append(pluginList, plugin)
+	}
+
+	return pluginList
+}
+
+func generateRequiredPluginsBlock(plugins []string) string {
+	if len(plugins) == 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	buf := &strings.Builder{}
+	buf.WriteString(`
+packer {
+  required_plugins {`)
+
+	for _, plugin := range plugins {
+		pluginName := strings.Replace(plugin, "github.com/hashicorp/", "", 1)
+		fmt.Fprintf(buf, `
+    %s = {
+      source  = %q
+      version = "~> 1"
+    }`, pluginName, plugin)
+	}
+
+	buf.WriteString(`
+  }
+}
+`)
+
+	return buf.String()
+}
+
 // Upon init lets load up any plugins that were vendored manually into the default
 // set of plugins.
 func init() {
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 6b59b98fe63..af679dd8e0b 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ func (c *config) discoverInternalComponents() error {
 	for builder := range command.Builders {
 		builder := builder
 		if !c.Plugins.Builders.Has(builder) {
+			command.TrackBundledPlugin(fmt.Sprintf("packer-builder-%s", builder))
 			bin := fmt.Sprintf("%s%splugin%spacker-builder-%s",
 				packerPath, PACKERSPACE, PACKERSPACE, builder)
 			c.Plugins.Builders.Set(builder, func() (packersdk.Builder, error) {
@@ -164,6 +165,7 @@ func (c *config) discoverInternalComponents() error {
 	for provisioner := range command.Provisioners {
 		provisioner := provisioner
 		if !c.Plugins.Provisioners.Has(provisioner) {
+			command.TrackBundledPlugin(fmt.Sprintf("packer-provisioner-%s", provisioner))
 			bin := fmt.Sprintf("%s%splugin%spacker-provisioner-%s",
 				packerPath, PACKERSPACE, PACKERSPACE, provisioner)
 			c.Plugins.Provisioners.Set(provisioner, func() (packersdk.Provisioner, error) {
@@ -175,6 +177,7 @@ func (c *config) discoverInternalComponents() error {
 	for postProcessor := range command.PostProcessors {
 		postProcessor := postProcessor
 		if !c.Plugins.PostProcessors.Has(postProcessor) {
+			command.TrackBundledPlugin(fmt.Sprintf("packer-post-processor-%s", postProcessor))
 			bin := fmt.Sprintf("%s%splugin%spacker-post-processor-%s",
 				packerPath, PACKERSPACE, PACKERSPACE, postProcessor)
 			c.Plugins.PostProcessors.Set(postProcessor, func() (packersdk.PostProcessor, error) {
@@ -186,6 +189,7 @@ func (c *config) discoverInternalComponents() error {
 	for dataSource := range command.Datasources {
 		dataSource := dataSource
 		if !c.Plugins.DataSources.Has(dataSource) {
+			command.TrackBundledPlugin(fmt.Sprintf("packer-datasource-%s", dataSource))
 			bin := fmt.Sprintf("%s%splugin%spacker-datasource-%s",
 				packerPath, PACKERSPACE, PACKERSPACE, dataSource)
 			c.Plugins.DataSources.Set(dataSource, func() (packersdk.Datasource, error) {
diff --git a/hcl2template/parser.go b/hcl2template/parser.go
index 2246131fa88..a724bb807bd 100644
--- a/hcl2template/parser.go
+++ b/hcl2template/parser.go
@@ -308,19 +308,8 @@ func filterVarsFromLogs(inputOrLocal Variables) {
 }
 
 func (cfg *PackerConfig) Initialize(opts packer.InitializeOptions) hcl.Diagnostics {
-	var diags hcl.Diagnostics
-
-	// enable packer to start plugins requested in required_plugins.
-	moreDiags := cfg.detectPluginBinaries()
-	diags = append(diags, moreDiags...)
-	if moreDiags.HasErrors() {
-		return diags
-	}
-
-	moreDiags = cfg.InputVariables.ValidateValues()
-	diags = append(diags, moreDiags...)
-	moreDiags = cfg.LocalVariables.ValidateValues()
-	diags = append(diags, moreDiags...)
+	diags := cfg.InputVariables.ValidateValues()
+	diags = append(diags, cfg.LocalVariables.ValidateValues()...)
 	diags = append(diags, cfg.evaluateDatasources(opts.SkipDatasourcesExecution)...)
 	diags = append(diags, checkForDuplicateLocalDefinition(cfg.LocalBlocks)...)
 	diags = append(diags, cfg.evaluateLocalVariables(cfg.LocalBlocks)...)
diff --git a/hcl2template/plugin.go b/hcl2template/plugin.go
index 1c32ef7779e..4a5c0186647 100644
--- a/hcl2template/plugin.go
+++ b/hcl2template/plugin.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func (cfg *PackerConfig) PluginRequirements() (plugingetter.Requirements, hcl.Di
 	return reqs, diags
 }
 
-func (cfg *PackerConfig) detectPluginBinaries() hcl.Diagnostics {
+func (cfg *PackerConfig) DetectPluginBinaries() hcl.Diagnostics {
 	opts := plugingetter.ListInstallationsOptions{
 		FromFolders: cfg.parser.PluginConfig.KnownPluginFolders,
 		BinaryInstallationOptions: plugingetter.BinaryInstallationOptions{
diff --git a/packer/core.go b/packer/core.go
index 4d62cce6bc3..b711af080bc 100644
--- a/packer/core.go
+++ b/packer/core.go
@@ -132,6 +132,12 @@ func NewCore(c *CoreConfig) *Core {
 	return core
 }
 
+// DetectPluginBinaries is used to load required plugins from the template,
+// since it is unsupported in JSON, this is essentially a no-op.
+func (c *Core) DetectPluginBinaries() hcl.Diagnostics {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (c *Core) Initialize(_ InitializeOptions) hcl.Diagnostics {
 	err := c.initialize()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/packer/run_interfaces.go b/packer/run_interfaces.go
index 5bf1151529c..253998c20a4 100644
--- a/packer/run_interfaces.go
+++ b/packer/run_interfaces.go
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ type InitializeOptions struct {
 	SkipDatasourcesExecution bool
 }
 
+type PluginBinaryDetector interface {
+	// DetectPluginBinaries is used only for HCL2 templates, and loads required
+	// plugins if specified.
+	DetectPluginBinaries() hcl.Diagnostics
+}
+
 // The Handler handles all Packer things. This interface reflects the Packer
 // commands, ex: init, console ( evaluate ), fix config, inspect config, etc. To
 // run a build we will start the builds and then the core of Packer handles
@@ -53,6 +59,7 @@ type Handler interface {
 	BuildGetter
 	ConfigFixer
 	ConfigInspector
+	PluginBinaryDetector
 }
 
 //go:generate enumer -type FixConfigMode