diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/instrument_selector.cc b/gtk2_ardour/instrument_selector.cc
index 5356bba726..3c6676ea78 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/instrument_selector.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/instrument_selector.cc
@@ -153,19 +153,7 @@ InstrumentSelector::build_instrument_list()
 #endif
 
 		if (p->plugintype_name_ambiguity) {
-			std::string pt;
-			switch (p->type) {
-				case AudioUnit:
-					pt = "AU";
-					break;
-				case Windows_VST:
-				case LXVST:
-				case MacVST:
-					pt = "VST";
-					break;
-				default:
-					pt = enum_2_string (p->type);
-			}
+			std::string pt = PluginManager::plugin_type_name (p->type);
 			if (!suffix.empty ()) {
 				suffix += ", ";
 			}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_selector.cc b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_selector.cc
index e49894af32..25dce39727 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_selector.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_selector.cc
@@ -982,29 +982,7 @@ PluginSelector::build_plugin_menu ()
 string
 GetPluginTypeStr(PluginInfoPtr info)
 {
-	string type;
-
-	switch (info->type) {
-	case LADSPA:
-		type = X_(" (LADSPA)");
-		break;
-	case AudioUnit:
-		type = X_(" (AU)");
-		break;
-	case LV2:
-		type = X_(" (LV2)");
-		break;
-	case Windows_VST:
-	case LXVST:
-	case MacVST:
-		type = X_(" (VST)");
-		break;
-	case Lua:
-		type = X_(" (Lua)");
-		break;
-	}
-
-	return type;
+	return string_compose (" (%1)", PluginManager::plugin_type_name (info->type, false));
 }
 
 Gtk::Menu*