diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/ladspa_plugin.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/ladspa_plugin.h
index 545806e437..18314c9ca3 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/ladspa_plugin.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/ladspa_plugin.h
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class LadspaPlugin : public ARDOUR::Plugin
 
 class LadspaPluginInfo : public PluginInfo {
   public:	
-	LadspaPluginInfo () { };
+	LadspaPluginInfo ();
 	~LadspaPluginInfo () { };
 
 	PluginPtr load (Session& session);
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/vst_plugin.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/vst_plugin.h
index d6363d696b..4240dd0fe5 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/vst_plugin.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/vst_plugin.h
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class VSTPlugin : public ARDOUR::Plugin
 class VSTPluginInfo : public PluginInfo
 {
   public:
-	VSTPluginInfo () {}
+	VSTPluginInfo ();
 	~VSTPluginInfo () {}
 	
 	PluginPtr load (Session& session);
diff --git a/libs/ardour/audio_unit.cc b/libs/ardour/audio_unit.cc
index 0cd21b90ee..5102604066 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/audio_unit.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/audio_unit.cc
@@ -1472,11 +1472,12 @@ AUPlugin::has_editor () const
 AUPluginInfo::AUPluginInfo (boost::shared_ptr<CAComponentDescription> d)
 	: descriptor (d)
 {
-
+	type = ARDOUR::AudioUnit;
 }
 
 AUPluginInfo::~AUPluginInfo ()
 {
+	type = ARDOUR::AudioUnit;
 }
 
 PluginPtr
diff --git a/libs/ardour/insert.cc b/libs/ardour/insert.cc
index 721c61f593..03b56e5167 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/insert.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/insert.cc
@@ -850,38 +850,7 @@ PluginInsert::latency()
 ARDOUR::PluginType
 PluginInsert::type ()
 {
-	boost::shared_ptr<LadspaPlugin> lp;
-#ifdef VST_SUPPORT
-	boost::shared_ptr<VSTPlugin> vp;
-#endif
-#ifdef HAVE_AUDIOUNITS
-	boost::shared_ptr<AUPlugin> ap;
-#endif
-#ifdef HAVE_LV2
-	boost::shared_ptr<LV2Plugin> lv2p;
-#endif
-	
-	PluginPtr other = plugin ();
-
-	if ((lp = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<LadspaPlugin> (other)) != 0) {
-		return ARDOUR::LADSPA;
-#ifdef VST_SUPPORT
-	} else if ((vp = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<VSTPlugin> (other)) != 0) {
-		return ARDOUR::VST;
-#endif
-#ifdef HAVE_AUDIOUNITS
-	} else if ((ap = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<AUPlugin> (other)) != 0) {
-		return ARDOUR::AudioUnit;
-#endif
-#ifdef HAVE_LV2
-	} else if ((lv2p = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<LV2Plugin> (other)) != 0) {
-		return ARDOUR::LV2;
-#endif
-	} else {
-		error << "Unknown plugin type" << endmsg;
-		/* NOT REACHED */
-		return (ARDOUR::PluginType) 0;
-	}
+	return plugin()->get_info()->type;
 }
 
 /***************************************************************
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ladspa_plugin.cc b/libs/ardour/ladspa_plugin.cc
index 8d81519050..16a87888b5 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ladspa_plugin.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/ladspa_plugin.cc
@@ -669,3 +669,9 @@ LadspaPluginInfo::load (Session& session)
 		return PluginPtr ((Plugin*) 0);
 	}	
 }
+
+
+LadspaPluginInfo::LadspaPluginInfo()
+{
+	type = ARDOUR::LADSPA;
+}
diff --git a/libs/ardour/lv2_plugin.cc b/libs/ardour/lv2_plugin.cc
index e162b8db70..f2fbefd7cc 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/lv2_plugin.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/lv2_plugin.cc
@@ -586,6 +586,7 @@ LV2PluginInfo::LV2PluginInfo (void* lv2_world, void* slv2_plugin)
 	: _lv2_world(lv2_world)
 	, _slv2_plugin(slv2_plugin)
 {
+	type = ARDOUR::LV2;
 }
 
 LV2PluginInfo::~LV2PluginInfo()