diff --git a/CTFd/__init__.py b/CTFd/__init__.py
index 11811bb..c2212de 100644
--- a/CTFd/__init__.py
+++ b/CTFd/__init__.py
@@ -189,7 +189,6 @@ def create_app(config='CTFd.config.Config'):
         app.register_error_handler(500, general_error)
         app.register_error_handler(502, gateway_error)
 
-        if app.config.get('SAFE_MODE', False):
-            init_plugins(app)
+        init_plugins(app)
 
         return app
diff --git a/CTFd/plugins/__init__.py b/CTFd/plugins/__init__.py
index 207bb42..60559e6 100644
--- a/CTFd/plugins/__init__.py
+++ b/CTFd/plugins/__init__.py
@@ -146,15 +146,16 @@ def init_plugins(app):
     :param app: A CTFd application
     :return:
     """
-    modules = sorted(glob.glob(os.path.dirname(__file__) + "/*"))
-    blacklist = {'__pycache__'}
-    for module in modules:
-        module_name = os.path.basename(module)
-        if os.path.isdir(module) and module_name not in blacklist:
-            module = '.' + module_name
-            module = importlib.import_module(module, package='CTFd.plugins')
-            module.load(app)
-            print(" * Loaded module, %s" % module)
+    if app.config.get('SAFE_MODE', False) is False:
+        modules = sorted(glob.glob(os.path.dirname(__file__) + "/*"))
+        blacklist = {'__pycache__'}
+        for module in modules:
+            module_name = os.path.basename(module)
+            if os.path.isdir(module) and module_name not in blacklist:
+                module = '.' + module_name
+                module = importlib.import_module(module, package='CTFd.plugins')
+                module.load(app)
+                print(" * Loaded module, %s" % module)
 
     app.jinja_env.globals.update(get_admin_plugin_menu_bar=get_admin_plugin_menu_bar)
     app.jinja_env.globals.update(get_user_page_menu_bar=get_user_page_menu_bar)
diff --git a/tests/helpers.py b/tests/helpers.py
index 1a9f36a..49abf36 100644
--- a/tests/helpers.py
+++ b/tests/helpers.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from CTFd import create_app
+from CTFd.config import TestingConfig
 from CTFd.models import *
 from CTFd.cache import cache
 from sqlalchemy_utils import database_exists, create_database, drop_database
@@ -15,8 +16,11 @@ else:
     binary_type = bytes
 
 
-def create_ctfd(ctf_name="CTFd", name="admin", email="admin@ctfd.io", password="password", user_mode="users", setup=True):
-    app = create_app('CTFd.config.TestingConfig')
+def create_ctfd(ctf_name="CTFd", name="admin", email="admin@ctfd.io", password="password", user_mode="users", setup=True, enable_plugins=False):
+    if enable_plugins:
+        TestingConfig.SAFE_MODE = False
+
+    app = create_app(TestingConfig)
 
     if setup:
         app = setup_ctfd(app, ctf_name, name, email, password, user_mode)