diff --git a/cmd/geth/plugin_hooks.go b/cmd/geth/plugin_hooks.go
index ca837f690..46bb3f902 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/plugin_hooks.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/plugin_hooks.go
@@ -1,99 +1,30 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-  "context"
-	"math/big"
-
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/bloombits"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/downloader"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/event"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
   "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/node"
   "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/plugins"
+  "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/plugins/interfaces"
   "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rpc"
   "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
 )
 
-// Backend interface provides the common API services (that are provided by
-// both full and light clients) with access to necessary functions.
-type Backend interface {
-	// General Ethereum API
-	Downloader() *downloader.Downloader
-	SuggestGasTipCap(ctx context.Context) (*big.Int, error)
-	ChainDb() ethdb.Database
-	AccountManager() *accounts.Manager
-	ExtRPCEnabled() bool
-	RPCGasCap() uint64        // global gas cap for eth_call over rpc: DoS protection
-	RPCTxFeeCap() float64     // global tx fee cap for all transaction related APIs
-	UnprotectedAllowed() bool // allows only for EIP155 transactions.
+type APILoader func(*node.Node, interfaces.Backend) []rpc.API
 
-	// Blockchain API
-	SetHead(number uint64)
-	HeaderByNumber(ctx context.Context, number rpc.BlockNumber) (*types.Header, error)
-	HeaderByHash(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (*types.Header, error)
-	HeaderByNumberOrHash(ctx context.Context, blockNrOrHash rpc.BlockNumberOrHash) (*types.Header, error)
-	CurrentHeader() *types.Header
-	CurrentBlock() *types.Block
-	BlockByNumber(ctx context.Context, number rpc.BlockNumber) (*types.Block, error)
-	BlockByHash(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (*types.Block, error)
-	BlockByNumberOrHash(ctx context.Context, blockNrOrHash rpc.BlockNumberOrHash) (*types.Block, error)
-	StateAndHeaderByNumber(ctx context.Context, number rpc.BlockNumber) (*state.StateDB, *types.Header, error)
-	StateAndHeaderByNumberOrHash(ctx context.Context, blockNrOrHash rpc.BlockNumberOrHash) (*state.StateDB, *types.Header, error)
-	GetReceipts(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (types.Receipts, error)
-	GetTd(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) *big.Int
-	GetEVM(ctx context.Context, msg core.Message, state *state.StateDB, header *types.Header, cfg *vm.Config) (*vm.EVM, func() error, error)
-	SubscribeChainEvent(ch chan<- core.ChainEvent) event.Subscription
-	SubscribeChainHeadEvent(ch chan<- core.ChainHeadEvent) event.Subscription
-	SubscribeChainSideEvent(ch chan<- core.ChainSideEvent) event.Subscription
-
-	// Transaction pool API
-	SendTx(ctx context.Context, signedTx *types.Transaction) error
-	GetTransaction(ctx context.Context, txHash common.Hash) (*types.Transaction, common.Hash, uint64, uint64, error)
-	GetPoolTransactions() (types.Transactions, error)
-	GetPoolTransaction(txHash common.Hash) *types.Transaction
-	GetPoolNonce(ctx context.Context, addr common.Address) (uint64, error)
-	Stats() (pending int, queued int)
-	TxPoolContent() (map[common.Address]types.Transactions, map[common.Address]types.Transactions)
-	SubscribeNewTxsEvent(chan<- core.NewTxsEvent) event.Subscription
-
-	// Filter API
-	BloomStatus() (uint64, uint64)
-	GetLogs(ctx context.Context, blockHash common.Hash) ([][]*types.Log, error)
-	ServiceFilter(ctx context.Context, session *bloombits.MatcherSession)
-	SubscribeLogsEvent(ch chan<- []*types.Log) event.Subscription
-	SubscribePendingLogsEvent(ch chan<- []*types.Log) event.Subscription
-	SubscribeRemovedLogsEvent(ch chan<- core.RemovedLogsEvent) event.Subscription
-
-	ChainConfig() *params.ChainConfig
-	Engine() consensus.Engine
-}
-
-
-type APILoader func(*node.Node, Backend) []rpc.API
-
-func GetAPIsFromLoader(pl *plugins.PluginLoader, stack *node.Node, backend Backend) []rpc.API {
+func GetAPIsFromLoader(pl *plugins.PluginLoader, stack *node.Node, backend interfaces.Backend) []rpc.API {
   result := []rpc.API{}
   fnList := pl.Lookup("GetAPIs", func(item interface{}) bool {
-    _, ok := item.(func(*node.Node, Backend) []rpc.API)
+    _, ok := item.(func(*node.Node, interfaces.Backend) []rpc.API)
       return ok
   })
   for _, fni := range fnList {
-    if fn, ok := fni.(func(*node.Node, Backend) []rpc.API); ok {
+    if fn, ok := fni.(func(*node.Node, interfaces.Backend) []rpc.API); ok {
       result = append(result, fn(stack, backend)...)
     }
   }
   return result
 }
 
-func pluginGetAPIs(stack *node.Node, backend Backend) []rpc.API {
+func pluginGetAPIs(stack *node.Node, backend interfaces.Backend) []rpc.API {
 	if plugins.DefaultPluginLoader == nil {
 		log.Warn("Attempting GetAPIs, but default PluginLoader has not been initialized")
 		return []rpc.API{}
diff --git a/eth/tracers/api.go b/eth/tracers/api.go
index 74ee4490d..39591ae23 100644
--- a/eth/tracers/api.go
+++ b/eth/tracers/api.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/ethapi"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/plugins/interfaces"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rlp"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rpc"
 )
@@ -850,7 +851,7 @@ func (api *API) traceTx(ctx context.Context, message core.Message, txctx *txTrac
 			StructLogs:  ethapi.FormatLogs(tracer.StructLogs()),
 		}, nil
 
-	case TracerResult:
+	case interfaces.TracerResult:
 		return tracer.GetResult()
 
 	case *Tracer:
diff --git a/eth/tracers/plugin_hooks.go b/eth/tracers/plugin_hooks.go
index 375fa03dd..be6ab2d0d 100644
--- a/eth/tracers/plugin_hooks.go
+++ b/eth/tracers/plugin_hooks.go
@@ -2,33 +2,30 @@ package tracers
 
 import (
   "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/plugins"
-  "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
+  "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/plugins/interfaces"
   "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
   "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
+  "reflect"
 )
 
-
-type TracerResult interface {
-	vm.Tracer
-	GetResult() (interface{}, error)
-}
-
-func GetPluginTracer(pl *plugins.PluginLoader, name string) (func(*state.StateDB)TracerResult, bool) {
+func GetPluginTracer(pl *plugins.PluginLoader, name string) (func(*state.StateDB)interfaces.TracerResult, bool) {
   tracers := pl.Lookup("Tracers", func(item interface{}) bool {
-    _, ok := item.(map[string]func(*state.StateDB)TracerResult)
+    _, ok := item.(*map[string]func(*state.StateDB)interfaces.TracerResult)
+    if !ok { log.Warn("Found tracer that did not match type", "tracer", reflect.TypeOf(item) ) }
     return ok
   })
   for _, tmap := range tracers {
-    if tracerMap, ok := tmap.(map[string]func(*state.StateDB)TracerResult); ok {
-      if tracer, ok := tracerMap[name]; ok {
+    if tracerMap, ok := tmap.(*map[string]func(*state.StateDB)interfaces.TracerResult); ok {
+      if tracer, ok := (*tracerMap)[name]; ok {
         return tracer, true
       }
     }
   }
+  log.Info("Tracer not found", "name", name, "tracers", len(tracers))
   return nil, false
 }
 
-func getPluginTracer(name string) (func(*state.StateDB)TracerResult, bool) {
+func getPluginTracer(name string) (func(*state.StateDB)interfaces.TracerResult, bool) {
   if plugins.DefaultPluginLoader == nil {
 		log.Warn("Attempting GetPluginTracer, but default PluginLoader has not been initialized")
     return nil, false
diff --git a/plugins/rpcloader/interface.go b/plugins/interfaces/interface.go
similarity index 97%
rename from plugins/rpcloader/interface.go
rename to plugins/interfaces/interface.go
index 13279b809..a9381d589 100644
--- a/plugins/rpcloader/interface.go
+++ b/plugins/interfaces/interface.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package plugins
+package interfaces
 
 import (
 	"context"
@@ -72,3 +72,9 @@ type Backend interface {
 	ChainConfig() *params.ChainConfig
 	Engine() consensus.Engine
 }
+
+
+type TracerResult interface {
+	vm.Tracer
+	GetResult() (interface{}, error)
+}
diff --git a/plugins/plugin_loader.go b/plugins/plugin_loader.go
index b1017fbbd..96eec36ea 100644
--- a/plugins/plugin_loader.go
+++ b/plugins/plugin_loader.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package plugins
 import (
 	"plugin"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
 	"gopkg.in/urfave/cli.v1"
 	"flag"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -15,10 +14,6 @@ import (
 
 
 type Subcommand func(*cli.Context, []string) error
-type TracerResult interface {
-	vm.Tracer
-	GetResult() (interface{}, error)
-}
 
 
 type PluginLoader struct{
diff --git a/plugins/rpcloader/rpc_loader.go b/plugins/rpcloader/rpc_loader.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 3e86b1da3..000000000
--- a/plugins/rpcloader/rpc_loader.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,47 +0,0 @@
-package rpcloader
-
-import (
-  "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/node"
-  "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/plugins"
-)
-
-type APILoader func(*node.Node, Backend) []rpc.API
-
-func GetRPCPluginsFromLoader(pl *plugins.PluginLoader) []APILoader {
-  result := []APILoader{}
-  for _, plug := range pl.Plugins {
-    fn, err := plug.Lookup("GetAPIs")
-    if err == nil {
-      apiLoader, ok := fn.(func(*node.Node, Backend) []rpc.API)
-      if !ok {
-        log.Warn("Could not cast plugin.GetAPIs to APILoader", "file", fpath)
-        } else {
-          result = append(result, APILoader(apiLoader))
-        }
-      } else { log.Debug("Error retrieving GetAPIs for plugin", "file", fpath, "error", err.Error()) }
-  }
-}
-
-func GetRPCPlugins() []APILoader {
-  if plugins.DefaultPluginLoader == nil {
-		log.Warn("Attempting GetRPCPlugins, but default PluginLoader has not been initialized")
-		return []APILoader{}
-	 }
-  return GetRPCPluginsFromLoader(plugins.DefaultPluginLoader)
-
-}
-func GetAPIsFromLoader(pl *plugins.PluginLoader, stack *node.Node, backend Backend) []rpc.API {
-	apis := []rpc.API{}
-	for _, apiLoader := range pl.RPCPlugins {
-		apis = append(apis, apiLoader(stack, backend)...)
-	}
-	return apis
-}
-
-func GetAPIs(stack *node.Node, backend Backend) []rpc.API {
-	if plugins.DefaultPluginLoader == nil {
-		log.Warn("Attempting GetAPIs, but default PluginLoader has not been initialized")
-		return []rpc.API{}
-	 }
-	return GetAPIsFromLoader(plugins.DefaultPluginLoader, stack, backend)
-}