diff --git a/3d-viewer/3d_cache/3d_plugin_manager.cpp b/3d-viewer/3d_cache/3d_plugin_manager.cpp
index ec32c27e9d..078f67156e 100644
--- a/3d-viewer/3d_cache/3d_plugin_manager.cpp
+++ b/3d-viewer/3d_cache/3d_plugin_manager.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include <wx/config.h>
 #include <wx/stdpaths.h>
 #include <wx/filename.h>
+#include <wx/dynlib.h>
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
     #include <windows.h>
@@ -241,63 +242,31 @@ void S3D_PLUGIN_MANAGER::loadPlugins( void )
 void S3D_PLUGIN_MANAGER::listPlugins( const wxString& aPath,
     std::list< wxString >& aPluginList )
 {
-    // list potential plugins given a search paths
-    // note on typical plugin names:
-    // Linux: *.so, *.so.* (note: *.so.* will not be supported)
-    // MSWin: *.dll
-    // OSX: *.dylib, *.bundle
+    // list potential plugins given a search path
 
-    std::list< wxString > nameFilter;   // filter to apply to files
+    wxString nameFilter;                // filter for user-loadable libraries (aka modules)
     wxString lName;                     // stores name of enumerated files
     wxString fName;                     // full name of file
-
-#ifdef __linux
-
-    nameFilter.push_back( wxString::FromUTF8Unchecked( "*.so" ) );
-
-#elif defined _WIN32
-
-    nameFilter.push_back( wxString::FromUTF8Unchecked( "*.dll" ) );
-
-#elif defined __APPLE__
-
-    nameFilter.push_back( wxString::FromUTF8Unchecked( "*.dylib" ) );
-    nameFilter.push_back( wxString::FromUTF8Unchecked( "*.bundle" ) );
-
-#else
-
-    // note: we need to positively identify a supported OS here
-    // and add suffixes which may be used for 3D model plugins
-    // on the specific OS
-    #warning NOT IMPLEMENTED
-
-#endif
-
     wxDir wd;
     wd.Open( aPath );
 
     if( !wd.IsOpened() )
         return;
 
+    nameFilter = wxT( "*" );
+    nameFilter.Append( wxDynamicLibrary::GetDllExt( wxDL_MODULE ) );
     wxString lp = wd.GetNameWithSep();
-    std::list< wxString >::iterator sExt = nameFilter.begin();
-    std::list< wxString >::iterator eExt = nameFilter.end();
 
-    while( sExt != eExt )
+    if( wd.GetFirst( &lName, nameFilter, wxDIR_FILES ) )
     {
-        if( wd.GetFirst( &lName, *sExt, wxDIR_FILES ) )
+        fName = lp + lName;
+        checkPluginName( fName, aPluginList );
+
+        while( wd.GetNext( &lName ) )
         {
             fName = lp + lName;
             checkPluginName( fName, aPluginList );
-
-            while( wd.GetNext( &lName ) )
-            {
-                fName = lp + lName;
-                checkPluginName( fName, aPluginList );
-            }
         }
-
-        ++sExt;
     }
 
     wd.Close();
diff --git a/3d-viewer/CMakeLists.txt b/3d-viewer/CMakeLists.txt
index 326343ed87..99d5393422 100644
--- a/3d-viewer/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/3d-viewer/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -146,10 +146,6 @@ elseif(NOT GLM_ENABLE_FAST_MATH)
     endif()
 endif()
 
-if( WIN32 )
-    target_link_libraries( 3d-viewer ${Boost_} ${wxWidgets_LIBRARIES} ${OPENGL_LIBRARIES} kicad_3dsg )
-else()
-    target_link_libraries( 3d-viewer ${Boost_} ${wxWidgets_LIBRARIES} ${OPENGL_LIBRARIES} kicad_3dsg dl )
-endif()
+target_link_libraries( 3d-viewer ${Boost_} ${wxWidgets_LIBRARIES} ${OPENGL_LIBRARIES} kicad_3dsg )
 
 add_subdirectory( 3d_cache )
diff --git a/plugins/ldr/pluginldr.cpp b/plugins/ldr/pluginldr.cpp
index 2d54ced08c..c9c308e859 100644
--- a/plugins/ldr/pluginldr.cpp
+++ b/plugins/ldr/pluginldr.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include <sstream>
 #include <iostream>
+#include <wx/dynload.h>
 
 #include "pluginldr.h"
 
@@ -35,7 +36,6 @@ KICAD_PLUGIN_LDR::KICAD_PLUGIN_LDR()
     m_checkClassVersion = NULL;
     m_getPluginName = NULL;
     m_getVersion = NULL;
-    m_dlHandle = NULL;
 
     return;
 }
@@ -60,18 +60,9 @@ bool KICAD_PLUGIN_LDR::open( const wxString& aFullFileName, const char* aPluginC
 
     m_fileName.clear();
 
-#ifdef _WIN32
-    // NOTE: MSWin uses UTF-16 encoding
-    #if defined( UNICODE ) || defined( _UNICODE )
-        m_dlHandle = LoadLibrary( aFullFileName.wc_str() );
-    #else
-        m_dlHandle = LoadLibrary( aFullFileName.ToUTF8() );
-    #endif
-#else
-    m_dlHandle = dlopen( aFullFileName.ToUTF8(), RTLD_LAZY | RTLD_LOCAL );
-#endif
+    m_PluginLoader.Load( aFullFileName, wxDL_LAZY );
 
-    if( NULL == m_dlHandle )
+    if( !m_PluginLoader.IsLoaded() )
     {
         #ifdef DEBUG
         std::cerr << __FILE__ << ": " << __FUNCTION__ << ": " << __LINE__ << "\n";
@@ -238,18 +229,7 @@ void KICAD_PLUGIN_LDR::close( void )
     m_checkClassVersion = NULL;
     m_getPluginName = NULL;
     m_getVersion = NULL;
-
-    if( NULL != m_dlHandle )
-    {
-
-#ifdef _WIN32
-        FreeLibrary( m_dlHandle );
-#else
-        dlclose( m_dlHandle );
-#endif
-
-        m_dlHandle = NULL;
-    }
+    m_PluginLoader.Unload();
 
     return;
 }
diff --git a/plugins/ldr/pluginldr.h b/plugins/ldr/pluginldr.h
index 3ae1fdc7df..33e6ce7e1e 100644
--- a/plugins/ldr/pluginldr.h
+++ b/plugins/ldr/pluginldr.h
@@ -32,22 +32,11 @@
 
 #include <string>
 #include <wx/string.h>
+#include <wx/dynload.h>
 
-// helper functions to link functions
-#ifdef _WIN32
-
-#include <windows.h>
+// helper function to link functions in the plugin
 #define LINK_ITEM( funcPtr, funcType, funcName ) \
-    funcPtr = (funcType) GetProcAddress( m_dlHandle, funcName );
-
-#else
-
-#include <dlfcn.h>
-#define LINK_ITEM( funcPtr, funcType, funcName ) \
-    *(void**) (&funcPtr) = dlsym( m_dlHandle, funcName );
-
-#endif
-
+    funcPtr = (funcType) m_PluginLoader.GetSymbol( wxT( funcName ) )
 
 // typedefs of the functions exported by the 3D Plugin Class
 typedef char const* (*GET_PLUGIN_CLASS) ( void );
@@ -99,12 +88,8 @@ protected:
      */
     bool reopen( void );
 
-    // handle to the opened plugin
-    #ifdef _WIN32
-    HMODULE m_dlHandle;
-    #else
-    void* m_dlHandle;
-    #endif
+    // the plugin loader
+    wxPluginManager m_PluginLoader;
 
 public:
     KICAD_PLUGIN_LDR();