diff --git a/doc/changelog.dox b/doc/changelog.dox
index 9c88db42d..dd1ddd268 100644
--- a/doc/changelog.dox
+++ b/doc/changelog.dox
@@ -1842,6 +1842,12 @@ See also:
     plugins, be it speed, efficiency, file size or portability. Use the
     @relativeref{Text,StbTrueTypeFont} plugin instead, which doesn't require
     any font preprocessing upfront.
+-   Direct plugin instantiation through the constructors isn't a supported use
+    case for @relativeref{Trade,ObjImporter}, @relativeref{Trade,TgaImporter},
+    @relativeref{Trade,TgaImageConverter} and @ref Audio::WavImporter "WavAudioImporter"
+    anymore, as such a code path is not easy to test in common setups and
+    requires significant code duplication in order to preserve plugin-specific
+    configuration options. Instantiate though the plugin manager instead.
 
 @subsection changelog-latest-compatibility Potential compatibility breakages, removed APIs
 
diff --git a/src/MagnumPlugins/MagnumFont/MagnumFont.cpp b/src/MagnumPlugins/MagnumFont/MagnumFont.cpp
index 735fb5c4b..b88e812e3 100644
--- a/src/MagnumPlugins/MagnumFont/MagnumFont.cpp
+++ b/src/MagnumPlugins/MagnumFont/MagnumFont.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ struct MagnumFont::Data {
     Containers::Array<Glyph> glyphs;
 };
 
-MagnumFont::MagnumFont(): _opened(nullptr) {}
+MagnumFont::MagnumFont(): _opened(nullptr) {} /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE */
 
 MagnumFont::MagnumFont(PluginManager::AbstractManager& manager, const Containers::StringView& plugin): AbstractFont{manager, plugin}, _opened(nullptr) {}
 
@@ -111,7 +111,9 @@ void MagnumFont::doOpenData(Containers::Array<char>&& data, DataFlags, Float, Un
 
     /* Open and load image file. Error messages should be printed by the
        TgaImporter already, no need to repeat them again. */
+    CORRADE_IGNORE_DEPRECATED_PUSH
     Trade::TgaImporter importer;
+    CORRADE_IGNORE_DEPRECATED_POP
     importer.setFileCallback(fileCallback(), fileCallbackUserData());
     if(!importer.openFile(Utility::Path::join(_opened->filePath ? *_opened->filePath : "", conf.value("image"))))
         return;
diff --git a/src/MagnumPlugins/MagnumFontConverter/MagnumFontConverter.cpp b/src/MagnumPlugins/MagnumFontConverter/MagnumFontConverter.cpp
index 36d0a2738..a23144c8c 100644
--- a/src/MagnumPlugins/MagnumFontConverter/MagnumFontConverter.cpp
+++ b/src/MagnumPlugins/MagnumFontConverter/MagnumFontConverter.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 
 namespace Magnum { namespace Text {
 
-MagnumFontConverter::MagnumFontConverter() = default;
+MagnumFontConverter::MagnumFontConverter() = default; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE */
 
 MagnumFontConverter::MagnumFontConverter(PluginManager::AbstractManager& manager, const std::string& plugin): AbstractFontConverter{manager, plugin} {}
 
@@ -148,10 +148,14 @@ std::vector<std::pair<std::string, Containers::Array<char>>> MagnumFontConverter
     Containers::Optional<Containers::Array<char>> tgaData;
     if(cache.features() & GlyphCacheFeature::ImageProcessing) {
         const Image3D image3 = cache.processedImage();
+        CORRADE_IGNORE_DEPRECATED_PUSH
         tgaData = Trade::TgaImageConverter().convertToData(ImageView2D{image3.format(), image3.size().xy(), image3.data()});
+        CORRADE_IGNORE_DEPRECATED_POP
     } else {
         const ImageView3D image3 = cache.image();
+        CORRADE_IGNORE_DEPRECATED_PUSH
         tgaData = Trade::TgaImageConverter().convertToData(ImageView2D{image3.format(), image3.size().xy(), image3.data()});
+        CORRADE_IGNORE_DEPRECATED_POP
     }
     if(!tgaData) {
         Error{} << "Text::MagnumFontConverter::exportFontToData(): cannot create a TGA image";
diff --git a/src/MagnumPlugins/ObjImporter/ObjImporter.cpp b/src/MagnumPlugins/ObjImporter/ObjImporter.cpp
index 5fef3c035..d36677bb4 100644
--- a/src/MagnumPlugins/ObjImporter/ObjImporter.cpp
+++ b/src/MagnumPlugins/ObjImporter/ObjImporter.cpp
@@ -145,7 +145,9 @@ inline bool parseInt(const char* const errorPrefix, const Containers::StringView
 
 }
 
-ObjImporter::ObjImporter() = default;
+#ifdef MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+ObjImporter::ObjImporter() = default; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE */
+#endif
 
 ObjImporter::ObjImporter(PluginManager::AbstractManager& manager, const Containers::StringView& plugin): AbstractImporter{manager, plugin} {}
 
diff --git a/src/MagnumPlugins/ObjImporter/ObjImporter.h b/src/MagnumPlugins/ObjImporter/ObjImporter.h
index 7dfeb5e1d..ddc33775a 100644
--- a/src/MagnumPlugins/ObjImporter/ObjImporter.h
+++ b/src/MagnumPlugins/ObjImporter/ObjImporter.h
@@ -132,8 +132,15 @@ to edit the configuration values.
 */
 class MAGNUM_OBJIMPORTER_EXPORT ObjImporter: public AbstractImporter {
     public:
-        /** @brief Default constructor */
-        explicit ObjImporter();
+        #ifdef MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+        /**
+         * @brief Default constructor
+         * @m_deprecated_since_latest Direct plugin instantiation isn't a
+         *      supported use case anymore, instantiate through the plugin
+         *      manager instead.
+         */
+        CORRADE_DEPRECATED("instantiate through the plugin manager instead") explicit ObjImporter();
+        #endif
 
         /** @brief Plugin manager constructor */
         explicit ObjImporter(PluginManager::AbstractManager& manager, const Containers::StringView& plugin);
diff --git a/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImageConverter/TgaImageConverter.cpp b/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImageConverter/TgaImageConverter.cpp
index f843d597c..169906e52 100644
--- a/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImageConverter/TgaImageConverter.cpp
+++ b/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImageConverter/TgaImageConverter.cpp
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ namespace Magnum { namespace Trade {
 
 using namespace Containers::Literals;
 
-/** @todo doesn't populate config options correctly, deprecate (used in
-    MagnumFontConverter currently) */
-TgaImageConverter::TgaImageConverter() = default;
+#ifdef MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+TgaImageConverter::TgaImageConverter() = default; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE */
+#endif
 
 TgaImageConverter::TgaImageConverter(PluginManager::AbstractManager& manager, const Containers::StringView& plugin): AbstractImageConverter{manager, plugin} {}
 
diff --git a/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImageConverter/TgaImageConverter.h b/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImageConverter/TgaImageConverter.h
index 740e25608..9569bb25b 100644
--- a/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImageConverter/TgaImageConverter.h
+++ b/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImageConverter/TgaImageConverter.h
@@ -131,8 +131,15 @@ to edit the configuration values.
 */
 class MAGNUM_TGAIMAGECONVERTER_EXPORT TgaImageConverter: public AbstractImageConverter {
     public:
-        /** @brief Default constructor */
-        explicit TgaImageConverter();
+        #ifdef MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+        /**
+         * @brief Default constructor
+         * @m_deprecated_since_latest Direct plugin instantiation isn't a
+         *      supported use case anymore, instantiate through the plugin
+         *      manager instead.
+         */
+        CORRADE_DEPRECATED("instantiate through the plugin manager instead") explicit TgaImageConverter();
+        #endif
 
         /** @brief Plugin manager constructor */
         explicit TgaImageConverter(PluginManager::AbstractManager& manager, const Containers::StringView& plugin);
diff --git a/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImporter/TgaImporter.cpp b/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImporter/TgaImporter.cpp
index c286a995f..f9c19daad 100644
--- a/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImporter/TgaImporter.cpp
+++ b/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImporter/TgaImporter.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ namespace Magnum { namespace Trade {
 
 using namespace Containers::Literals;
 
-TgaImporter::TgaImporter() = default;
+#ifdef MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+TgaImporter::TgaImporter() = default; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE */
+#endif
 
 TgaImporter::TgaImporter(PluginManager::AbstractManager& manager, const Containers::StringView& plugin): AbstractImporter{manager, plugin} {}
 
diff --git a/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImporter/TgaImporter.h b/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImporter/TgaImporter.h
index b0f917a2e..f7707a3c5 100644
--- a/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImporter/TgaImporter.h
+++ b/src/MagnumPlugins/TgaImporter/TgaImporter.h
@@ -116,8 +116,15 @@ causes all import warnings to be suppressed.
 */
 class MAGNUM_TGAIMPORTER_EXPORT TgaImporter: public AbstractImporter {
     public:
-        /** @brief Default constructor */
-        explicit TgaImporter();
+        #ifdef MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+        /**
+         * @brief Default constructor
+         * @m_deprecated_since_latest Direct plugin instantiation isn't a
+         *      supported use case anymore, instantiate through the plugin
+         *      manager instead.
+         */
+        CORRADE_DEPRECATED("instantiate through the plugin manager instead") explicit TgaImporter();
+        #endif
 
         /** @brief Plugin manager constructor */
         explicit TgaImporter(PluginManager::AbstractManager& manager, const Containers::StringView& plugin);
diff --git a/src/MagnumPlugins/WavAudioImporter/WavImporter.cpp b/src/MagnumPlugins/WavAudioImporter/WavImporter.cpp
index 780d8efc8..31fa5ad2d 100644
--- a/src/MagnumPlugins/WavAudioImporter/WavImporter.cpp
+++ b/src/MagnumPlugins/WavAudioImporter/WavImporter.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ using Implementation::WavAudioFormat;
 using Implementation::WavFormatChunk;
 using Implementation::WavHeaderChunk;
 
-WavImporter::WavImporter() = default;
+#ifdef MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+WavImporter::WavImporter() = default; /* LCOV_EXCL_LINE */
+#endif
 
 WavImporter::WavImporter(PluginManager::AbstractManager& manager, const Containers::StringView& plugin): AbstractImporter{manager, plugin} {}
 
diff --git a/src/MagnumPlugins/WavAudioImporter/WavImporter.h b/src/MagnumPlugins/WavAudioImporter/WavImporter.h
index e6b370a9a..b148271d7 100644
--- a/src/MagnumPlugins/WavAudioImporter/WavImporter.h
+++ b/src/MagnumPlugins/WavAudioImporter/WavImporter.h
@@ -121,8 +121,15 @@ Multi-channel formats are not supported.
 */
 class MAGNUM_WAVAUDIOIMPORTER_EXPORT WavImporter: public AbstractImporter {
     public:
-        /** @brief Default constructor */
-        explicit WavImporter();
+        #ifdef MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+        /**
+         * @brief Default constructor
+         * @m_deprecated_since_latest Direct plugin instantiation isn't a
+         *      supported use case anymore, instantiate through the plugin
+         *      manager instead.
+         */
+        CORRADE_DEPRECATED("instantiate through the plugin manager instead") explicit WavImporter();
+        #endif
 
         /** @brief Plugin manager constructor */
         explicit WavImporter(PluginManager::AbstractManager& manager, const Containers::StringView& plugin);