diff --git a/include/Knob.h b/include/Knob.h
index 319b38184..245963ce2 100644
--- a/include/Knob.h
+++ b/include/Knob.h
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ class LMMS_EXPORT Knob : public QWidget, public FloatModelView
 public:
 	Knob( knobTypes _knob_num, QWidget * _parent = NULL, const QString & _name = QString() );
 	Knob( QWidget * _parent = NULL, const QString & _name = QString() ); //!< default ctor
+	Knob( const Knob& other ) = delete;
 	virtual ~Knob();
 
 	// TODO: remove
diff --git a/src/core/Plugin.cpp b/src/core/Plugin.cpp
index b479d7d8d..12edb8644 100644
--- a/src/core/Plugin.cpp
+++ b/src/core/Plugin.cpp
@@ -90,10 +90,12 @@ AutomatableModel * Plugin::childModel( const QString & )
 
 
 #include "PluginFactory.h"
-Plugin * Plugin::instantiate( const QString& pluginName, Model * parent,
-								void * data )
+Plugin * Plugin::instantiate(const QString& pluginName, Model * parent,
+								void *data)
 {
 	const PluginFactory::PluginInfo& pi = pluginFactory->pluginInfo(pluginName.toUtf8());
+
+	Plugin* inst;
 	if( pi.isNull() )
 	{
 		if( gui )
@@ -104,23 +106,31 @@ Plugin * Plugin::instantiate( const QString& pluginName, Model * parent,
 						arg( pluginName ).arg( pluginFactory->errorString(pluginName) ),
 				QMessageBox::Ok | QMessageBox::Default );
 		}
-		return new DummyPlugin();
+		inst = new DummyPlugin();
 	}
-
-	InstantiationHook instantiationHook = ( InstantiationHook ) pi.library->resolve( "lmms_plugin_main" );
-	if( instantiationHook == NULL )
+	else
 	{
-		if( gui )
+		InstantiationHook instantiationHook;
+		if ((instantiationHook = ( InstantiationHook ) pi.library->resolve( "lmms_plugin_main" )))
 		{
-			QMessageBox::information( NULL,
-				tr( "Error while loading plugin" ),
-				tr( "Failed to load plugin \"%1\"!").arg( pluginName ),
-				QMessageBox::Ok | QMessageBox::Default );
+			inst = instantiationHook(parent, data);
+			if(!inst) {
+				inst = new DummyPlugin();
+			}
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			if( gui )
+			{
+				QMessageBox::information( NULL,
+					tr( "Error while loading plugin" ),
+					tr( "Failed to load plugin \"%1\"!").arg( pluginName ),
+					QMessageBox::Ok | QMessageBox::Default );
+			}
+			inst = new DummyPlugin();
 		}
-		return new DummyPlugin();
 	}
 
-	Plugin * inst = instantiationHook( parent, data );
 	return inst;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gui/EffectSelectDialog.cpp b/src/gui/EffectSelectDialog.cpp
index 64b180d48..3c641acec 100644
--- a/src/gui/EffectSelectDialog.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/EffectSelectDialog.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "ui_EffectSelectDialog.h"
 
 #include "gui_templates.h"
+#include "DummyEffect.h"
 #include "embed.h"
 #include "PluginFactory.h"
 
@@ -147,12 +148,17 @@ EffectSelectDialog::~EffectSelectDialog()
 
 Effect * EffectSelectDialog::instantiateSelectedPlugin( EffectChain * _parent )
 {
-	if( !m_currentSelection.name.isEmpty() && m_currentSelection.desc )
+	Effect* result = nullptr;
+	if(!m_currentSelection.name.isEmpty() && m_currentSelection.desc)
 	{
-		return Effect::instantiate( m_currentSelection.desc->name,
-										_parent, &m_currentSelection );
+		result = Effect::instantiate(m_currentSelection.desc->name,
+										_parent, &m_currentSelection);
 	}
-	return NULL;
+	if(!result)
+	{
+		result = new DummyEffect(_parent, QDomElement());
+	}
+	return result;
 }