diff --git a/playwright/e2e-vrt/layout/Navigation.spec.ts-snapshots/Navigation-App-Page-With-Side-Bar-Hidden-Mobile-1-chromium-linux.png b/playwright/e2e-vrt/layout/Navigation.spec.ts-snapshots/Navigation-App-Page-With-Side-Bar-Hidden-Mobile-1-chromium-linux.png
index ab79c58ee2eaf..0e709cd227beb 100644
Binary files a/playwright/e2e-vrt/layout/Navigation.spec.ts-snapshots/Navigation-App-Page-With-Side-Bar-Hidden-Mobile-1-chromium-linux.png and b/playwright/e2e-vrt/layout/Navigation.spec.ts-snapshots/Navigation-App-Page-With-Side-Bar-Hidden-Mobile-1-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/playwright/e2e-vrt/layout/Navigation.spec.ts-snapshots/Navigation-App-Page-With-Side-Bar-Shown-Mobile-1-chromium-linux.png b/playwright/e2e-vrt/layout/Navigation.spec.ts-snapshots/Navigation-App-Page-With-Side-Bar-Shown-Mobile-1-chromium-linux.png
index 55ea6ef92745b..2ce1d7971c1e1 100644
Binary files a/playwright/e2e-vrt/layout/Navigation.spec.ts-snapshots/Navigation-App-Page-With-Side-Bar-Shown-Mobile-1-chromium-linux.png and b/playwright/e2e-vrt/layout/Navigation.spec.ts-snapshots/Navigation-App-Page-With-Side-Bar-Shown-Mobile-1-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/plugin-server/src/config/config.ts b/plugin-server/src/config/config.ts
index 4f3856af385b7..e0d9e3c49ad13 100644
--- a/plugin-server/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/plugin-server/src/config/config.ts
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ export function getDefaultConfig(): PluginsServerConfig {
         OBJECT_STORAGE_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: 'object_storage_root_password',
         OBJECT_STORAGE_BUCKET: 'posthog',
         PLUGIN_SERVER_MODE: null,
+        PLUGIN_LOAD_SEQUENTIALLY: false,
         KAFKAJS_LOG_LEVEL: 'WARN',
         HISTORICAL_EXPORTS_ENABLED: true,
         HISTORICAL_EXPORTS_MAX_RETRY_COUNT: 15,
diff --git a/plugin-server/src/types.ts b/plugin-server/src/types.ts
index 5cd069484b2d3..a6bd8fe69ce17 100644
--- a/plugin-server/src/types.ts
+++ b/plugin-server/src/types.ts
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ export interface PluginsServerConfig {
     OBJECT_STORAGE_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: string
     OBJECT_STORAGE_BUCKET: string // the object storage bucket name
     PLUGIN_SERVER_MODE: PluginServerMode | null
+    PLUGIN_LOAD_SEQUENTIALLY: boolean // could help with reducing memory usage spikes on startup
     KAFKAJS_LOG_LEVEL: 'NOTHING' | 'DEBUG' | 'INFO' | 'WARN' | 'ERROR'
     HISTORICAL_EXPORTS_ENABLED: boolean // enables historical exports for export apps
     HISTORICAL_EXPORTS_MAX_RETRY_COUNT: number
diff --git a/plugin-server/src/worker/plugins/setup.ts b/plugin-server/src/worker/plugins/setup.ts
index 2ff72c9a899aa..4d2d2e33e8807 100644
--- a/plugin-server/src/worker/plugins/setup.ts
+++ b/plugin-server/src/worker/plugins/setup.ts
@@ -26,8 +26,11 @@ export async function setupPlugins(hub: Hub): Promise<void> {
             pluginConfig.vm = statelessVms[plugin.id]
         } else {
             pluginConfig.vm = new LazyPluginVM(hub, pluginConfig)
-            pluginVMLoadPromises.push(loadPlugin(hub, pluginConfig))
-
+            if (hub.PLUGIN_LOAD_SEQUENTIALLY) {
+                await loadPlugin(hub, pluginConfig)
+            } else {
+                pluginVMLoadPromises.push(loadPlugin(hub, pluginConfig))
+            }
             if (prevConfig) {
                 void teardownPlugins(hub, prevConfig)
             }