diff --git a/include/audacity/ModuleInterface.h b/include/audacity/ModuleInterface.h
index f89d8c26c..7d6a319bd 100644
--- a/include/audacity/ModuleInterface.h
+++ b/include/audacity/ModuleInterface.h
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ public:
 
    // For modules providing an interface to other dynamically loaded plugins,
    // the module returns true if the plugin is still valid, otherwise false.
-   virtual bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path) = 0;
+   virtual bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast) = 0;
 
    // When appropriate, CreateInstance() will be called to instantiate the plugin.
    virtual IdentInterface *CreateInstance(const wxString & path) = 0;
diff --git a/src/ModuleManager.cpp b/src/ModuleManager.cpp
index 2f4d0aa91..2afbf5b0e 100755
--- a/src/ModuleManager.cpp
+++ b/src/ModuleManager.cpp
@@ -601,13 +601,14 @@ bool ModuleManager::IsProviderValid(const PluginID & WXUNUSED(providerID),
 }
 
 bool ModuleManager::IsPluginValid(const PluginID & providerID,
-                                  const wxString & path)
+                                  const wxString & path,
+                                  bool bFast)
 {
    if (mDynModules.find(providerID) == mDynModules.end())
    {
       return false;
    }
 
-   return mDynModules[providerID]->IsPluginValid(path);
+   return mDynModules[providerID]->IsPluginValid(path, bFast);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ModuleManager.h b/src/ModuleManager.h
index 62ef5c870..fd7629ccb 100644
--- a/src/ModuleManager.h
+++ b/src/ModuleManager.h
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ public:
    void DeleteInstance(const PluginID & provider, IdentInterface *instance);
 
    bool IsProviderValid(const PluginID & provider, const wxString & path);
-   bool IsPluginValid(const PluginID & provider, const wxString & path);
+   bool IsPluginValid(const PluginID & provider, const wxString & path, bool bFast);
 
 private:
    // I'm a singleton class
diff --git a/src/PluginManager.cpp b/src/PluginManager.cpp
index 90f374a9c..7a65ec809 100644
--- a/src/PluginManager.cpp
+++ b/src/PluginManager.cpp
@@ -1697,6 +1697,9 @@ void PluginManager::Initialize()
    // And finally check for updates
 #ifndef EXPERIMENTAL_EFFECT_MANAGEMENT
    CheckForUpdates();
+#else
+   const bool kFast = true;
+   CheckForUpdates( kFast );
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -2105,7 +2108,10 @@ void PluginManager::SaveGroup(wxFileConfig *pRegistry, PluginType type)
    return;
 }
 
-void PluginManager::CheckForUpdates()
+// If bFast is true, do not do a full check.  Just check the ones
+// that are quick to check.  Currently (Feb 2017) just Nyquist
+// and built-ins.
+void PluginManager::CheckForUpdates(bool bFast)
 {
    // Get ModuleManager reference
    ModuleManager & mm = ModuleManager::Get();
@@ -2148,9 +2154,13 @@ void PluginManager::CheckForUpdates()
          continue;
       }
 
-      if (plugType == PluginTypeModule)
+      if ( (plugType == PluginTypeModule)  )
       {
-         if (!mm.IsProviderValid(plugID, plugPath))
+         if( bFast ) 
+         {
+            // Skip modules, when doing a fast refresh/check.
+         } 
+         else if (!mm.IsProviderValid(plugID, plugPath))
          {
             plug.SetEnabled(false);
             plug.SetValid(false);
@@ -2178,7 +2188,7 @@ void PluginManager::CheckForUpdates()
       }
       else if (plugType != PluginTypeNone && plugType != PluginTypeStub)
       {
-         plug.SetValid(mm.IsPluginValid(plug.GetProviderID(), plugPath));
+         plug.SetValid(mm.IsPluginValid(plug.GetProviderID(), plugPath, bFast));
          if (!plug.IsValid())
          {
             plug.SetEnabled(false);
diff --git a/src/PluginManager.h b/src/PluginManager.h
index cf07c9d23..1e93f0a67 100644
--- a/src/PluginManager.h
+++ b/src/PluginManager.h
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ public:
    wxString GetName(const PluginID & ID);
    IdentInterface *GetInstance(const PluginID & ID);
 
-   void CheckForUpdates();
+   void CheckForUpdates(bool bFast = false);
 
    bool ShowManager(wxWindow *parent, EffectType type = EffectTypeNone);
 
diff --git a/src/effects/LoadEffects.cpp b/src/effects/LoadEffects.cpp
index d05bf8420..ab137567a 100644
--- a/src/effects/LoadEffects.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/LoadEffects.cpp
@@ -321,8 +321,10 @@ bool BuiltinEffectsModule::RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxS
    return false;
 }
 
-bool BuiltinEffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path)
+bool BuiltinEffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast)
 {
+   // bFast is unused as checking in the list is fast.
+   bFast;
    return mNames.Index(path) != wxNOT_FOUND;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/effects/LoadEffects.h b/src/effects/LoadEffects.h
index 566983095..cc748288f 100644
--- a/src/effects/LoadEffects.h
+++ b/src/effects/LoadEffects.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public:
    wxArrayString FindPlugins(PluginManagerInterface & pm) override;
    bool RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxString & path) override;
 
-   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path) override;
+   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast) override;
 
    IdentInterface *CreateInstance(const wxString & path) override;
    void DeleteInstance(IdentInterface *instance) override;
diff --git a/src/effects/VST/VSTEffect.cpp b/src/effects/VST/VSTEffect.cpp
index 6fd87e9c8..597940ced 100644
--- a/src/effects/VST/VSTEffect.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/VST/VSTEffect.cpp
@@ -616,8 +616,10 @@ bool VSTEffectsModule::RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxStrin
    return valid;
 }
 
-bool VSTEffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path)
+bool VSTEffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast)
 {
+   if( bFast )
+      return true;
    wxString realPath = path.BeforeFirst(wxT(';'));
    return wxFileName::FileExists(realPath) || wxFileName::DirExists(realPath);
 }
diff --git a/src/effects/VST/VSTEffect.h b/src/effects/VST/VSTEffect.h
index af4f8fdee..0a8d0d171 100644
--- a/src/effects/VST/VSTEffect.h
+++ b/src/effects/VST/VSTEffect.h
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ public:
    wxArrayString FindPlugins(PluginManagerInterface & pm) override;
    bool RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxString & path) override;
 
-   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path) override;
+   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast) override;
 
    IdentInterface *CreateInstance(const wxString & path) override;
    void DeleteInstance(IdentInterface *instance) override;
diff --git a/src/effects/ladspa/LadspaEffect.cpp b/src/effects/ladspa/LadspaEffect.cpp
index 4d3e8d860..77ac643d8 100644
--- a/src/effects/ladspa/LadspaEffect.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/ladspa/LadspaEffect.cpp
@@ -255,8 +255,10 @@ bool LadspaEffectsModule::RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxSt
    return index > 0;
 }
 
-bool LadspaEffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path)
+bool LadspaEffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast)
 {
+   if( bFast )
+      return true;
    wxString realPath = path.BeforeFirst(wxT(';'));
    return wxFileName::FileExists(realPath);
 }
diff --git a/src/effects/ladspa/LadspaEffect.h b/src/effects/ladspa/LadspaEffect.h
index 7e2aeb5bd..f6f4c1d86 100644
--- a/src/effects/ladspa/LadspaEffect.h
+++ b/src/effects/ladspa/LadspaEffect.h
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ public:
    wxArrayString FindPlugins(PluginManagerInterface & pm) override;
    bool RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxString & path) override;
 
-   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path) override;
+   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast) override;
 
    IdentInterface *CreateInstance(const wxString & path) override;
    void DeleteInstance(IdentInterface *instance) override;
diff --git a/src/effects/lv2/LoadLV2.cpp b/src/effects/lv2/LoadLV2.cpp
index fe2c98d1c..c346e7183 100644
--- a/src/effects/lv2/LoadLV2.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/lv2/LoadLV2.cpp
@@ -260,8 +260,10 @@ bool LV2EffectsModule::RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxStrin
    return true;
 }
 
-bool LV2EffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path)
+bool LV2EffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast)
 {
+   if( bFast )
+      return true;
    return GetPlugin(path) != NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/effects/lv2/LoadLV2.h b/src/effects/lv2/LoadLV2.h
index 141b00c84..5c239a3e8 100644
--- a/src/effects/lv2/LoadLV2.h
+++ b/src/effects/lv2/LoadLV2.h
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ public:
    wxArrayString FindPlugins(PluginManagerInterface & pm) override;
    bool RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxString & path) override;
 
-   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path) override;
+   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast) override;
 
    IdentInterface *CreateInstance(const wxString & path) override;
    void DeleteInstance(IdentInterface *instance) override;
diff --git a/src/effects/nyquist/LoadNyquist.cpp b/src/effects/nyquist/LoadNyquist.cpp
index 3adece934..bfff7558d 100644
--- a/src/effects/nyquist/LoadNyquist.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/nyquist/LoadNyquist.cpp
@@ -216,8 +216,11 @@ bool NyquistEffectsModule::RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxS
    return false;
 }
 
-bool NyquistEffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path)
+bool NyquistEffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast)
 {
+   // Ignores bFast parameter, since checking file exists is fast enough for
+   // the small number of Nyquist plug-ins that we have.
+   bFast;
    if (path == NYQUIST_PROMPT_ID)
    {
       return true;
diff --git a/src/effects/nyquist/LoadNyquist.h b/src/effects/nyquist/LoadNyquist.h
index 759a4daf9..7abf7d42a 100644
--- a/src/effects/nyquist/LoadNyquist.h
+++ b/src/effects/nyquist/LoadNyquist.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public:
    wxArrayString FindPlugins(PluginManagerInterface & pm) override;
    bool RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxString & path) override;
 
-   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path) override;
+   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast) override;
 
    IdentInterface *CreateInstance(const wxString & path) override;
    void DeleteInstance(IdentInterface *instance) override;
diff --git a/src/effects/vamp/LoadVamp.cpp b/src/effects/vamp/LoadVamp.cpp
index 090a62401..326c31f69 100644
--- a/src/effects/vamp/LoadVamp.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/vamp/LoadVamp.cpp
@@ -216,10 +216,12 @@ bool VampEffectsModule::RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxStri
    return false;
 }
 
-bool VampEffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path)
+bool VampEffectsModule::IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast)
 {
    int output;
    bool hasParameters;
+   if( bFast )
+      return true;
 
    auto vp = FindPlugin(path, output, hasParameters);
    return bool(vp);
diff --git a/src/effects/vamp/LoadVamp.h b/src/effects/vamp/LoadVamp.h
index 490f2bf5f..445fc960d 100644
--- a/src/effects/vamp/LoadVamp.h
+++ b/src/effects/vamp/LoadVamp.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public:
    wxArrayString FindPlugins(PluginManagerInterface & pm) override;
    bool RegisterPlugin(PluginManagerInterface & pm, const wxString & path) override;
 
-   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path) override;
+   bool IsPluginValid(const wxString & path, bool bFast) override;
 
    IdentInterface *CreateInstance(const wxString & path) override;
    void DeleteInstance(IdentInterface *instance) override;