diff --git a/lua/lz/n/handler/cmd.lua b/lua/lz/n/handler/cmd.lua
index f4de88c..2708f09 100644
--- a/lua/lz/n/handler/cmd.lua
+++ b/lua/lz/n/handler/cmd.lua
@@ -17,9 +17,21 @@ function M.lookup(name)
 end
 
 ---@param cmd string
+---@return string[] loaded_plugin_names
 local function load(cmd)
     vim.api.nvim_del_user_command(cmd)
-    loader.load(pending[cmd])
+    local plugins = pending[cmd]
+    -- Make sure trigger_load calls in before hooks can't interfere with the state,
+    -- but they can load a plugin before it's loaded by this handler
+    vim
+        .iter(vim.deepcopy(pending[cmd]))
+        ---@param plugin lz.n.Plugin
+        :each(function(_, plugin)
+            if pending[cmd][plugin.name] then
+                loader.load(plugin)
+            end
+        end)
+    return vim.tbl_keys(plugins)
 end
 
 ---@param cmd string
@@ -44,14 +56,14 @@ local function add_cmd(cmd)
             command.range = { event.line1, event.line2 }
         end
 
-        load(cmd)
+        local plugin_names = load(cmd)
 
         local info = vim.api.nvim_get_commands({})[cmd] or vim.api.nvim_buf_get_commands(0, {})[cmd]
         if not info then
             vim.schedule(function()
                 ---@type string
-                local plugins = "`" .. table.concat(vim.tbl_values(pending[cmd]), ", ") .. "`"
-                vim.notify("Command `" .. cmd .. "` not found after loading " .. plugins, vim.log.levels.ERROR)
+                local plugins_str = "`" .. table.concat(plugin_names, ", ") .. "`"
+                vim.notify("Command `" .. cmd .. "` not found after loading " .. plugins_str, vim.log.levels.ERROR)
             end)
             return
         end
diff --git a/lua/lz/n/handler/colorscheme.lua b/lua/lz/n/handler/colorscheme.lua
index 8aa2c08..3d1c79f 100644
--- a/lua/lz/n/handler/colorscheme.lua
+++ b/lua/lz/n/handler/colorscheme.lua
@@ -32,7 +32,16 @@ local function on_colorscheme(name)
         -- already loaded
         return
     end
-    loader.load(plugins)
+    -- Make sure trigger_load calls in before hooks can't interfere with the state,
+    -- but they can load a plugin before it's loaded by this handler
+    vim
+        .iter(vim.deepcopy(pending[name]))
+        ---@param plugin lz.n.Plugin
+        :each(function(_, plugin)
+            if pending[name][plugin.name] then
+                loader.load(plugin)
+            end
+        end)
 end
 
 local function init()
diff --git a/lua/lz/n/handler/event.lua b/lua/lz/n/handler/event.lua
index 541aa9f..f4e6e7a 100644
--- a/lua/lz/n/handler/event.lua
+++ b/lua/lz/n/handler/event.lua
@@ -158,9 +158,16 @@ local function add_event(event)
             -- HACK: work-around for https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/25526
             done = true
             local state = get_state(ev.event, ev.buf, ev.data)
-            -- load the plugins
-            loader.load(pending[event.id])
-            -- check if any plugin created an event handler for this event and fire the group
+            -- Make sure trigger_load calls in before hooks can't interfere with the state,
+            -- but they can load a plugin before it's loaded by this handler
+            vim
+                .iter(vim.deepcopy(pending[event.id]))
+                ---@param plugin lz.n.Plugin
+                :each(function(_, plugin)
+                    if pending[event.id][plugin.name] then
+                        loader.load(plugin)
+                    end
+                end)
             ---@param s lz.n.EventOpts
             vim.iter(state):each(function(s)
                 trigger(s)
diff --git a/lua/lz/n/handler/keys.lua b/lua/lz/n/handler/keys.lua
index 34525f7..df76876 100644
--- a/lua/lz/n/handler/keys.lua
+++ b/lua/lz/n/handler/keys.lua
@@ -101,13 +101,18 @@ local function add_keys(keys)
     ---@param buf? number
     local function add(buf)
         vim.keymap.set(keys.mode, lhs, function()
-            local plugins = pending[keys.id]
             -- always delete the mapping immediately to prevent recursive mappings
             del(keys)
-            pending[keys.id] = nil
-            if plugins then
-                loader.load(plugins)
-            end
+            -- Make sure trigger_load calls in before hooks can't interfere with the state,
+            -- but they can load a plugin before it's loaded by this handler
+            vim
+                .iter(vim.deepcopy(pending[keys.id]))
+                ---@param plugin lz.n.Plugin
+                :each(function(_, plugin)
+                    if pending[keys.id][plugin.name] then
+                        loader.load(plugin)
+                    end
+                end)
             -- Create the real buffer-local mapping
             if keys.ft then
                 set(keys, buf)