diff --git a/modules/system/classes/PluginManager.php b/modules/system/classes/PluginManager.php
index a92ea6490..0985f2c32 100644
--- a/modules/system/classes/PluginManager.php
+++ b/modules/system/classes/PluginManager.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use Config;
 use Schema;
 use RecursiveIteratorIterator;
 use RecursiveDirectoryIterator;
-use ApplicationException;
+use SystemException;
 
 /**
  * Plugin manager
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ class PluginManager
             $this->loadPlugin($namespace, $path);
         }
 
+        $this->sortDependencies();
+
         return $this->plugins;
     }
 
@@ -674,43 +676,25 @@ class PluginManager
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Returns the plugin identifiers that are required by the supplied plugin.
-     * @param  string $plugin Plugin identifier, object or class
-     * @return array
-     */
-    public function getDependencies($plugin)
-    {
-        if (is_string($plugin) && (!$plugin = $this->findByIdentifier($plugin))) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        if (!isset($plugin->require) || !$plugin->require) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        return is_array($plugin->require) ? $plugin->require : [$plugin->require];
-    }
-
     /**
      * Sorts a collection of plugins, in the order that they should be actioned,
      * according to their given dependencies. Least dependent come first.
-     * @param  array $plugins Object collection to sort, or null to sort all.
      * @return array Collection of sorted plugin identifiers
      */
-    public function sortByDependencies($plugins = null)
+    protected function sortDependencies()
     {
-        if (!is_array($plugins)) {
-            $plugins = $this->getPlugins();
-        }
+        ksort($this->plugins);
 
+        /*
+         * Canvas the dependency tree
+         */
+        $checklist = $this->plugins;
         $result = [];
-        $checklist = $plugins;
 
         $loopCount = 0;
         while (count($checklist)) {
-            if (++$loopCount > 999) {
-                throw new ApplicationException('Too much recursion');
+            if (++$loopCount > 2048) {
+                throw new SystemException('Too much recursion! Check for circular dependencies in your plugins.');
             }
 
             foreach ($checklist as $code => $plugin) {
@@ -718,8 +702,8 @@ class PluginManager
                  * Get dependencies and remove any aliens
                  */
                 $depends = $this->getDependencies($plugin) ?: [];
-                $depends = array_filter($depends, function ($pluginCode) use ($plugins) {
-                    return isset($plugins[$pluginCode]);
+                $depends = array_filter($depends, function ($pluginCode) {
+                    return isset($this->plugins[$pluginCode]);
                 });
 
                 /*
@@ -746,7 +730,46 @@ class PluginManager
                 unset($checklist[$code]);
             }
         }
-        return $result;
+
+        /*
+         * Reassemble plugin map
+         */
+        $sortedPlugins = [];
+
+        foreach ($result as $code) {
+            $sortedPlugins[$code] = $this->plugins[$code];
+        }
+
+        return $this->plugins = $sortedPlugins;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the plugin identifiers that are required by the supplied plugin.
+     * @param  string $plugin Plugin identifier, object or class
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public function getDependencies($plugin)
+    {
+        if (is_string($plugin) && (!$plugin = $this->findByIdentifier($plugin))) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if (!isset($plugin->require) || !$plugin->require) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        return is_array($plugin->require) ? $plugin->require : [$plugin->require];
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Plugins are now sorted by default. See getPlugins()
+     * Remove if year >= 2022
+     */
+    public function sortByDependencies($plugins = null)
+    {
+        traceLog('PluginManager::sortByDependencies is deprecated. Plugins are now sorted by default. Use PluginManager::getPlugins()');
+
+        return array_keys($plugins ?: $this->getPlugins());
     }
 
     //
diff --git a/modules/system/classes/UpdateManager.php b/modules/system/classes/UpdateManager.php
index 0f8264199..53ba96468 100644
--- a/modules/system/classes/UpdateManager.php
+++ b/modules/system/classes/UpdateManager.php
@@ -149,9 +149,9 @@ class UpdateManager
         /*
          * Update plugins
          */
-        $plugins = $this->pluginManager->sortByDependencies();
-        foreach ($plugins as $plugin) {
-            $this->updatePlugin($plugin);
+        $plugins = $this->pluginManager->getPlugins();
+        foreach ($plugins as $code => $plugin) {
+            $this->updatePlugin($code);
         }
 
         Parameter::set('system::update.count', 0);