diff --git a/BREAKING_CHANGES.md b/BREAKING_CHANGES.md
index 83dfe5efb6..7a414e6d2f 100644
--- a/BREAKING_CHANGES.md
+++ b/BREAKING_CHANGES.md
@@ -2,6 +2,25 @@
 
 # Version 8.0.9
 
+## Change
+
+The function AudioPluginFormatManager::addDefaultFormats() has been removed.
+
+**Possible Issues**
+
+Code that calls this function will fail to compile.
+
+**Workaround**
+
+Use the new non-member function "addDefaultFormatsToManager()" instead.
+
+**Rationale**
+
+This change removes the dependency between the AudioPluginFormatManager and the
+concrete plugin format types, allowing the AudioPluginFormatManager to be built
+in isolation.
+
+
 ## Change
 
 The signatures of OpenGLFrameBuffer::readPixels() and
diff --git a/examples/Plugins/HostPluginDemo.h b/examples/Plugins/HostPluginDemo.h
index 89cb55fc89..9c7257d46e 100644
--- a/examples/Plugins/HostPluginDemo.h
+++ b/examples/Plugins/HostPluginDemo.h
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ public:
             return opt;
         }());
 
-        pluginFormatManager.addDefaultFormats();
+        addDefaultFormatsToManager (pluginFormatManager);
 
         if (auto savedPluginList = appProperties.getUserSettings()->getXmlValue ("pluginList"))
             pluginList.recreateFromXml (*savedPluginList);
diff --git a/extras/AudioPluginHost/Source/HostStartup.cpp b/extras/AudioPluginHost/Source/HostStartup.cpp
index 519f850949..d4899455b4 100644
--- a/extras/AudioPluginHost/Source/HostStartup.cpp
+++ b/extras/AudioPluginHost/Source/HostStartup.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class PluginScannerSubprocess final : private ChildProcessWorker,
 public:
     PluginScannerSubprocess()
     {
-        formatManager.addDefaultFormats();
+        addDefaultFormatsToManager (formatManager);
     }
 
     using ChildProcessWorker::initialiseFromCommandLine;
diff --git a/extras/AudioPluginHost/Source/UI/MainHostWindow.cpp b/extras/AudioPluginHost/Source/UI/MainHostWindow.cpp
index cc3466f488..644c89a859 100644
--- a/extras/AudioPluginHost/Source/UI/MainHostWindow.cpp
+++ b/extras/AudioPluginHost/Source/UI/MainHostWindow.cpp
@@ -314,8 +314,8 @@ MainHostWindow::MainHostWindow()
                       LookAndFeel::getDefaultLookAndFeel().findColour (ResizableWindow::backgroundColourId),
                       DocumentWindow::allButtons)
 {
-    formatManager.addDefaultFormats();
-    formatManager.addFormat (new InternalPluginFormat());
+    addDefaultFormatsToManager (formatManager);
+    formatManager.addFormat (std::make_unique<InternalPluginFormat>());
 
     auto safeThis = SafePointer<MainHostWindow> (this);
     RuntimePermissions::request (RuntimePermissions::recordAudio,
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormatManager.cpp b/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormatManager.cpp
index 90065b9c15..f695e29096 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormatManager.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormatManager.cpp
@@ -37,56 +37,27 @@
 namespace juce
 {
 
-AudioPluginFormatManager::AudioPluginFormatManager() {}
-AudioPluginFormatManager::~AudioPluginFormatManager() {}
-
 //==============================================================================
-void AudioPluginFormatManager::addDefaultFormats()
+void addDefaultFormatsToManager (AudioPluginFormatManager& manager)
 {
-   #if JUCE_DEBUG
-    // you should only call this method once!
-    for (auto* format [[maybe_unused]] : formats)
-    {
-       #if JUCE_INTERNAL_HAS_VST
-        jassert (dynamic_cast<VSTPluginFormat*> (format) == nullptr);
-       #endif
-
-       #if JUCE_INTERNAL_HAS_VST3
-        jassert (dynamic_cast<VST3PluginFormat*> (format) == nullptr);
-       #endif
-
-       #if JUCE_INTERNAL_HAS_AU
-        jassert (dynamic_cast<AudioUnitPluginFormat*> (format) == nullptr);
-       #endif
-
-       #if JUCE_INTERNAL_HAS_LADSPA
-        jassert (dynamic_cast<LADSPAPluginFormat*> (format) == nullptr);
-       #endif
-
-       #if JUCE_INTERNAL_HAS_LV2
-        jassert (dynamic_cast<LV2PluginFormat*> (format) == nullptr);
-       #endif
-    }
-   #endif
-
    #if JUCE_INTERNAL_HAS_AU
-    formats.add (new AudioUnitPluginFormat());
+    manager.addFormat (std::make_unique<AudioUnitPluginFormat>());
    #endif
 
    #if JUCE_INTERNAL_HAS_VST
-    formats.add (new VSTPluginFormat());
+    manager.addFormat (std::make_unique<VSTPluginFormat>());
    #endif
 
    #if JUCE_INTERNAL_HAS_VST3
-    formats.add (new VST3PluginFormat());
+    manager.addFormat (std::make_unique<VST3PluginFormat>());
    #endif
 
    #if JUCE_INTERNAL_HAS_LADSPA
-    formats.add (new LADSPAPluginFormat());
+    manager.addFormat (std::make_unique<LADSPAPluginFormat>());
    #endif
 
    #if JUCE_INTERNAL_HAS_LV2
-    formats.add (new LV2PluginFormat());
+    manager.addFormat (std::make_unique<LV2PluginFormat>());
    #endif
 }
 
@@ -100,9 +71,19 @@ Array<AudioPluginFormat*> AudioPluginFormatManager::getFormats() const
     return a;
 }
 
-void AudioPluginFormatManager::addFormat (AudioPluginFormat* format)
+void AudioPluginFormatManager::addFormat (std::unique_ptr<AudioPluginFormat> format)
 {
-    formats.add (format);
+    for (auto* existing : formats)
+    {
+        if (existing->getName() == format->getName())
+        {
+            // This format manager already contains a format with this name!
+            jassertfalse;
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+    formats.add (std::move (format));
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<AudioPluginInstance> AudioPluginFormatManager::createPluginInstance (const PluginDescription& description,
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormatManager.h b/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormatManager.h
index a71a3160ee..1175c81767 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormatManager.h
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormatManager.h
@@ -47,14 +47,14 @@ class JUCE_API  AudioPluginFormatManager
 {
 public:
     //==============================================================================
-    AudioPluginFormatManager();
-
-    /** Destructor. */
-    ~AudioPluginFormatManager();
+    AudioPluginFormatManager() = default;
 
     //==============================================================================
-    /** Adds the set of available standard formats, e.g. VST. */
-    void addDefaultFormats();
+    /** This function has been removed. To add default formats to the manager,
+        use one of the new functions addDefaultFormatsToManager() or
+        addHeadlessDefaultFormatsToManager();
+    */
+    void addDefaultFormats() = delete;
 
     //==============================================================================
     /** Returns the number of types of format that are available.
@@ -74,7 +74,13 @@ public:
     /** Adds a format to the list.
         The object passed in will be owned and deleted by the manager.
     */
-    void addFormat (AudioPluginFormat*);
+    [[deprecated ("Prefer the signature that accepts a unique_ptr")]]
+    void addFormat (AudioPluginFormat* f) { addFormat (rawToUniquePtr (f)); }
+
+    /** Adds a format to the list.
+        The object passed in will be owned and deleted by the manager.
+    */
+    void addFormat (std::unique_ptr<AudioPluginFormat>);
 
     //==============================================================================
     /** Tries to load the type for this description, by trying all the formats
@@ -148,4 +154,10 @@ private:
     JUCE_DECLARE_NON_COPYABLE_WITH_LEAK_DETECTOR (AudioPluginFormatManager)
 };
 
+/** Add all standard plugin formats to the AudioPluginFormatManager, *with* UI support.
+
+    This function replaces AudioPluginFormatManager::addDefaultFormats().
+*/
+void addDefaultFormatsToManager (AudioPluginFormatManager&);
+
 } // namespace juce