diff --git a/picard/plugin.py b/picard/plugin.py
index d9b141c8d..c47bfe202 100644
--- a/picard/plugin.py
+++ b/picard/plugin.py
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ from picard import (
     version_to_string,
 )
 from picard.const import (
-    PLUGIN_ACTION_UPDATE,
     PLUGINS_API,
     USER_PLUGIN_DIR,
 )
@@ -386,7 +385,7 @@ class PluginManager(QtCore.QObject):
                     log.debug("Removing file %r", update)
                     os.remove(update)
 
-    def install_plugin(self, path, action, overwrite_confirm=None, plugin_name=None,
+    def install_plugin(self, path, update=False, overwrite_confirm=None, plugin_name=None,
                        plugin_data=None):
         """
             path is either:
@@ -408,7 +407,7 @@ class PluginManager(QtCore.QObject):
                     # zipped module from download
                     zip_plugin = plugin_name + '.zip'
                     dst = os.path.join(USER_PLUGIN_DIR, zip_plugin)
-                    if action == PLUGIN_ACTION_UPDATE:
+                    if update:
                         dst += '.update'
                         if os.path.isfile(dst):
                             os.remove(dst)
@@ -429,19 +428,19 @@ class PluginManager(QtCore.QObject):
                         raise
                 elif os.path.isfile(path):
                     dst = os.path.join(USER_PLUGIN_DIR, os.path.basename(path))
-                    if action == PLUGIN_ACTION_UPDATE:
+                    if update:
                         dst += '.update'
                         if os.path.isfile(dst):
                             os.remove(dst)
                     shutil.copy2(path, dst)
                 elif os.path.isdir(path):
                     dst = os.path.join(USER_PLUGIN_DIR, plugin_name)
-                    if action == PLUGIN_ACTION_UPDATE:
+                    if update:
                         dst += '.update'
                         if os.path.isdir(dst):
                             shutil.rmtree(dst)
                     shutil.copytree(path, dst)
-                if action != PLUGIN_ACTION_UPDATE:
+                if not update:
                     try:
                         installed_plugin = self.load_plugin(zip_plugin or plugin_name, USER_PLUGIN_DIR)
                     except Exception as e:
diff --git a/picard/ui/options/plugins.py b/picard/ui/options/plugins.py
index 37cecab70..e8158dba6 100644
--- a/picard/ui/options/plugins.py
+++ b/picard/ui/options/plugins.py
@@ -397,8 +397,11 @@ class PluginsOptionsPage(OptionsPage):
             version = plugin.version
         item.setText(COLUMN_VERSION, version)
 
-        def download_processor(action):
-            self.download_plugin(item, action)
+        def download_and_install():
+            self.download_plugin(item)
+
+        def download_and_update():
+            self.download_plugin(item, update=True)
 
         def uninstall_processor():
             self.uninstall_plugin(item)
@@ -429,7 +432,7 @@ class PluginsOptionsPage(OptionsPage):
                 button.setEnabled(False)
 
             if bt_action == PLUGIN_ACTION_INSTALL:
-                button.released.connect(partial(download_processor, bt_action))
+                button.released.connect(download_and_install)
             else:
                 button.released.connect(uninstall_processor)
 
@@ -443,7 +446,7 @@ class PluginsOptionsPage(OptionsPage):
             if item.is_uninstalled or item.marked_for_update:
                 button.setEnabled(False)
 
-            button.released.connect(partial(download_processor, PLUGIN_ACTION_UPDATE))
+            button.released.connect(download_and_update)
 
         self.ui.plugins.header().resizeSections(QtWidgets.QHeaderView.ResizeToContents)
 
@@ -490,23 +493,23 @@ class PluginsOptionsPage(OptionsPage):
         )
         if files:
             for path in files:
-                self.manager.install_plugin(path, action=PLUGIN_ACTION_INSTALL)
+                self.manager.install_plugin(path)
 
-    def download_plugin(self, item, action):
+    def download_plugin(self, item, update=False):
         plugin = item.plugin
 
         self.tagger.webservice.get(
             PLUGINS_API['host'],
             PLUGINS_API['port'],
             PLUGINS_API['endpoint']['download'],
-            partial(self.download_handler, action, plugin=plugin),
+            partial(self.download_handler, update, plugin=plugin),
             parse_response_type=None,
             priority=True,
             important=True,
             queryargs={"id": plugin.module_name}
         )
 
-    def download_handler(self, action, response, reply, error, plugin):
+    def download_handler(self, update, response, reply, error, plugin):
         if error:
             msgbox = QtWidgets.QMessageBox(self)
             msgbox.setText(_("The plugin '%s' could not be downloaded.") % plugin.module_name)
@@ -519,7 +522,7 @@ class PluginsOptionsPage(OptionsPage):
 
         self.manager.install_plugin(
             None,
-            action,
+            update=update,
             plugin_name=plugin.module_name,
             plugin_data=response,
         )
@@ -541,7 +544,7 @@ class PluginsOptionsPage(OptionsPage):
 
     def dropEvent(self, event):
         for path in [os.path.normpath(u.toLocalFile()) for u in event.mimeData().urls()]:
-            self.manager.install_plugin(path, action=PLUGIN_ACTION_INSTALL)
+            self.manager.install_plugin(path)
 
 
 register_options_page(PluginsOptionsPage)