diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index f271f38a2d..954bb43a28 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -1648,10 +1648,13 @@ The following environment variables control the configuration of the Nextflow ru
 : Allows the setting Java VM options. This is similar to `NXF_OPTS` however it's only applied the JVM running Nextflow and not to any java pre-launching commands.
 
 `NXF_OFFLINE`
-: When `true` disables the project automatic download and update from remote repositories (default: `false`).
+: When `true` prevents Nextflow from automatically downloading and updating remote project repositories (default: `false`).
 : :::{versionchanged} 23.09.0-edge
   This option also disables the automatic version check (see `NXF_DISABLE_CHECK_LATEST`).
   :::
+: :::{versionchanged} 23.11.0-edge
+  This option also prevents plugins from being downloaded. Plugin versions must be specified in offline mode, or else Nextflow will fail.
+  :::
 
 `NXF_OPTS`
 : Provides extra options for the Java and Nextflow runtime. It must be a blank separated list of `-Dkey[=value]` properties.
diff --git a/modules/nf-commons/src/main/nextflow/plugin/PluginUpdater.groovy b/modules/nf-commons/src/main/nextflow/plugin/PluginUpdater.groovy
index 4e773877af..98a5739273 100644
--- a/modules/nf-commons/src/main/nextflow/plugin/PluginUpdater.groovy
+++ b/modules/nf-commons/src/main/nextflow/plugin/PluginUpdater.groovy
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ class PluginUpdater extends UpdateManager {
             safeMove(dir, pluginPath)
         }
         catch (IOException e) {
-            throw new PluginRuntimeException(e, "Failed to write file '$pluginPath' to plugins folder");
+            throw new PluginRuntimeException(e, "Failed to write file '$pluginPath' to plugins folder")
         }
 
         return pluginPath
@@ -318,8 +318,14 @@ class PluginUpdater extends UpdateManager {
 
         if( version == null )
             version = getLastPluginRelease(id)?.version
-        if( !version )
-            throw new IllegalStateException("Cannot find latest version of $id plugin")
+
+        final offline = SysEnv.get('NXF_OFFLINE')=='true'
+        if( !version ) {
+            final msg = offline
+                ? "Cannot find version for $id plugin -- plugin versions MUST be specified in offline mode"
+                : "Cannot find latest version of $id plugin"
+            throw new IllegalStateException(msg)
+        }
 
         def pluginPath = pluginsStore.resolve("$id-$version")
         if( !FilesEx.exists(pluginPath) ) {
@@ -363,7 +369,7 @@ class PluginUpdater extends UpdateManager {
         // resolve the plugins
         pluginManager.resolvePlugins()
         // finally start it
-        PluginState state = pluginManager.startPlugin(id);
+        PluginState state = pluginManager.startPlugin(id)
         return PluginState.STARTED == state
     }
 
@@ -381,13 +387,13 @@ class PluginUpdater extends UpdateManager {
             throw new PluginRuntimeException("Plugin $id cannot be updated since it is not installed")
         }
 
-        PluginInfo pluginInfo = getPluginsMap().get(id);
+        PluginInfo pluginInfo = getPluginsMap().get(id)
         if (pluginInfo == null) {
             throw new PluginRuntimeException("Plugin $id does not exist in any repository")
         }
 
         if (!pluginManager.deletePlugin(id)) {
-            return false;
+            return false
         }
 
         load0(id, version)
diff --git a/modules/nf-commons/src/main/nextflow/plugin/PluginsFacade.groovy b/modules/nf-commons/src/main/nextflow/plugin/PluginsFacade.groovy
index 5af5b2d2a6..b4320d435e 100644
--- a/modules/nf-commons/src/main/nextflow/plugin/PluginsFacade.groovy
+++ b/modules/nf-commons/src/main/nextflow/plugin/PluginsFacade.groovy
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ class PluginsFacade implements PluginStateListener {
     PluginsFacade() {
         mode = getPluginsMode()
         root = getPluginsDir()
-        if( mode=='dev' && root.toString()=='plugins' && !isRunningFromDistArchive() )
+        if( mode==DEV_MODE && root.toString()=='plugins' && !isRunningFromDistArchive() )
             root = detectPluginsDevRoot()
         System.setProperty('pf4j.mode', mode)
     }