diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 5b53892b68..5551cb728e 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -340,6 +340,7 @@ devenv.set('GST_VERSION', meson.project_version())
 devenv.set('GST_ENV', 'gst-' + meson.project_version())
 devenv.set('GST_REGISTRY', meson.current_build_dir() / 'registry.dat')
 devenv.set('GST_PLUGIN_SYSTEM_PATH', '')
+devenv.set('GST_PLUGIN_LOADING_WHITELIST', '*')
 meson.add_devenv(devenv)
 
 generate_plugins_paths = find_program('scripts/generate_plugins_path.py')
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gstplugin.c b/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gstplugin.c
index 75f9479bf9..669648ccc0 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gstplugin.c
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gstplugin.c
@@ -345,7 +345,8 @@ _priv_gst_plugin_initialize (void)
  *   plugin1,plugin2 or
  *   source-package@pathprefix or
  *   source-package@* or just
- *   source-package
+ *   source-package or
+ *   *
  *
  * ie. the bit before the path will be checked against both the plugin
  * name and the plugin's source package name, to keep the format simple.
@@ -361,6 +362,9 @@ gst_plugin_desc_matches_whitelist_entry (const GstPluginDesc * desc,
   GST_LOG ("Whitelist pattern '%s', plugin: %s of %s@%s", pattern, desc->name,
       desc->source, GST_STR_NULL (filename));
 
+  if (strcmp (pattern, "*") == 0)
+    return TRUE;
+
   /* do we have a path prefix? */
   sep = strchr (pattern, '@');
   if (sep != NULL && strcmp (sep, "@*") != 0 && strcmp (sep, "@") != 0) {