diff --git a/distributed/diagnostics/tests/test_worker_plugin.py b/distributed/diagnostics/tests/test_worker_plugin.py
index f3aa8cc6daf..befb228147b 100644
--- a/distributed/diagnostics/tests/test_worker_plugin.py
+++ b/distributed/diagnostics/tests/test_worker_plugin.py
@@ -188,18 +188,23 @@ async def test_dependent_tasks(c, s, w):
 @gen_cluster(nthreads=[("127.0.0.1", 1)], client=True)
 async def test_registering_with_name_arg(c, s, w):
     class FooWorkerPlugin:
-        def setup(self, worker):
-            if hasattr(worker, "foo"):
-                raise RuntimeError(f"Worker {worker.address} already has foo!")
+        def __init__(self, value):
+            self.value = value
 
-            worker.foo = True
+        def setup(self, worker):
+            worker.foo = self.value
 
-    responses = await c.register_worker_plugin(FooWorkerPlugin(), name="foo")
+    responses = await c.register_worker_plugin(FooWorkerPlugin(23), name="foo")
     assert list(responses.values()) == [{"status": "OK"}]
+    results = await c.run(lambda dask_worker: dask_worker.foo)
+    assert results[w.address] == 23
 
     async with Worker(s.address, loop=s.loop):
-        responses = await c.register_worker_plugin(FooWorkerPlugin(), name="foo")
-        assert list(responses.values()) == [{"status": "repeat"}] * 2
+        responses = await c.register_worker_plugin(FooWorkerPlugin(42), name="foo")
+        assert list(responses.values()) == [{"status": "OK"}] * 2
+        results = await c.run(lambda dask_worker: dask_worker.foo)
+        assert len(results) == 2
+        assert all(v == 42 for v in results.values())
 
 
 @gen_cluster(nthreads=[("127.0.0.1", 1)], client=True)
diff --git a/distributed/worker.py b/distributed/worker.py
index c182a84249d..628747dc83d 100644
--- a/distributed/worker.py
+++ b/distributed/worker.py
@@ -2721,22 +2721,19 @@ async def plugin_add(self, comm=None, plugin=None, name=None):
 
             assert name
 
-            if name in self.plugins:
-                return {"status": "repeat"}
-            else:
-                self.plugins[name] = plugin
+            self.plugins[name] = plugin
 
-                logger.info("Starting Worker plugin %s" % name)
-                if hasattr(plugin, "setup"):
-                    try:
-                        result = plugin.setup(worker=self)
-                        if isawaitable(result):
-                            result = await result
-                    except Exception as e:
-                        msg = error_message(e)
-                        return msg
+            logger.info("Starting Worker plugin %s" % name)
+            if hasattr(plugin, "setup"):
+                try:
+                    result = plugin.setup(worker=self)
+                    if isawaitable(result):
+                        result = await result
+                except Exception as e:
+                    msg = error_message(e)
+                    return msg
 
-                return {"status": "OK"}
+            return {"status": "OK"}
 
     async def plugin_remove(self, comm=None, name=None):
         with log_errors(pdb=False):