diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/config.lua b/lua/lazy/core/config.lua
index 85ac847..17ab65e 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/config.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/config.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ local M = {}
 M.defaults = {
   plugins = "config.plugins",
   defaults = {
-    opt = false, -- should plugins default to "opt" or "start"
+    lazy = false, -- should plugins be loaded at startup?
     version = nil,
     -- version = "*", -- enable this to try installing the latest stable versions of plugins
   },
diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/loader.lua b/lua/lazy/core/loader.lua
index 093692c..4bd29a0 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/loader.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/loader.lua
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ local M = {}
 ---@type LazyPlugin[]
 M.loading = {}
 
+function M.setup()
+  local Handler = require("lazy.core.handler")
+  Handler.setup()
+end
+
 function M.init_plugins()
   Util.track("plugin_init")
   for _, plugin in pairs(Config.plugins) do
@@ -14,7 +19,7 @@ function M.init_plugins()
       Util.try(plugin.init, "Failed to run `init` for **" .. plugin.name .. "**")
       Util.track()
     end
-    if plugin.opt == false then
+    if plugin.lazy == false then
       M.load(plugin, { start = "start" })
     end
   end
@@ -24,8 +29,7 @@ end
 ---@class Loader
 ---@param plugins string|LazyPlugin|string[]|LazyPlugin[]
 ---@param reason {[string]:string}
----@param opts? {load_start: boolean}
-function M.load(plugins, reason, opts)
+function M.load(plugins, reason)
   ---@diagnostic disable-next-line: cast-local-type
   plugins = type(plugins) == "string" or plugins.name and { plugins } or plugins
   ---@cast plugins (string|LazyPlugin)[]
@@ -47,7 +51,7 @@ function M.load(plugins, reason, opts)
       table.insert(M.loading, plugin)
 
       Util.track({ plugin = plugin.name, start = reason.start })
-      M.packadd(plugin, opts and opts.load_start)
+      M.packadd(plugin)
 
       if plugin.dependencies then
         M.load(plugin.dependencies, {})
@@ -67,15 +71,9 @@ function M.load(plugins, reason, opts)
 end
 
 ---@param plugin LazyPlugin
-function M.packadd(plugin, load_start)
-  if plugin.opt then
-    vim.cmd.packadd(plugin.name)
-    M.source_runtime(plugin, "/after/plugin")
-  elseif load_start then
-    vim.opt.runtimepath:append(plugin.dir)
-    M.source_runtime(plugin, "/plugin")
-    M.source_runtime(plugin, "/after/plugin")
-  end
+function M.packadd(plugin)
+  vim.cmd.packadd(plugin.name)
+  M.source_runtime(plugin, "/after/plugin")
 end
 
 ---@param plugin LazyPlugin
diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/module.lua b/lua/lazy/core/module.lua
index 674eb57..82eff95 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/module.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/module.lua
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ end
 
 function M.save_cache()
   local f = assert(uv.fs_open(cache_path, "w", 438))
-  vim.loop.fs_ftruncate(f, 0)
   for modname, entry in pairs(M.cache) do
     if entry.used then
       entry.modname = modname
diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua b/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
index 9b933f2..986a28b 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ local M = {}
 ---@field dir string
 ---@field dep? boolean True if this plugin is only in the spec as a dependency
 ---@field enabled? boolean|(fun():boolean)
----@field opt? boolean
+---@field lazy? boolean
 ---@field dependencies? string[]
 ---@field _ LazyPluginState
 
@@ -145,52 +145,46 @@ function Spec:merge(old, new)
 end
 
 function M.update_state()
-  ---@type table<"opt"|"start", table<string,FileType>>
-  local installed = { opt = {}, start = {} }
-  for opt, packs in pairs(installed) do
-    Util.ls(Config.options.packpath .. "/" .. opt, function(_, name, type)
-      if type == "directory" or type == "link" then
-        packs[name] = type
-      end
-    end)
-  end
+  ---@type table<string,FileType>
+  local installed = {}
+  Util.ls(Config.options.packpath .. "/opt", function(_, name, type)
+    if type == "directory" or type == "link" then
+      installed[name] = type
+    end
+  end)
 
   for _, plugin in pairs(Config.plugins) do
     plugin._ = plugin._ or {}
-    if plugin.opt == nil then
-      local opt = plugin.dep
-        or Config.options.defaults.opt
+    if plugin.lazy == nil then
+      local lazy = plugin.dep
+        or Config.options.defaults.lazy
         or plugin.module
         or plugin.event
         or plugin.keys
         or plugin.ft
         or plugin.cmd
-      plugin.opt = opt and true or false
+      plugin.lazy = lazy and true or false
     end
-    local opt = plugin.opt and "opt" or "start"
-    plugin.dir = Config.options.packpath .. "/" .. opt .. "/" .. plugin.name
+    plugin.dir = Config.options.packpath .. "/opt/" .. plugin.name
     plugin._.is_local = plugin.uri:sub(1, 4) ~= "http" and plugin.uri:sub(1, 3) ~= "git"
-    plugin._.is_symlink = installed[opt][plugin.name] == "link"
-    plugin._.installed = installed[opt][plugin.name] ~= nil
+    plugin._.is_symlink = installed[plugin.name] == "link"
+    plugin._.installed = installed[plugin.name] ~= nil
     if plugin._.is_local == plugin._.is_symlink then
-      installed[opt][plugin.name] = nil
+      installed[plugin.name] = nil
     end
   end
 
   Config.to_clean = {}
-  for opt, packs in pairs(installed) do
-    for pack, dir_type in pairs(packs) do
-      table.insert(Config.to_clean, {
-        name = pack,
-        dir = Config.options.packpath .. "/" .. opt .. "/" .. pack,
-        opt = opt == "opt",
-        _ = {
-          installed = true,
-          is_symlink = dir_type == "link",
-          is_local = dir_type == "link",
-        },
-      })
-    end
+  for pack, dir_type in pairs(installed) do
+    table.insert(Config.to_clean, {
+      name = pack,
+      dir = Config.options.packpath .. "/opt/" .. pack,
+      _ = {
+        installed = true,
+        is_symlink = dir_type == "link",
+        is_local = dir_type == "link",
+      },
+    })
   end
 end
 
@@ -214,7 +208,7 @@ function M.load()
   Util.track("spec")
   local spec = M.spec()
   if not spec.plugins["lazy.nvim"] then
-    spec:add({ "folke/lazy.nvim", opt = false })
+    spec:add({ "folke/lazy.nvim", lazy = false })
   end
   Config.plugins = spec.plugins
   Util.track()
diff --git a/lua/lazy/init.lua b/lua/lazy/init.lua
index 955fd55..095e469 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/init.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/init.lua
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ function M.setup(opts)
   local Util = require("lazy.core.util")
   local Config = require("lazy.core.config")
   local Loader = require("lazy.core.loader")
-  local Handler = require("lazy.core.handler")
   local Plugin = require("lazy.core.plugin")
 
   Util.track("module", vim.loop.hrtime() - module_start)
@@ -32,8 +31,8 @@ function M.setup(opts)
     Util.track()
   end
 
-  Util.track("handlers")
-  Handler.setup()
+  Util.track("loader")
+  Loader.setup()
   Util.track()
 
   local lazy_delta = vim.loop.hrtime() - module_start
diff --git a/lua/lazy/manage/task/plugin.lua b/lua/lazy/manage/task/plugin.lua
index 16adc45..329d75c 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/manage/task/plugin.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/manage/task/plugin.lua
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ local M = {}
 
 M.build = {
   skip = function(plugin)
-    return not (plugin._.dirty and (plugin.opt == false or plugin.build))
+    return not (plugin._.dirty and plugin.build)
   end,
   run = function(self)
-    Loader.load(self.plugin, { task = "run" }, { load_start = true })
+    Loader.load(self.plugin, { task = "build" })
 
     local build = self.plugin.build
     if build then
diff --git a/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua b/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua
index 950a597..07b7ac7 100644
--- a/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua
+++ b/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ end)
 
 describe("plugin spec opt", function()
   it("handles dependencies", function()
-    Config.options.defaults.opt = false
+    Config.options.defaults.lazy = false
     local tests = {
       { "foo/bar", dependencies = { "foo/dep1", "foo/dep2" } },
       { "foo/bar", dependencies = { { "foo/dep1" }, "foo/dep2" } },
@@ -43,53 +43,53 @@ describe("plugin spec opt", function()
       assert(vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins) == 3)
       assert(#spec.plugins.bar.dependencies == 2)
       assert(spec.plugins.bar.dep ~= true)
-      assert(spec.plugins.bar.opt == false)
+      assert(spec.plugins.bar.lazy == false)
       assert(spec.plugins.dep1.dep == true)
-      assert(spec.plugins.dep1.opt == true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.dep1.lazy == true)
       assert(spec.plugins.dep2.dep == true)
-      assert(spec.plugins.dep2.opt == true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.dep2.lazy == true)
     end
   end)
 
   it("handles opt from dep", function()
-    Config.options.defaults.opt = false
+    Config.options.defaults.lazy = false
     local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/dep1", { "foo/bar", dependencies = { "foo/dep1", "foo/dep2" } } })
     Config.plugins = spec.plugins
     Plugin.update_state()
     assert.same(3, vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins))
     assert(spec.plugins.bar.dep ~= true)
-    assert(spec.plugins.bar.opt == false)
+    assert(spec.plugins.bar.lazy == false)
     assert(spec.plugins.dep2.dep == true)
-    assert(spec.plugins.dep2.opt == true)
+    assert(spec.plugins.dep2.lazy == true)
     assert(spec.plugins.dep1.dep ~= true)
-    assert(spec.plugins.dep1.opt == false)
+    assert(spec.plugins.dep1.lazy == false)
   end)
 
   it("handles defaults opt", function()
     do
-      Config.options.defaults.opt = true
+      Config.options.defaults.lazy = true
       local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/bar" })
       Config.plugins = spec.plugins
       Plugin.update_state()
-      assert(spec.plugins.bar.opt == true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.bar.lazy == true)
     end
     do
-      Config.options.defaults.opt = false
+      Config.options.defaults.lazy = false
       local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/bar" })
       Config.plugins = spec.plugins
       Plugin.update_state()
-      assert(spec.plugins.bar.opt == false)
+      assert(spec.plugins.bar.lazy == false)
     end
   end)
 
   it("handles opt from dep", function()
-    Config.options.defaults.opt = false
+    Config.options.defaults.lazy = false
     local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/bar", module = "foo" })
     Config.plugins = spec.plugins
     Plugin.update_state()
     assert.same(1, vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins))
     assert(spec.plugins.bar.dep ~= true)
-    assert(spec.plugins.bar.opt == true)
+    assert(spec.plugins.bar.lazy == true)
   end)
 
   it("merges lazy loaders", function()