diff --git a/modules/module-lua-scripting.c b/modules/module-lua-scripting.c
index 73efb0db..a7b9405b 100644
--- a/modules/module-lua-scripting.c
+++ b/modules/module-lua-scripting.c
@@ -76,16 +76,10 @@ wp_lua_scripting_plugin_enable (WpPlugin * plugin, WpTransition * transition)
   g_autoptr (WpCore) core = wp_object_get_core (WP_OBJECT (plugin));
 
   /* initialize secondary connection to pipewire */
-  self->export_core = wp_core_clone (core);
-  wp_core_update_properties (self->export_core, wp_properties_new (
-        PW_KEY_APP_NAME, "WirePlumber (export)",
-        NULL));
-  if (!wp_core_connect (self->export_core)) {
-    wp_transition_return_error (transition, g_error_new (
-        WP_DOMAIN_LIBRARY, WP_LIBRARY_ERROR_OPERATION_FAILED,
-        "failed to connect export core"));
-    return;
-  }
+  self->export_core =
+    g_object_get_data (G_OBJECT (core), "wireplumber.export-core");
+  if (self->export_core)
+    g_object_ref (self->export_core);
 
   /* init lua engine */
   self->L = wplua_new ();
diff --git a/modules/module-lua-scripting/api.c b/modules/module-lua-scripting/api.c
index 2ca98f3f..ac72433c 100644
--- a/modules/module-lua-scripting/api.c
+++ b/modules/module-lua-scripting/api.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ get_wp_export_core (lua_State *L)
   lua_gettable (L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX);
   core = lua_touserdata (L, -1);
   lua_pop (L, 1);
-  return core;
+  return core ? core : get_wp_core(L);
 }
 
 /* GLib */
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 0cf39ac4..b57b3bb7 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ wp_init_transition_execute_step (WpTransition * transition, guint step)
   WpInitTransition *self = WP_INIT_TRANSITION (transition);
   WpCore *core = wp_transition_get_source_object (transition);
   struct pw_context *pw_ctx = wp_core_get_pw_context (core);
+  const struct pw_properties *props = pw_context_get_properties (pw_ctx);
   GError *error = NULL;
 
   switch (step) {
@@ -164,7 +165,7 @@ wp_init_transition_execute_step (WpTransition * transition, guint step)
     break;
   }
 
-  case STEP_CONNECT:
+  case STEP_CONNECT: {
     g_signal_connect_object (core, "connected",
         G_CALLBACK (wp_transition_advance), transition, G_CONNECT_SWAPPED);
 
@@ -173,11 +174,36 @@ wp_init_transition_execute_step (WpTransition * transition, guint step)
           WP_CODE_OPERATION_FAILED, "Failed to connect to PipeWire"));
       return;
     }
+
+    /* initialize secondary connection to pipewire */
+    const char *str = pw_properties_get (props, "wireplumber.export-core");
+    if (str && pw_properties_parse_bool (str)) {
+      g_autofree gchar *export_core_name = NULL;
+      g_autoptr (WpCore) export_core = NULL;
+
+      str = pw_properties_get (props, PW_KEY_APP_NAME);
+      export_core_name = g_strdup_printf ("%s [export]", str);
+
+      export_core = wp_core_clone (core);
+      wp_core_update_properties (export_core, wp_properties_new (
+            PW_KEY_APP_NAME, export_core_name,
+            NULL));
+
+      if (!wp_core_connect (export_core)) {
+        wp_transition_return_error (transition, g_error_new (
+            WP_DOMAIN_DAEMON, WP_LIBRARY_ERROR_OPERATION_FAILED,
+            "Failed to connect export core to PipeWire"));
+        return;
+      }
+
+      g_object_set_data_full (G_OBJECT (core), "wireplumber.export-core",
+          g_steal_pointer (&export_core), g_object_unref);
+    }
     break;
+  }
 
   case STEP_ACTIVATE_PLUGINS: {
-    const struct pw_properties *p = pw_context_get_properties (pw_ctx);
-    const char *engine = pw_properties_get (p, "wireplumber.script-engine");
+    const char *engine = pw_properties_get (props, "wireplumber.script-engine");
 
     wp_info_object (self, "Activating plugins...");
 
@@ -198,8 +224,7 @@ wp_init_transition_execute_step (WpTransition * transition, guint step)
   }
 
   case STEP_ACTIVATE_SCRIPTS: {
-    const struct pw_properties *p = pw_context_get_properties (pw_ctx);
-    const char *engine = pw_properties_get (p, "wireplumber.script-engine");
+    const char *engine = pw_properties_get (props, "wireplumber.script-engine");
 
     g_clear_object (&self->om);
 
@@ -340,6 +365,7 @@ main (gint argc, gchar **argv)
       PW_KEY_CONFIG_NAME, config_file ? config_file : "wireplumber.conf",
       PW_KEY_APP_NAME, "WirePlumber",
       "wireplumber.daemon", "true",
+      "wireplumber.export-core", "true",
       NULL);
 
   if (!g_path_is_absolute (wp_get_config_dir ())) {