diff --git a/src/examples/export-spa.c b/src/examples/export-spa.c
index a6eccfb88..6fb11913c 100644
--- a/src/examples/export-spa.c
+++ b/src/examples/export-spa.c
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (argc > 3)
 		data.path = argv[3];
 
-	pw_module_load(data.core, "libpipewire-module-spa-node-factory", NULL);
+	pw_module_load(data.core, "libpipewire-module-spa-node-factory", NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
 	spa_debug_set_type_map(data.t->map);
 
diff --git a/src/examples/local-v4l2.c b/src/examples/local-v4l2.c
index 410dc66fe..0e91f0a51 100644
--- a/src/examples/local-v4l2.c
+++ b/src/examples/local-v4l2.c
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	data.core = pw_core_new(pw_main_loop_get_loop(data.loop), NULL);
 	data.t = pw_core_get_type(data.core);
 
-	pw_module_load(data.core, "libpipewire-module-spa-node-factory", NULL);
+	pw_module_load(data.core, "libpipewire-module-spa-node-factory", NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
 	init_type(&data.type, data.t->map);
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/command.c b/src/pipewire/command.c
index 41908cbf1..1578829bb 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/command.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/command.c
@@ -92,12 +92,11 @@ execute_command_module_load(struct pw_command *command, struct pw_core *core, ch
 {
 	struct pw_module *module;
 
-	module = pw_module_load(core, command->args[1], command->args[2]);
+	module = pw_module_load(core, command->args[1], command->args[2], NULL, NULL, NULL);
 	if (module == NULL) {
 		asprintf(err, "could not load module \"%s\"", command->args[1]);
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
-	pw_module_register(module, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/module.c b/src/pipewire/module.c
index a1a347f2b..13e5d5adc 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/module.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/module.c
@@ -158,7 +158,12 @@ struct pw_module * pw_core_find_module(struct pw_core *core, const char *filenam
  *
  * \memberof pw_module
  */
-struct pw_module *pw_module_load(struct pw_core *core, const char *name, const char *args)
+struct pw_module *
+pw_module_load(struct pw_core *core,
+	       const char *name, const char *args,
+	       struct pw_client *owner,
+	       struct pw_global *parent,
+	       struct pw_properties *properties)
 {
 	struct pw_module *this;
 	struct impl *impl;
@@ -205,6 +210,11 @@ struct pw_module *pw_module_load(struct pw_core *core, const char *name, const c
 	if (impl == NULL)
 		goto no_mem;
 
+	if (properties == NULL)
+		properties = pw_properties_new(NULL, NULL);
+	if (properties == NULL)
+		goto no_mem;
+
 	impl->hnd = hnd;
 
 	this = &impl->this;
@@ -218,6 +228,21 @@ struct pw_module *pw_module_load(struct pw_core *core, const char *name, const c
 	this->info.args = args ? strdup(args) : NULL;
 	this->info.props = NULL;
 
+	pw_properties_set(properties, PW_MODULE_PROP_NAME, name);
+
+	spa_list_append(&core->module_list, &this->link);
+
+	this->global = pw_global_new(core,
+				     core->type.module, PW_VERSION_MODULE,
+				     properties,
+				     module_bind_func, this);
+
+	if (this->global == NULL)
+		goto no_global;
+
+	pw_global_register(this->global, owner, parent);
+	this->info.id = this->global->id;
+
 	if ((res = init_func(this, args)) < 0)
 		goto init_failed;
 
@@ -234,38 +259,18 @@ struct pw_module *pw_module_load(struct pw_core *core, const char *name, const c
 	return NULL;
       no_mem:
       no_pw_module:
-	pw_log_error("\"%s\" is not a pipewire module", filename);
+	pw_log_error("\"%s\": is not a pipewire module", filename);
 	dlclose(hnd);
 	free(filename);
 	return NULL;
-      init_failed:
-	pw_log_error("\"%s\" failed to initialize: %s", filename, spa_strerror(res));
+      no_global:
+	pw_log_error("\"%s\": failed to create global", filename);
+	pw_module_destroy(this);
+	return NULL;
+      init_failed:
+	pw_log_error("\"%s\": failed to initialize: %s", filename, spa_strerror(res));
 	pw_module_destroy(this);
 	return NULL;
-}
-
-int pw_module_register(struct pw_module *module,
-		       struct pw_client *owner,
-		       struct pw_global *parent,
-		       struct pw_properties *properties)
-{
-	struct pw_core *core = module->core;
-
-	spa_list_append(&core->module_list, &module->link);
-
-	module->global = pw_global_new(core,
-				       core->type.module, PW_VERSION_MODULE,
-				       properties,
-				       module_bind_func, module);
-
-	if (module->global == NULL)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-
-	pw_global_register(module->global, owner, parent);
-
-	module->info.id = module->global->id;
-
-	return 0;
 }
 
 /** Destroy a module
diff --git a/src/pipewire/module.h b/src/pipewire/module.h
index 784b094d1..78c91a549 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/module.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/module.h
@@ -58,19 +58,20 @@ struct pw_module_events {
 #define PW_VERSION_MODULE_EVENTS	0
 	uint32_t version;
 
-	/** The module id destroyed */
+	/** The module is destroyed */
 	void (*destroy) (void *data);
 };
 
-/** Load a module by name and arguments and register it */
-struct pw_module *
-pw_module_load(struct pw_core *core, const char *name, const char *args);
+/** The name of the module */
+#define PW_MODULE_PROP_NAME	"pipewire.module.name"
 
-/** Finish module configuration and register */
-int pw_module_register(struct pw_module *module,	/**< the module to register */
-		       struct pw_client *owner,		/**< optional owner */
-		       struct pw_global *parent,	/**< parent global */
-		       struct pw_properties *properties	/**< extra global properties */);
+struct pw_module *
+pw_module_load(struct pw_core *core,
+	       const char *name,		/**< name of the module */
+	       const char *args			/**< arguments of the module */,
+	       struct pw_client *owner,		/**< optional owner */
+	       struct pw_global *parent,	/**< parent global */
+	       struct pw_properties *properties	/**< extra global properties */);
 
 /** Get the core of a module */
 struct pw_core * pw_module_get_core(struct pw_module *module);
diff --git a/src/pipewire/remote.c b/src/pipewire/remote.c
index 4f72166a1..2cf6c16d2 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/remote.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/remote.c
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ struct pw_remote *pw_remote_new(struct pw_core *core,
 	spa_hook_list_init(&this->listener_list);
 
 	if ((protocol_name = pw_properties_get(properties, PW_REMOTE_PROP_PROTOCOL)) == NULL) {
-		if (!pw_module_load(core, "libpipewire-module-protocol-native", NULL))
+		if (!pw_module_load(core, "libpipewire-module-protocol-native", NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL))
 			goto no_protocol;
 
 		protocol_name = PW_TYPE_PROTOCOL__Native;
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ struct pw_remote *pw_remote_new(struct pw_core *core,
 	if (this->conn == NULL)
 		goto no_connection;
 
-	pw_module_load(core, "libpipewire-module-client-node", NULL);
+	pw_module_load(core, "libpipewire-module-client-node", NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
         spa_list_append(&core->remote_list, &this->link);
 
diff --git a/src/tools/pipewire-cli.c b/src/tools/pipewire-cli.c
index 0cbd8e43f..83a4ad67b 100644
--- a/src/tools/pipewire-cli.c
+++ b/src/tools/pipewire-cli.c
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ static bool do_load_module(struct data *data, const char *cmd, char *args, char
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	module = pw_module_load(data->core, a[0], n == 2 ? a[1] : NULL);
+	module = pw_module_load(data->core, a[0], n == 2 ? a[1] : NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 	if (module == NULL) {
 		asprintf(error, "Could not load module");
 		return false;
@@ -1116,7 +1116,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	data.t = pw_core_get_type(data.core);
 	info = pw_core_get_info(data.core);
 
-	pw_module_load(data.core, "libpipewire-module-link-factory", NULL);
+	pw_module_load(data.core, "libpipewire-module-link-factory", NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
 	pw_loop_add_io(l, STDIN_FILENO, SPA_IO_IN|SPA_IO_HUP, false, do_input, &data);