diff --git a/userspace/libsinsp/sinsp.cpp b/userspace/libsinsp/sinsp.cpp
index 048db5a3f6..d5636cc97d 100644
--- a/userspace/libsinsp/sinsp.cpp
+++ b/userspace/libsinsp/sinsp.cpp
@@ -370,7 +370,9 @@ void sinsp::open_common(scap_open_args* oargs,
 
 	// notify registered plugins of capture open
 	for(auto& p : m_plugin_manager->plugins()) {
-		p->capture_open();
+		if(p->caps() & CAP_CAPTURE_LISTENING) {
+			p->capture_open();
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -736,8 +738,12 @@ void sinsp::close() {
 	}
 
 	// notify registered plugins of capture close
-	for(auto& p : m_plugin_manager->plugins()) {
-		p->capture_close();
+	if(m_mode != SINSP_MODE_NONE) {
+		for(auto& p : m_plugin_manager->plugins()) {
+			if(p->caps() & CAP_CAPTURE_LISTENING) {
+				p->capture_close();
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	// purge pending routines and wait for the running ones