diff --git a/avocado/core/loader.py b/avocado/core/loader.py
index f062fa81cd8620a5975f1f54f3865c9d6b1c94fe..91a28aba9ea431ef71a638fed70064673176b126 100644
--- a/avocado/core/loader.py
+++ b/avocado/core/loader.py
@@ -122,6 +122,8 @@ class TestLoaderProxy(object):
         self._initialized_plugins = []
         self.registered_plugins = []
         self.reference_plugin_mapping = {}
+        self._label_mapping = None
+        self._decorator_mapping = None
 
     def register_plugin(self, plugin):
         try:
@@ -195,6 +197,20 @@ class TestLoaderProxy(object):
                 extra_params['loader_options'] = loaders[i][1]
             plugin = self.registered_plugins[supported_loaders.index(name)]
             self._initialized_plugins.append(plugin(args, extra_params))
+        self._update_mappings()
+
+    def _update_mappings(self):
+        """
+        Update the mappings according the current initialized plugins
+        """
+        # Plugins are initialized, let's update mappings
+        self._label_mapping = {test.MissingTest: "MISSING"}
+        for plugin in self._initialized_plugins:
+            self._label_mapping.update(plugin.get_type_label_mapping())
+        self._decorator_mapping = {test.MissingTest:
+                                   output.TERM_SUPPORT.fail_header_str}
+        for plugin in self._initialized_plugins:
+            self._decorator_mapping.update(plugin.get_decorator_mapping())
 
     def get_extra_listing(self):
         for loader_plugin in self._initialized_plugins:
@@ -207,16 +223,10 @@ class TestLoaderProxy(object):
         return base_path
 
     def get_type_label_mapping(self):
-        mapping = {}
-        for loader_plugin in self._initialized_plugins:
-            mapping.update(loader_plugin.get_type_label_mapping())
-        return mapping
+        return self._label_mapping
 
     def get_decorator_mapping(self):
-        mapping = {}
-        for loader_plugin in self._initialized_plugins:
-            mapping.update(loader_plugin.get_decorator_mapping())
-        return mapping
+        return self._decorator_mapping
 
     def discover(self, references, which_tests=DEFAULT):
         """
diff --git a/selftests/functional/test_basic.py b/selftests/functional/test_basic.py
index 77ff86eb0a1e0f469541f8e8c6abf93360649188..313aeb78da39f051f588f03e6f73cce9f5addf9c 100644
--- a/selftests/functional/test_basic.py
+++ b/selftests/functional/test_basic.py
@@ -880,6 +880,19 @@ class PluginsTest(AbsPluginsTest, unittest.TestCase):
                          (expected_rc, result))
         self.assertIn("Unable to resolve reference", output)
 
+    def test_list_no_file_loader(self):
+        os.chdir(basedir)
+        cmd_line = ("%s list --loaders external --verbose -- "
+                    "this-wont-be-matched" % AVOCADO)
+        result = process.run(cmd_line, ignore_status=True)
+        self.assertEqual(result.exit_status, exit_codes.AVOCADO_ALL_OK,
+                         "Avocado did not return rc %d:\n%s"
+                         % (exit_codes.AVOCADO_ALL_OK, result))
+        exp = ("Type    Test\nMISSING this-wont-be-matched\n\nEXTERNAL: 0\n"
+               "MISSING: 1\n")
+        self.assertEqual(exp, result.stdout, "Stdout mismatch:\n%s\n\n%s"
+                         % (exp, result))
+
     def test_plugin_list(self):
         os.chdir(basedir)
         cmd_line = '%s plugins' % AVOCADO