diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 2db440291d..2135014ca4 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -800,6 +800,10 @@ bool setupEssentials(int& argc, char** argv, bool runningMarkerExisted) {
     if (auto steamClient = pluginManager->getSteamClientPlugin()) {
         steamClient->init();
     }
+    if (auto oculusPlatform = pluginManager->getOculusPlatformPlugin()) {
+        oculusPlatform->init();
+    }
+
     PROFILE_SET_THREAD_NAME("Main Thread");
 
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN)
@@ -2667,6 +2671,10 @@ Application::~Application() {
         steamClient->shutdown();
     }
 
+    if (auto oculusPlatform = PluginManager::getInstance()->getOculusPlatformPlugin()) {
+        oculusPlatform->shutdown();
+    }
+
     DependencyManager::destroy<PluginManager>();
 
     DependencyManager::destroy<CompositorHelper>(); // must be destroyed before the FramebufferCache
diff --git a/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/OculusPlatformPlugin.h b/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/OculusPlatformPlugin.h
index 93bf534c6e..d5e54f30f1 100644
--- a/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/OculusPlatformPlugin.h
+++ b/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/OculusPlatformPlugin.h
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ public:
     virtual QString getName() const = 0;
     virtual QString getOculusUserID() const = 0;
 
+    virtual bool init() = 0;
+    virtual void shutdown() = 0;
+
     virtual bool isRunning() const = 0;
 
     virtual void requestNonceAndUserID(NonceUserIDCallback callback) = 0;
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusPlatformPlugin.cpp b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusPlatformPlugin.cpp
index 52bb167acf..1fbf08d0bd 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusPlatformPlugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusPlatformPlugin.cpp
@@ -17,13 +17,18 @@
 QString OculusAPIPlugin::NAME { "Oculus Rift" };
 
 OculusAPIPlugin::OculusAPIPlugin() {
-    if (hifi::ovr::available()) {
-        _session = hifi::ovr::acquireRenderSession();
-    }
 }
 
 OculusAPIPlugin::~OculusAPIPlugin() {
-    if (hifi::ovr::available() && isRunning()) {
+}
+
+bool OculusAPIPlugin::init() {
+    _session = hifi::ovr::acquireRenderSession();
+    return _session;
+}
+
+void OculusAPIPlugin::shutdown() {
+    if (isRunning()) {
         hifi::ovr::releaseRenderSession(_session);
     }
 }
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusPlatformPlugin.h b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusPlatformPlugin.h
index 3d80540419..fd4f9763e3 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusPlatformPlugin.h
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusPlatformPlugin.h
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ public:
 
     bool isRunning() const;
 
+    bool init();
+
+    void shutdown();
+
     virtual void requestNonceAndUserID(NonceUserIDCallback callback);
 
     virtual void handleOVREvents();