diff --git a/libs/ardour/vst3_module.cc b/libs/ardour/vst3_module.cc
index e188966d8b..7fe7ca2aba 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/vst3_module.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/vst3_module.cc
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ class VST3MacModule : public VST3PluginModule
 public:
 	VST3MacModule (std::string const& module_path)
 	{
-		std::string path = Glib::path_get_dirname (module_path); // MacOS
-		path = Glib::path_get_dirname (path); // Contents
+		std::string path = Glib::path_get_dirname (module_path); // Contents
 		path = Glib::path_get_dirname (path); // theVST.vst3
 		CFURLRef url = CFURLCreateFromFileSystemRepresentation (0, (const UInt8*)path.c_str (), (CFIndex)path.length (), true);
 		if (url) {
diff --git a/libs/ardour/vst3_scan.cc b/libs/ardour/vst3_scan.cc
index 9d7b7b0bf1..202c53764a 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/vst3_scan.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/vst3_scan.cc
@@ -244,18 +244,23 @@ ARDOUR::module_path_vst3 (string const& path)
 		module_path = Glib::build_filename (path, "Contents",
 				vst3_bindir (), PBD::basename_nosuffix (path) + vst3_suffix ());
 	}
-	if (!Glib::file_test (module_path, Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_REGULAR)) {
+
 #ifdef __APPLE__
-		if (Glib::file_test (Glib::path_get_dirname (module_path), Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_DIR) &&
-		    Glib::file_test (Glib::build_filename (path, "Contents", "Info.plist"), Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_REGULAR)) {
-			/* Alternatively check for "Contents/MacOS" and an Info.plist file.
-			 * VST3MacModule calls CFBundleCreate() which handles Info.plist files.
-			 * (this is for plugins that use PACE, the MacOS folder usually
-			 * contains a file <basename> + "Protect").
-			 */
-			return module_path;
-		}
+	/* Check for "Contents/MacOS/" and "Context/Info.plist".
+	 * VST3MacModule calls CFBundleCreate() which handles Info.plist files.
+	 * (on macOS/X the binrary name may differ from the bundle name)
+	 */
+	string plist = Glib::build_filename (path, "Contents", "Info.plist");
+	if (Glib::file_test (Glib::path_get_dirname (module_path), Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_DIR) &&
+	    Glib::file_test (Glib::build_filename (path, "Contents", "Info.plist"), Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_REGULAR)) {
+		return plist;
+	} else {
+		cerr << "VST3 not a valid bundle: '" << path << "'\n";
+		return "";
+	}
 #endif
+
+	if (!Glib::file_test (module_path, Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_REGULAR)) {
 		cerr << "VST3 not a valid bundle: '" << module_path << "'\n";
 		return "";
 	}