diff --git a/kong/tools/config_loader.lua b/kong/tools/config_loader.lua
index e4971899127..ff531f51b84 100644
--- a/kong/tools/config_loader.lua
+++ b/kong/tools/config_loader.lua
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ function _M.load(config_path)
     config.nginx_working_dir = fs.current_dir().."/"..config.nginx_working_dir
   end
 
-  config.plugins = utils.table_merge(constants.PLUGINS_AVAILABLE, config.custom_plugins)
+  config.plugins = utils.concat(constants.PLUGINS_AVAILABLE, config.custom_plugins)
 
   return config, config_path
 end
diff --git a/kong/tools/utils.lua b/kong/tools/utils.lua
index c33417a9a4d..eef869a3872 100644
--- a/kong/tools/utils.lua
+++ b/kong/tools/utils.lua
@@ -172,6 +172,16 @@ end
 
 local err_list_mt = {}
 
+--- Concatenates lists into a new table.
+function _M.concat(...)
+  local result = {}
+  local insert = table.insert
+  for _, t in ipairs({...}) do
+    for _, v in ipairs(t) do insert(result, v) end
+  end
+  return result
+end
+
 --- Add an error message to a key/value table.
 -- If the key already exists, a sub table is created with the original and the new value.
 -- @param errors (Optional) Table to attach the error to. If `nil`, the table will be created.
diff --git a/spec/integration/proxy/dns_resolver_spec.lua b/spec/integration/proxy/dns_resolver_spec.lua
index aae463fbe06..e5df28ddad6 100644
--- a/spec/integration/proxy/dns_resolver_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/integration/proxy/dns_resolver_spec.lua
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ describe("DNS", function()
 
       thread:join()
     end)
-    it("should work when calling local hostname #ci", function()
+    it("should work when calling local hostname", function()
       local thread = spec_helper.start_http_server(TCP_PORT) -- Starting the mock TCP server
       local _, status = http_client.get(spec_helper.STUB_GET_URL, nil, { host = "dns2.com" })
       assert.are.equal(200, status)
diff --git a/spec/plugins/logging_spec.lua b/spec/plugins/logging_spec.lua
index 42528c7835c..21a5365e1c9 100644
--- a/spec/plugins/logging_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/plugins/logging_spec.lua
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ end
 local mock_bin_http = create_mock_bin()
 local mock_bin_https = create_mock_bin()
 
-describe("Logging Plugins #ci", function()
+describe("Logging Plugins", function()
 
   setup(function()
     spec_helper.prepare_db()