diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8e31ab3a0e..cf1ed5acee 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ PLUGIN_DIRS+=	${_${CATEGORY}}
 
 list:
 .for PLUGIN_DIR in ${PLUGIN_DIRS}
-	@echo ${PLUGIN_DIR} -- $$(${MAKE} -C ${PLUGIN_DIR} -V PLUGIN_COMMENT)
+	@echo ${PLUGIN_DIR} -- $$(${MAKE} -C ${PLUGIN_DIR} -V PLUGIN_COMMENT) \
+	    $$(if [ -n "$$(${MAKE} -C ${PLUGIN_DIR} -V PLUGIN_DEVEL _PLUGIN_DEVEL=)" ]; then echo "(development only)"; fi)
 .endfor
 
 # shared targets that are sane to run from the root directory
diff --git a/Mk/plugins.mk b/Mk/plugins.mk
index d95dba8ed2..7cb8dea6f1 100644
--- a/Mk/plugins.mk
+++ b/Mk/plugins.mk
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ check:
 .  endif
 .endfor
 
-PLUGIN_DEVEL?=		yes
+_PLUGIN_DEVEL?=		yes
+PLUGIN_DEVEL?:=		${_PLUGIN_DEVEL}
 
 PLUGIN_PREFIX?=		os-
 PLUGIN_SUFFIX?=		-devel
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 71e43f862f..514ce14fcf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ net-mgmt/nrpe -- Execute nagios plugins
 net-mgmt/telegraf -- Agent for collecting metrics and data
 net-mgmt/zabbix-agent -- Zabbix monitoring agent
 net-mgmt/zabbix4-proxy -- Zabbix Proxy enables decentralized monitoring
-net/firewall -- Firewall API supplemental package
+net/firewall -- Firewall API supplemental package (development only)
 net/freeradius -- RADIUS Authentication, Authorization and Accounting Server
 net/frr -- The FRRouting Protocol Suite
 net/ftp-proxy -- Control ftp-proxy processes
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ security/intrusion-detection-content-pt-open -- IDS PT Research ruleset (only fo
 security/intrusion-detection-content-snort-vrt -- IDS Snort VRT ruleset (needs registration or subscription)
 security/maltrail -- Malicious traffic detection system
 security/openconnect -- OpenConnect Client
-security/softether -- Cross-platform Multi-protocol VPN Program
+security/softether -- Cross-platform Multi-protocol VPN Program (development only)
 security/tinc -- Tinc VPN
 security/tor -- The Onion Router
 sysutils/api-backup -- Provide the functionality to download the config.xml
-sysutils/apuled -- PC Engine APU LED control
+sysutils/apuled -- PC Engine APU LED control (development only)
 sysutils/boot-delay -- Apply a persistent 10 second boot delay
 sysutils/dmidecode -- Display hardware information on the dashboard
 sysutils/lcdproc-sdeclcd -- LCDProc for SDEC LCD devices