diff --git a/examples/expressions_explorer/public/render_expressions.tsx b/examples/expressions_explorer/public/render_expressions.tsx
index 20a8b56edb3f8..d91db964c5352 100644
--- a/examples/expressions_explorer/public/render_expressions.tsx
+++ b/examples/expressions_explorer/public/render_expressions.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ interface Props {
 }
 
 export function RenderExpressionsExample({ expressions, inspector }: Props) {
-  const [expression, updateExpression] = useState('markdown "## expressions explorer rendering"');
+  const [expression, updateExpression] = useState(
+    'markdownVis "## expressions explorer rendering"'
+  );
 
   const expressionChanged = (value: string) => {
     updateExpression(value);
diff --git a/examples/expressions_explorer/public/run_expressions.tsx b/examples/expressions_explorer/public/run_expressions.tsx
index a635fab7ec8ae..93cab0e9f2b6f 100644
--- a/examples/expressions_explorer/public/run_expressions.tsx
+++ b/examples/expressions_explorer/public/run_expressions.tsx
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ interface Props {
 }
 
 export function RunExpressionsExample({ expressions, inspector }: Props) {
-  const [expression, updateExpression] = useState('markdown "## expressions explorer"');
+  const [expression, updateExpression] = useState('markdownVis "## expressions explorer"');
   const [result, updateResult] = useState<unknown>({});
 
   const expressionChanged = (value: string) => {
diff --git a/test/examples/expressions_explorer/expressions.ts b/test/examples/expressions_explorer/expressions.ts
index 4c240653b5fdd..9aef64a392a7b 100644
--- a/test/examples/expressions_explorer/expressions.ts
+++ b/test/examples/expressions_explorer/expressions.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export default function ({ getService }: PluginFunctionalProviderContext) {
       await retry.try(async () => {
         const text = await testSubjects.getVisibleText('expressionResult');
         expect(text).to.be(
-          '{\n "type": "render",\n "as": "markdown",\n "value": {\n  "content": "## expressions explorer",\n  "font": {\n   "type": "style",\n   "spec": {\n    "fontFamily": "\'Open Sans\', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif",\n    "fontWeight": "normal",\n    "fontStyle": "normal",\n    "textDecoration": "none",\n    "textAlign": "left",\n    "fontSize": "14px",\n    "lineHeight": "1"\n   },\n   "css": "font-family:\'Open Sans\', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;text-align:left;font-size:14px;line-height:1"\n  },\n  "openLinksInNewTab": false\n }\n}'
+          '{\n "type": "render",\n "as": "markdown_vis",\n "value": {\n  "visType": "markdown",\n  "visParams": {\n   "markdown": "## expressions explorer",\n   "openLinksInNewTab": false,\n   "fontSize": 12\n  }\n }\n}'
         );
       });
     });
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/plugin.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/plugin.tsx
index 543c159bae145..101f64e53b685 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/plugin.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/plugin.tsx
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ import { Start as InspectorStart } from '../../../../src/plugins/inspector/publi
 import { BfetchPublicSetup } from '../../../../src/plugins/bfetch/public';
 import { PresentationUtilPluginStart } from '../../../../src/plugins/presentation_util/public';
 import { getPluginApi, CanvasApi } from './plugin_api';
-import { CanvasSrcPlugin } from '../canvas_plugin_src/plugin';
-import { pluginServices } from './services';
 import { pluginServiceRegistry } from './services/kibana';
 
 export { CoreStart, CoreSetup };
@@ -75,14 +73,10 @@ export type CanvasStart = void;
 export class CanvasPlugin
   implements Plugin<CanvasSetup, CanvasStart, CanvasSetupDeps, CanvasStartDeps> {
   private appUpdater = new BehaviorSubject<AppUpdater>(() => ({}));
-  // TODO: Do we want to completely move canvas_plugin_src into it's own plugin?
-  private srcPlugin = new CanvasSrcPlugin();
 
   public setup(coreSetup: CoreSetup<CanvasStartDeps>, setupPlugins: CanvasSetupDeps) {
     const { api: canvasApi, registries } = getPluginApi(setupPlugins.expressions);
 
-    this.srcPlugin.setup(coreSetup, { canvas: canvasApi });
-
     // Set the nav link to the last saved url if we have one in storage
     const lastPath = getSessionStorage().get(
       `${SESSIONSTORAGE_LASTPATH}:${coreSetup.http.basePath.get()}`
@@ -101,12 +95,21 @@ export class CanvasPlugin
       order: 3000,
       updater$: this.appUpdater,
       mount: async (params: AppMountParameters) => {
-        // Load application bundle
-        const { renderApp, initializeCanvas, teardownCanvas } = await import('./application');
+        const { CanvasSrcPlugin } = await import('../canvas_plugin_src/plugin');
+        const srcPlugin = new CanvasSrcPlugin();
+        srcPlugin.setup(coreSetup, { canvas: canvasApi });
 
         // Get start services
         const [coreStart, startPlugins] = await coreSetup.getStartServices();
 
+        srcPlugin.start(coreStart, startPlugins);
+
+        const { pluginServices } = await import('./services');
+        pluginServices.setRegistry(pluginServiceRegistry.start({ coreStart, startPlugins }));
+
+        // Load application bundle
+        const { renderApp, initializeCanvas, teardownCanvas } = await import('./application');
+
         const canvasStore = await initializeCanvas(
           coreSetup,
           coreStart,
@@ -145,8 +148,6 @@ export class CanvasPlugin
   }
 
   public start(coreStart: CoreStart, startPlugins: CanvasStartDeps) {
-    this.srcPlugin.start(coreStart, startPlugins);
-    pluginServices.setRegistry(pluginServiceRegistry.start({ coreStart, startPlugins }));
     initLoadingIndicator(coreStart.http.addLoadingCountSource);
   }
 }