diff --git a/apps/emqx_utils/src/emqx_variform.erl b/apps/emqx_utils/src/emqx_variform.erl
index 25825ea9f..834d22750 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_utils/src/emqx_variform.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_utils/src/emqx_variform.erl
@@ -160,8 +160,7 @@ assert_func_exported(emqx_variform_str, concat, _Arity) ->
 assert_func_exported(emqx_variform_str, coalesce, _Arity) ->
     ok;
 assert_func_exported(Mod, Fun, Arity) ->
-    %% ensure beam loaded
-    _ = Mod:module_info(md5),
+    ok = try_load(Mod),
     case erlang:function_exported(Mod, Fun, Arity) of
         true ->
             ok;
@@ -174,6 +173,18 @@ assert_func_exported(Mod, Fun, Arity) ->
             })
     end.
 
+%% best effort to load the module because it might not be loaded as a part of the release modules
+%% e.g. from a plugin.
+%% do not call code server, just try to call a function in the module.
+try_load(Mod) ->
+    try
+        _ = erlang:apply(Mod, module_info, [md5]),
+        ok
+    catch
+        _:_ ->
+            ok
+    end.
+
 assert_module_allowed(emqx_variform_str) ->
     ok;
 assert_module_allowed(Mod) ->