diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormat.h b/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormat.h
index f3bc826820..7bd45452f2 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormat.h
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_processors/format/juce_AudioPluginFormat.h
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ public:
     */
     virtual bool isTrivialToScan() const = 0;
 
+    /** Should return true if plugins in this format can be scanned on a background thread. */
+    virtual bool canScanOnBackgroundThread() const { return true; }
+
     /** Searches a suggested set of directories for any plugins in this format.
         The path might be ignored, e.g. by AUs, which are found by the OS rather
         than manually.
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_processors/format_types/juce_VST3PluginFormat.h b/modules/juce_audio_processors/format_types/juce_VST3PluginFormat.h
index 9c2be59493..e58736d96c 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_processors/format_types/juce_VST3PluginFormat.h
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_processors/format_types/juce_VST3PluginFormat.h
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@ public:
     bool canScanForPlugins() const override         { return true; }
     bool isTrivialToScan() const override           { return false; }
 
+    /** Although there doesn't seem to be any official documentation on the matter,
+        Native Instruments Kontakt VST3 crashes on macOS when its bundleEntry is called on a
+        background thread. To allow this plugin (and other ones with similar problems) to be
+        discovered, it's a good idea to scan VST3 plugins on the main thread.
+    */
+    bool canScanOnBackgroundThread() const override { return false; }
+
     void findAllTypesForFile (OwnedArray<PluginDescription>&, const String& fileOrIdentifier) override;
     bool fileMightContainThisPluginType (const String& fileOrIdentifier) override;
     String getNameOfPluginFromIdentifier (const String& fileOrIdentifier) override;
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_processors/scanning/juce_PluginListComponent.cpp b/modules/juce_audio_processors/scanning/juce_PluginListComponent.cpp
index 5f6c8a3a7a..103a53546d 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_processors/scanning/juce_PluginListComponent.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_processors/scanning/juce_PluginListComponent.cpp
@@ -387,10 +387,14 @@ public:
     Scanner (PluginListComponent& plc, AudioPluginFormat& format, const StringArray& filesOrIdentifiers,
              PropertiesFile* properties, bool allowPluginsWhichRequireAsynchronousInstantiation, int threads,
              const String& title, const String& text)
-        : owner (plc), formatToScan (format), filesOrIdentifiersToScan (filesOrIdentifiers), propertiesToUse (properties),
+        : owner (plc),
+          formatToScan (format),
+          filesOrIdentifiersToScan (filesOrIdentifiers),
+          propertiesToUse (properties),
           pathChooserWindow (TRANS("Select folders to scan..."), String(), MessageBoxIconType::NoIcon),
           progressWindow (title, text, MessageBoxIconType::NoIcon),
-          numThreads (threads), allowAsync (allowPluginsWhichRequireAsynchronousInstantiation)
+          numThreads (format.canScanOnBackgroundThread() ? threads : 0),
+          allowAsync (format.canScanOnBackgroundThread() && allowPluginsWhichRequireAsynchronousInstantiation)
     {
         FileSearchPath path (formatToScan.getDefaultLocationsToSearch());
 
@@ -443,7 +447,7 @@ private:
     FileSearchPathListComponent pathList;
     String pluginBeingScanned;
     double progress = 0;
-    int numThreads;
+    const int numThreads;
     bool allowAsync, finished = false, timerReentrancyCheck = false;
     std::unique_ptr<ThreadPool> pool;