diff --git a/source/discovery/carla-discovery.cpp b/source/discovery/carla-discovery.cpp
index 2cf3c118a..58cf39e30 100644
--- a/source/discovery/carla-discovery.cpp
+++ b/source/discovery/carla-discovery.cpp
@@ -15,17 +15,16 @@
  * For a full copy of the GNU General Public License see the doc/GPL.txt file.
  */
 
+// if using juce, don't build UI stuff
+#define JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
+
 #include "CarlaBackendUtils.hpp"
 #include "CarlaLibUtils.hpp"
 #include "CarlaMathUtils.hpp"
 #include "CarlaMIDI.h"
 
 #ifdef HAVE_JUCE
-# define JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
 # include "juce_audio_processors.h"
-# ifndef VESTIGE_HEADER
-#  undef WANT_VST
-# endif
 #else
 # undef WANT_CSOUND
 #endif
@@ -80,7 +79,7 @@ static void print_lib_error(const char* const filename)
         DISCOVERY_OUT("error", error);
 }
 
-#ifdef WANT_VST
+#if defined(WANT_VST) && (defined(VESTIGE_HEADER) || ! defined(HAVE_JUCE))
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // VST stuff
 
@@ -138,9 +137,9 @@ static intptr_t vstHostCanDo(const char* const feature)
     if (std::strcmp(feature, "startStopProcess") == 0)
         return 1;
     if (std::strcmp(feature, "supportShell") == 0)
-        return -1; // FIXME
+        return 1;
     if (std::strcmp(feature, "shellCategory") == 0)
-        return -1; // FIXME
+        return 1;
 
     // non-official features found in some plugins:
     // "asyncProcessing"
@@ -1211,7 +1210,7 @@ static void do_lv2_check(const char* const bundle, const bool init)
 
 static void do_vst_check(void*& libHandle, const bool init)
 {
-#ifdef WANT_VST
+#if defined(WANT_VST) && (defined(VESTIGE_HEADER) || ! defined(HAVE_JUCE))
     VST_Function vstFn = (VST_Function)lib_symbol(libHandle, "VSTPluginMain");
 
     if (vstFn == nullptr)
@@ -1941,6 +1940,11 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
         lib_close(handle);
 
     return 0;
+
+#if defined(WANT_VST) && defined(HAVE_JUCE) && ! defined(VESTIGE_HEADER)
+    // unused func
+    do_vst_check(handle, doInit);
+#endif
 }
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/format_types/juce_VSTPluginFormat.cpp b/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/format_types/juce_VSTPluginFormat.cpp
index fdfbf6b65..be3b3629a 100644
--- a/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/format_types/juce_VSTPluginFormat.cpp
+++ b/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/format_types/juce_VSTPluginFormat.cpp
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ static VstIntPtr VSTCALLBACK audioMaster (AEffect* effect, VstInt32 opcode, VstI
 static int shellUIDToCreate = 0;
 static int insideVSTCallback = 0;
 
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
 class IdleCallRecursionPreventer
 {
 public:
@@ -210,6 +211,9 @@ private:
 };
 
 class VSTPluginWindow;
+#else
+struct IdleCallRecursionPreventer{};
+#endif
 
 //==============================================================================
 // Change this to disable logging of various VST activities
@@ -236,6 +240,7 @@ static void* NewCFMFromMachO (void* const machofp) noexcept
 }
 #endif
 
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
 //==============================================================================
 #if JUCE_LINUX
 
@@ -340,6 +345,7 @@ namespace
     }
 }
 
+#endif
 #endif
 
 //==============================================================================
@@ -710,9 +716,13 @@ static const int defaultVSTBlockSizeValue = 512;
 
 //==============================================================================
 //==============================================================================
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
 class VSTPluginInstance     : public AudioPluginInstance,
                               private Timer,
                               private AsyncUpdater
+#else
+class VSTPluginInstance     : public AudioPluginInstance
+#endif
 {
 public:
     VSTPluginInstance (const ModuleHandle::Ptr& module_)
@@ -783,8 +793,10 @@ public:
                 UseResFile (module->resFileId);
            #endif
 
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
             // Must delete any editors before deleting the plugin instance!
             jassert (getActiveEditor() == 0);
+#endif
 
             _fpreset(); // some dodgy plugs fuck around with this
 
@@ -1242,6 +1254,7 @@ public:
     void setCurrentProgramStateInformation (const void* data, int size) override { loadFromFXBFile (data, size); }
 
     //==============================================================================
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
     void timerCallback() override
     {
         if (dispatch (effIdle, 0, 0, 0, 0) == 0)
@@ -1253,6 +1266,7 @@ public:
         // indicates that something about the plugin has changed..
         updateHostDisplay();
     }
+#endif
 
     VstIntPtr handleCallback (VstInt32 opcode, VstInt32 index, VstIntPtr value, void* ptr, float opt)
     {
@@ -1270,6 +1284,7 @@ public:
             #pragma warning (pop)
            #endif
 
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
             case audioMasterIdle:
                 if (insideVSTCallback == 0 && MessageManager::getInstance()->isThisTheMessageThread())
                 {
@@ -1298,6 +1313,7 @@ public:
             case audioMasterUpdateDisplay:      triggerAsyncUpdate(); break;
             case audioMasterIOChanged:          setLatencySamples (effect->initialDelay); break;
             case audioMasterNeedIdle:           startTimer (50); break;
+#endif
 
             case audioMasterGetSampleRate:      return (VstIntPtr) (getSampleRate() > 0 ? getSampleRate() : defaultVSTSampleRateValue);
             case audioMasterGetBlockSize:       return (VstIntPtr) (getBlockSize() > 0  ? getBlockSize()  : defaultVSTBlockSizeValue);
@@ -1383,10 +1399,12 @@ public:
             case audioMasterGetVendorString:
             case audioMasterGetProductString:
             {
-                String hostName ("Juce VST Host");
+                String hostName ("Carla");
 
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
                 if (JUCEApplicationBase* app = JUCEApplicationBase::getInstance())
                     hostName = app->getApplicationName();
+#endif
 
                 hostName.copyToUTF8 ((char*) ptr, (size_t) jmin (kVstMaxVendorStrLen, kVstMaxProductStrLen) - 1);
                 break;
@@ -1893,6 +1911,7 @@ private:
     JUCE_DECLARE_NON_COPYABLE_WITH_LEAK_DETECTOR (VSTPluginInstance)
 };
 
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
 //==============================================================================
 static Array <VSTPluginWindow*> activeVSTWindows;
 
@@ -2616,12 +2635,17 @@ private:
 
     JUCE_DECLARE_NON_COPYABLE_WITH_LEAK_DETECTOR (VSTPluginWindow)
 };
+#endif
 
 //==============================================================================
 AudioProcessorEditor* VSTPluginInstance::createEditor()
 {
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
     return hasEditor() ? new VSTPluginWindow (*this)
                        : nullptr;
+#else
+    return nullptr;
+#endif
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
diff --git a/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.cpp b/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.cpp
index 501fedf43..1dd0d46aa 100644
--- a/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.cpp
+++ b/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.cpp
@@ -44,9 +44,11 @@ AudioProcessor::AudioProcessor()
 
 AudioProcessor::~AudioProcessor()
 {
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
     // ooh, nasty - the editor should have been deleted before the filter
     // that it refers to is deleted..
     jassert (activeEditor == nullptr);
+#endif
 
    #if JUCE_DEBUG
     // This will fail if you've called beginParameterChangeGesture() for one
@@ -219,12 +221,15 @@ void AudioProcessor::editorBeingDeleted (AudioProcessorEditor* const editor) noe
 {
     const ScopedLock sl (callbackLock);
 
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
     if (activeEditor == editor)
         activeEditor = nullptr;
+#endif
 }
 
 AudioProcessorEditor* AudioProcessor::createEditorIfNeeded()
 {
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
     if (activeEditor != nullptr)
         return activeEditor;
 
@@ -243,6 +248,9 @@ AudioProcessorEditor* AudioProcessor::createEditorIfNeeded()
     }
 
     return ed;
+#else
+    return nullptr;
+#endif
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
diff --git a/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.h b/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.h
index 4d6276e3b..8ed464a6e 100644
--- a/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.h
+++ b/source/modules/juce_audio_processors/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.h
@@ -366,11 +366,13 @@ public:
     */
     virtual bool hasEditor() const = 0;
 
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
     //==============================================================================
     /** Returns the active editor, if there is one.
         Bear in mind this can return nullptr, even if an editor has previously been opened.
     */
     AudioProcessorEditor* getActiveEditor() const noexcept             { return activeEditor; }
+#endif
 
     /** Returns the active editor, or if there isn't one, it will create one.
         This may call createEditor() internally to create the component.
@@ -656,7 +658,9 @@ protected:
 
 private:
     Array<AudioProcessorListener*> listeners;
+#ifndef JUCE_PLUGIN_HOST_NO_UI
     Component::SafePointer<AudioProcessorEditor> activeEditor;
+#endif
     double sampleRate;
     int blockSize, numInputChannels, numOutputChannels, latencySamples;
     bool suspended, nonRealtime;