diff --git a/osgi/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/osgi/BundleRegistry.java b/osgi/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/osgi/BundleRegistry.java
index 4e3a5a27..172ddef4 100644
--- a/osgi/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/osgi/BundleRegistry.java
+++ b/osgi/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/osgi/BundleRegistry.java
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ private void stopAndUninstallBundle(final Bundle bundle, final String pluginName
         registry.remove(pluginName);
     }
 
-    public void startBundles(final List<String> mandatoryPlugins) {
-        log.info("List of mandatory plugins: {}",mandatoryPlugins);
+    public void startBundles(final Iterable<String> mandatoryPlugins) {
+        log.info("List of mandatory plugins: {}", mandatoryPlugins);
         final List<String> pluginsStarted = new LinkedList<>();
         for (final BundleWithConfig bundleWithConfig : bundleWithConfigs) {
             final boolean isBundleStarted = fileInstall.startBundle(bundleWithConfig.getBundle());
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ public void startBundles(final List<String> mandatoryPlugins) {
 
         }
 
-        if (!mandatoryPlugins.isEmpty()) {
+        if (mandatoryPlugins.iterator().hasNext()) {
             checkIfMandatoryPluginsAreStarted(pluginsStarted, mandatoryPlugins);
         }
         else {
@@ -125,15 +125,15 @@ public void startBundles(final List<String> mandatoryPlugins) {
 
     }
 
-    private void checkIfMandatoryPluginsAreStarted(List<String> pluginsStarted, List<String> mandatoryPlugins){
+    private void checkIfMandatoryPluginsAreStarted(final List<String> pluginsStarted, final Iterable<String> mandatoryPlugins){
         boolean allMandatoryPluginsStarted = true;
         for (String pluginName: mandatoryPlugins) {
             if(!pluginsStarted.contains(pluginName)) {
-                log.error("Mandatory plugin {} not started",pluginName); //TODO_1911 - Exit here?
+                log.error("Mandatory plugin {} not started", pluginName); //TODO_1911 - Exit here?
                 allMandatoryPluginsStarted = false;
             }
         }
-        if(allMandatoryPluginsStarted) {
+        if (allMandatoryPluginsStarted) {
             log.info("All mandatory plugins are started");
         }
 
diff --git a/osgi/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/osgi/DefaultOSGIService.java b/osgi/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/osgi/DefaultOSGIService.java
index 4570e8f9..1f8dd02c 100644
--- a/osgi/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/osgi/DefaultOSGIService.java
+++ b/osgi/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/osgi/DefaultOSGIService.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import java.util.LinkedList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
 
 import javax.inject.Inject;
 import javax.inject.Named;
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ public void initialize() {
     @LifecycleHandlerType(LifecycleHandlerType.LifecycleLevel.START_PLUGIN)
     public void start() {
         final String mandatoryPlugins = osgiConfig.getMandatoryPluginsList();
-        final List<String> mandatoryPluginsList = mandatoryPlugins != null && !mandatoryPlugins.isEmpty() ? List.of(mandatoryPlugins.split(",")) : Collections.emptyList();
+        final Set<String> mandatoryPluginsList = mandatoryPlugins != null && !mandatoryPlugins.isEmpty() ? Set.of(mandatoryPlugins.split("\\s*,\\s*")) : Collections.emptySet();
         // This will call the start() method for the bundles
         bundleRegistry.startBundles(mandatoryPluginsList);
         // Tell the plugins all bundles have started