diff --git a/src/meta_plugin/digest.rs b/src/meta_plugin/digest.rs
index bcee2f6..37170d0 100644
--- a/src/meta_plugin/digest.rs
+++ b/src/meta_plugin/digest.rs
@@ -161,31 +161,19 @@ impl MetaPlugin for DigestMetaPlugin {
         
         let mut metadata = Vec::new();
 
-        // Compute the selected hash
+        // Update outputs based on the selected hash method
         if let Some(hasher) = &mut self.hasher {
             let hash_value = hasher.finalize();
             let output_name = hasher.output_name();
             
-            // Add the selected hash output
-            if let Some(meta_data) = crate::meta_plugin::process_metadata_outputs(
-                output_name, 
-                serde_yaml::Value::String(hash_value), 
-                &self.outputs
-            ) {
-                metadata.push(meta_data);
-            }
+            // Set the selected hash output
+            self.outputs.insert(output_name.to_string(), serde_yaml::Value::String(hash_value));
             
             // Set all other digest outputs to None
             let all_outputs = vec!["digest_md5", "digest_sha256", "digest_sha512"];
             for output_name in all_outputs {
                 if output_name != hasher.output_name() {
-                    if let Some(meta_data) = crate::meta_plugin::process_metadata_outputs(
-                        output_name, 
-                        serde_yaml::Value::Null, 
-                        &self.outputs
-                    ) {
-                        metadata.push(meta_data);
-                    }
+                    self.outputs.insert(output_name.to_string(), serde_yaml::Value::Null);
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/meta_plugin/hostname.rs b/src/meta_plugin/hostname.rs
index bdd9a1a..69820f4 100644
--- a/src/meta_plugin/hostname.rs
+++ b/src/meta_plugin/hostname.rs
@@ -234,47 +234,32 @@ impl MetaPlugin for HostnameMetaPlugin {
             }
         };
         
-        // Always process all outputs, setting disabled ones to Null
+        // Update outputs based on enabled status
         // Handle hostname output
-        let hostname_output_value = if hostname_enabled {
-            serde_yaml::Value::String(hostname_value)
+        if hostname_enabled {
+            if let Some(output_value) = self.outputs.get_mut("hostname") {
+                *output_value = serde_yaml::Value::String(hostname_value);
+            }
         } else {
-            serde_yaml::Value::Null
-        };
-        if let Some(meta_data) = crate::meta_plugin::process_metadata_outputs(
-            "hostname", 
-            hostname_output_value, 
-            &self.outputs
-        ) {
-            metadata.push(meta_data);
+            self.outputs.insert("hostname".to_string(), serde_yaml::Value::Null);
         }
         
         // Handle hostname_full output
-        let hostname_full_output_value = if hostname_full_enabled {
-            serde_yaml::Value::String(full_hostname.clone())
+        if hostname_full_enabled {
+            if let Some(output_value) = self.outputs.get_mut("hostname_full") {
+                *output_value = serde_yaml::Value::String(full_hostname.clone());
+            }
         } else {
-            serde_yaml::Value::Null
-        };
-        if let Some(meta_data) = crate::meta_plugin::process_metadata_outputs(
-            "hostname_full", 
-            hostname_full_output_value, 
-            &self.outputs
-        ) {
-            metadata.push(meta_data);
+            self.outputs.insert("hostname_full".to_string(), serde_yaml::Value::Null);
         }
         
         // Handle hostname_short output
-        let hostname_short_output_value = if hostname_short_enabled {
-            serde_yaml::Value::String(short_hostname)
+        if hostname_short_enabled {
+            if let Some(output_value) = self.outputs.get_mut("hostname_short") {
+                *output_value = serde_yaml::Value::String(short_hostname);
+            }
         } else {
-            serde_yaml::Value::Null
-        };
-        if let Some(meta_data) = crate::meta_plugin::process_metadata_outputs(
-            "hostname_short", 
-            hostname_short_output_value, 
-            &self.outputs
-        ) {
-            metadata.push(meta_data);
+            self.outputs.insert("hostname_short".to_string(), serde_yaml::Value::Null);
         }
         
         // Mark as finalized since this plugin only needs to run once
diff --git a/src/modes/status.rs b/src/modes/status.rs
index 57cbf47..fe604db 100644
--- a/src/modes/status.rs
+++ b/src/modes/status.rs
@@ -175,18 +175,12 @@ fn build_meta_plugins_configured_table(settings: &config::Settings) -> Option<Ta
             .map(|(k, v)| (k.clone(), serde_yaml::Value::String(v.clone())))
             .collect();
             
-        // Create the actual plugin with merged options
-        let mut actual_plugin = get_meta_plugin(
+        // Create the actual plugin with merged options - the constructor will handle setting up outputs
+        let actual_plugin = get_meta_plugin(
             meta_plugin_type.clone(),
             Some(effective_options.clone()),
             Some(outputs_converted),
         );
-            
-        // Clone the plugin to avoid modifying the original when we initialize it
-        let mut plugin_for_display = actual_plugin.clone();
-        // Initialize the plugin to process the options and generate the actual outputs
-        // This will set disabled outputs to None
-        let _ = plugin_for_display.initialize();
         
         // Get the default plugin to see its default options
         let default_plugin = get_meta_plugin(
@@ -202,8 +196,7 @@ fn build_meta_plugins_configured_table(settings: &config::Settings) -> Option<Ta
             all_options.insert(key.clone(), value.clone());
         }
             
-        // Convert options to a YAML string, but first make sure to show the actual values used
-        // This includes any conversions we made (like "false" string to Bool(false))
+        // Convert options to a YAML string
         let options_str = if all_options.is_empty() {
             "{}".to_string()
         } else {
@@ -213,10 +206,9 @@ fn build_meta_plugins_configured_table(settings: &config::Settings) -> Option<Ta
                 .to_string()
         };
         
-        // Show only non-null outputs from the plugin after initialization
-        // This reflects which outputs would actually be generated
+        // Show only non-null outputs from the plugin
         let mut enabled_output_pairs = Vec::new();
-        for (key, value) in plugin_for_display.outputs() {
+        for (key, value) in actual_plugin.outputs() {
             // Skip null values (disabled outputs)
             if value.is_null() {
                 continue;