diff --git a/doc/includes/references.h b/doc/includes/references.h
index 6483a62e..41d7edd0 100644
--- a/doc/includes/references.h
+++ b/doc/includes/references.h
@@ -1155,13 +1155,13 @@ typedef enum mjtPluginCapabilityBit_ {
   mjPLUGIN_CONTROL  = 1<<3,
 } mjtPluginCapabilityBit;
 struct mjpPlugin_ {
-  const char* name;    // globally unique name identifying the plugin
+  const char* name;     // globally unique name identifying the plugin
 
   int nattribute;                 // number of configuration attributes
   const char* const* attributes;  // name of configuration attributes
 
-  int capabilities;    // bitfield of mjtPluginCapabilityBit specifying optional plugin capabilities
-  int needstage;       // an mjtStage enum value specifying the sensor computation stage
+  int capabilityflags;  // bitfield of mjtPluginCapabilityBit specifying plugin capabilities
+  int needstage;        // an mjtStage enum value specifying the sensor computation stage
 
   // number of mjtNums needed to store the state of a plugin instance (required)
   int (*nstate)(const mjModel* m, int instance);
diff --git a/include/mujoco/mjplugin.h b/include/mujoco/mjplugin.h
index 8f9ade3b..0448a71f 100644
--- a/include/mujoco/mjplugin.h
+++ b/include/mujoco/mjplugin.h
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@ typedef enum mjtPluginCapabilityBit_ {
 } mjtPluginCapabilityBit;
 
 struct mjpPlugin_ {
-  const char* name;    // globally unique name identifying the plugin
+  const char* name;     // globally unique name identifying the plugin
 
   int nattribute;                 // number of configuration attributes
   const char* const* attributes;  // name of configuration attributes
 
-  int capabilities;    // bitfield of mjtPluginCapabilityBit specifying optional plugin capabilities
-  int needstage;       // an mjtStage enum value specifying the sensor computation stage
+  int capabilityflags;  // bitfield of mjtPluginCapabilityBit specifying plugin capabilities
+  int needstage;        // an mjtStage enum value specifying the sensor computation stage
 
   // number of mjtNums needed to store the state of a plugin instance (required)
   int (*nstate)(const mjModel* m, int instance);
diff --git a/plugin/elasticity/cable.cc b/plugin/elasticity/cable.cc
index ff50ae31..65412ae9 100644
--- a/plugin/elasticity/cable.cc
+++ b/plugin/elasticity/cable.cc
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ void Cable::RegisterPlugin() {
   mjp_defaultPlugin(&plugin);
 
   plugin.name = "mujoco.elasticity.cable";
-  plugin.capabilities |= mjPLUGIN_PASSIVE;
+  plugin.capabilityflags |= mjPLUGIN_PASSIVE;
 
   const char* attributes[] = {"twist", "bend", "flat", "vmax"};
   plugin.nattribute = sizeof(attributes) / sizeof(attributes[0]);
@@ -311,4 +311,4 @@ return 0;
   mjp_registerPlugin(&plugin);
 }
 
-}  // namespace mujoco::plugin::elasticity
\ No newline at end of file
+}  // namespace mujoco::plugin::elasticity
diff --git a/plugin/elasticity/solid.cc b/plugin/elasticity/solid.cc
index 01ef3542..83777613 100644
--- a/plugin/elasticity/solid.cc
+++ b/plugin/elasticity/solid.cc
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ void Solid::RegisterPlugin() {
   mjp_defaultPlugin(&plugin);
 
   plugin.name = "mujoco.elasticity.solid";
-  plugin.capabilities |= mjPLUGIN_PASSIVE;
+  plugin.capabilityflags |= mjPLUGIN_PASSIVE;
 
   const char* attributes[] = {"nx", "ny", "nz", "young", "poisson", "damping"};
   plugin.nattribute = sizeof(attributes) / sizeof(attributes[0]);
diff --git a/src/engine/engine_core_smooth.c b/src/engine/engine_core_smooth.c
index f2967b49..66a8863e 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine_core_smooth.c
+++ b/src/engine/engine_core_smooth.c
@@ -1454,7 +1454,7 @@ void mj_passive(const mjModel* m, mjData* d) {
       if (!plugin) {
         mju_error_i("invalid plugin slot: %d", slot);
       }
-      if (plugin->capabilities & mjPLUGIN_PASSIVE) {
+      if (plugin->capabilityflags & mjPLUGIN_PASSIVE) {
         if (!plugin->compute) {
           mju_error_i("`compute` is a null function pointer for plugin at slot %d", slot);
         }
diff --git a/src/engine/engine_forward.c b/src/engine/engine_forward.c
index bb4e36be..34cbaef9 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine_forward.c
+++ b/src/engine/engine_forward.c
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ void mj_fwdActuation(const mjModel* m, mjData* d) {
       if (!plugin) {
         mju_error_i("invalid plugin slot: %d", slot);
       }
-      if (plugin->capabilities & mjPLUGIN_ACTUATOR) {
+      if (plugin->capabilityflags & mjPLUGIN_ACTUATOR) {
         if (!plugin->compute) {
           mju_error_i("`compute` is a null function pointer for plugin at slot %d", slot);
         }
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ void mj_forwardSkip(const mjModel* m, mjData* d, int skipstage, int skipsensor)
         if (!plugin) {
           mju_error_i("invalid plugin slot: %d", slot);
         }
-        if (plugin->capabilities & mjPLUGIN_CONTROL) {
+        if (plugin->capabilityflags & mjPLUGIN_CONTROL) {
           if (!plugin->compute) {
             mju_error_i("`compute` is a null function pointer for plugin at slot %d", slot);
           }
diff --git a/src/engine/engine_sensor.c b/src/engine/engine_sensor.c
index 378b962a..87f8db35 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine_sensor.c
+++ b/src/engine/engine_sensor.c
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ void mj_sensorPos(const mjModel* m, mjData* d) {
       if (!plugin) {
         mju_error_i("invalid plugin slot: %d", slot);
       }
-      if ((plugin->capabilities & mjPLUGIN_SENSOR) &&
+      if ((plugin->capabilityflags & mjPLUGIN_SENSOR) &&
           (plugin->needstage==mjSTAGE_POS || plugin->needstage==mjSTAGE_NONE)) {
         if (!plugin->compute) {
           mju_error_i("`compute` is a null function pointer for plugin at slot %d", slot);
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ void mj_sensorVel(const mjModel* m, mjData* d) {
       if (!plugin) {
         mju_error_i("invalid plugin slot: %d", slot);
       }
-      if ((plugin->capabilities & mjPLUGIN_SENSOR) && plugin->needstage==mjSTAGE_VEL) {
+      if ((plugin->capabilityflags & mjPLUGIN_SENSOR) && plugin->needstage==mjSTAGE_VEL) {
         if (!plugin->compute) {
           mju_error_i("`compute` is null for plugin at slot %d", slot);
         }
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ void mj_sensorAcc(const mjModel* m, mjData* d) {
       if (!plugin) {
         mju_error_i("invalid plugin slot: %d", slot);
       }
-      if ((plugin->capabilities & mjPLUGIN_SENSOR) && plugin->needstage==mjSTAGE_ACC) {
+      if ((plugin->capabilityflags & mjPLUGIN_SENSOR) && plugin->needstage==mjSTAGE_ACC) {
         if (!plugin->compute) {
           mju_error_i("`compute` is null for plugin at slot %d", slot);
         }
diff --git a/src/user/user_model.cc b/src/user/user_model.cc
index 9aede5bf..f93f70a5 100644
--- a/src/user/user_model.cc
+++ b/src/user/user_model.cc
@@ -2633,7 +2633,7 @@ void mjCModel::TryCompile(mjModel*& m, mjData*& d, const mjVFS* vfs) {
       m->plugin_stateadr[i] = stateadr;
       m->plugin_statenum[i] = nstate;
       stateadr += nstate;
-      if (plugin->capabilities & mjPLUGIN_SENSOR) {
+      if (plugin->capabilityflags & mjPLUGIN_SENSOR) {
         for (int sensor_id : plugin_to_sensors[i]) {
           if (!plugin->nsensordata) {
             mju_error_i("`nsensordata` is null for plugin at slot %d", m->plugin[i]);
diff --git a/src/user/user_objects.cc b/src/user/user_objects.cc
index d9a5bb62..881f46d0 100644
--- a/src/user/user_objects.cc
+++ b/src/user/user_objects.cc
@@ -819,7 +819,7 @@ void mjCBody::Compile(void) {
 
     model->ResolvePlugin(this, plugin_name, plugin_instance_name, &plugin_instance);
     const mjpPlugin* plugin = mjp_getPluginAtSlot(plugin_instance->plugin_slot);
-    if (!(plugin->capabilities & mjPLUGIN_PASSIVE)) {
+    if (!(plugin->capabilityflags & mjPLUGIN_PASSIVE)) {
       throw mjCError(this, "plugin '%s' does not support passive forces", plugin->name);
     }
   }
@@ -3618,7 +3618,7 @@ void mjCActuator::Compile(void) {
 
     model->ResolvePlugin(this, plugin_name, plugin_instance_name, &plugin_instance);
     const mjpPlugin* plugin = mjp_getPluginAtSlot(plugin_instance->plugin_slot);
-    if (!(plugin->capabilities & mjPLUGIN_ACTUATOR)) {
+    if (!(plugin->capabilityflags & mjPLUGIN_ACTUATOR)) {
       throw mjCError(this, "plugin '%s' does not support actuators", plugin->name);
     }
   }
@@ -4006,7 +4006,7 @@ void mjCSensor::Compile(void) {
     {
       model->ResolvePlugin(this, plugin_name, plugin_instance_name, &plugin_instance);
       const mjpPlugin* plugin = mjp_getPluginAtSlot(plugin_instance->plugin_slot);
-      if (!(plugin->capabilities & mjPLUGIN_SENSOR)) {
+      if (!(plugin->capabilityflags & mjPLUGIN_SENSOR)) {
         throw mjCError(this, "plugin '%s' does not support sensors", plugin->name);
       }
       needstage = static_cast<mjtStage>(plugin->needstage);
diff --git a/test/engine/engine_plugin_test.cc b/test/engine/engine_plugin_test.cc
index 76bebe44..a0091c2c 100644
--- a/test/engine/engine_plugin_test.cc
+++ b/test/engine/engine_plugin_test.cc
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ int RegisterSensorPlugin() {
   plugin.nattribute = sizeof(attributes) / sizeof(*attributes);
   plugin.attributes = attributes;
 
-  plugin.capabilities |= mjPLUGIN_SENSOR;
+  plugin.capabilityflags |= mjPLUGIN_SENSOR;
 
   plugin.nstate = +[](const mjModel* m, int instance) { return 3; };
   plugin.nsensordata =
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ int RegisterActuatorPlugin() {
   plugin.nattribute = sizeof(attributes) / sizeof(*attributes);
   plugin.attributes = attributes;
 
-  plugin.capabilities |= mjPLUGIN_ACTUATOR;
+  plugin.capabilityflags |= mjPLUGIN_ACTUATOR;
 
   plugin.nstate = +[](const mjModel* m, int instance) { return 3; };
 
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ int RegisterPassivePlugin() {
   plugin.nattribute = sizeof(attributes) / sizeof(*attributes);
   plugin.attributes = attributes;
 
-  plugin.capabilities |= mjPLUGIN_PASSIVE;
+  plugin.capabilityflags |= mjPLUGIN_PASSIVE;
 
   plugin.nstate = +[](const mjModel* m, int instance) { return 0; };