diff --git a/src/searchengine/nova3/helpers.py b/src/searchengine/nova3/helpers.py
index 85eec1541..5e4457235 100644
--- a/src/searchengine/nova3/helpers.py
+++ b/src/searchengine/nova3/helpers.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#VERSION: 1.52
+# VERSION: 1.53
 
 # Author:
 #  Christophe DUMEZ (chris@qbittorrent.org)
@@ -61,32 +61,32 @@ def _getBrowserUserAgent() -> str:
 
 
 _headers: dict[str, Any] = {'User-Agent': _getBrowserUserAgent()}
+_original_socket = socket.socket
 
 
-def injectSOCKSProxySocket() -> None:
-    socksURL = os.environ.get("qbt_socks_proxy")
-    if socksURL is not None:
-        parts = urllib.parse.urlsplit(socksURL)
-        resolveHostname = (parts.scheme == "socks4a") or (parts.scheme == "socks5h")
-        if (parts.scheme == "socks4") or (parts.scheme == "socks4a"):
-            socks.setdefaultproxy(socks.PROXY_TYPE_SOCKS4, parts.hostname, parts.port, resolveHostname)
-            socket.socket = socks.socksocket  # type: ignore[misc]
-        elif (parts.scheme == "socks5") or (parts.scheme == "socks5h"):
-            socks.setdefaultproxy(socks.PROXY_TYPE_SOCKS5, parts.hostname, parts.port, resolveHostname, parts.username, parts.password)
-            socket.socket = socks.socksocket  # type: ignore[misc]
+def enable_socks_proxy(enable: bool) -> None:
+    if enable:
+        socksURL = os.environ.get("qbt_socks_proxy")
+        if socksURL is not None:
+            parts = urllib.parse.urlsplit(socksURL)
+            resolveHostname = (parts.scheme == "socks4a") or (parts.scheme == "socks5h")
+            if (parts.scheme == "socks4") or (parts.scheme == "socks4a"):
+                socks.setdefaultproxy(socks.PROXY_TYPE_SOCKS4, parts.hostname, parts.port, resolveHostname)
+                socket.socket = socks.socksocket  # type: ignore[misc]
+            elif (parts.scheme == "socks5") or (parts.scheme == "socks5h"):
+                socks.setdefaultproxy(socks.PROXY_TYPE_SOCKS5, parts.hostname, parts.port, resolveHostname, parts.username, parts.password)
+                socket.socket = socks.socksocket  # type: ignore[misc]
+        else:
+            # the following code provide backward compatibility for older qbt versions
+            # TODO: scheduled be removed with qbt >= 5.3
+            legacySocksURL = os.environ.get("sock_proxy")
+            if legacySocksURL is not None:
+                legacySocksURL = f"socks5h://{legacySocksURL.strip()}"
+                parts = urllib.parse.urlsplit(legacySocksURL)
+                socks.setdefaultproxy(socks.PROXY_TYPE_SOCKS5, parts.hostname, parts.port, True, parts.username, parts.password)
+                socket.socket = socks.socksocket  # type: ignore[misc]
     else:
-        # the following code provide backward compatibility for older qbt versions
-        # TODO: scheduled be removed with qbt >= 5.3
-        legacySocksURL = os.environ.get("sock_proxy")
-        if legacySocksURL is not None:
-            legacySocksURL = f"socks5h://{legacySocksURL.strip()}"
-            parts = urllib.parse.urlsplit(legacySocksURL)
-            socks.setdefaultproxy(socks.PROXY_TYPE_SOCKS5, parts.hostname, parts.port, True, parts.username, parts.password)
-            socket.socket = socks.socksocket  # type: ignore[misc]
-
-
-# monkey patching, run it now
-injectSOCKSProxySocket()
+        socket.socket = _original_socket  # type: ignore[misc]
 
 
 # This is only provided for backward compatibility, new code should not use it
diff --git a/src/searchengine/nova3/nova2.py b/src/searchengine/nova3/nova2.py
index fef072113..6df365a07 100644
--- a/src/searchengine/nova3/nova2.py
+++ b/src/searchengine/nova3/nova2.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#VERSION: 1.48
+# VERSION: 1.49
 
 # Author:
 #  Fabien Devaux <fab AT gnux DOT info>
@@ -46,6 +46,16 @@ from multiprocessing import Pool, cpu_count
 from os import path
 from typing import Optional
 
+# qbt tend to run this script in 'isolate mode' so append the current path manually
+current_path = str(pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.resolve())
+if current_path not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.append(current_path)
+
+import helpers
+
+# enable SOCKS proxy for all plugins by default
+helpers.enable_socks_proxy(True)
+
 THREADED: bool = True
 try:
     MAX_THREADS: int = cpu_count()
@@ -182,11 +192,6 @@ def run_search(search_params: tuple[type[Engine], str, Category]) -> bool:
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     def main() -> int:
-        # qbt tend to run this script in 'isolate mode' so append the current path manually
-        current_path = str(pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.resolve())
-        if current_path not in sys.path:
-            sys.path.append(current_path)
-
         # https://docs.python.org/3/library/sys.html#sys.exit
         class ExitCode(Enum):
             OK = 0
diff --git a/src/searchengine/nova3/nova2dl.py b/src/searchengine/nova3/nova2dl.py
index c35646654..8a45b3724 100644
--- a/src/searchengine/nova3/nova2dl.py
+++ b/src/searchengine/nova3/nova2dl.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#VERSION: 1.24
+# VERSION: 1.25
 
 # Author:
 #  Christophe DUMEZ (chris@qbittorrent.org)
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ current_path = str(pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.resolve())
 if current_path not in sys.path:
     sys.path.append(current_path)
 
-from helpers import download_file
+import helpers
+
+# enable SOCKS proxy for all plugins by default
+helpers.enable_socks_proxy(True)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     if len(sys.argv) < 3:
@@ -58,6 +61,6 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     if hasattr(engine, 'download_torrent'):
         engine.download_torrent(download_param)
     else:
-        print(download_file(download_param))
+        print(helpers.download_file(download_param))
 
     sys.exit(0)