diff --git a/cmd/argoexec/commands/artifact_plugin.go b/cmd/argoexec/commands/artifact_plugin.go
index 9577d67ea235..d848546f8f33 100644
--- a/cmd/argoexec/commands/artifact_plugin.go
+++ b/cmd/argoexec/commands/artifact_plugin.go
@@ -51,11 +51,8 @@ func NewArtifactPluginCommand() *cobra.Command {
 						_ = osspecific.Kill(command.Process.Pid, s.(syscall.Signal))
 					}
 				}()
-				//				pid := command.Process.Pid
-				//				ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
-				//				defer cancel()
 			}()
-			err := loadArtifactPlugin(cmd.Context(), artifactPlugin)
+			err := loadArtifactPlugin(cmd.Context(), wfv1.ArtifactPluginName(artifactPlugin))
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("%+v", err)
 			}
@@ -66,7 +63,10 @@ func NewArtifactPluginCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	return &command
 }
 
-func loadArtifactPlugin(ctx context.Context, pluginName string) error {
+func loadArtifactPlugin(ctx context.Context, pluginName wfv1.ArtifactPluginName) error {
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(pluginName.SocketDir(), 0755); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	wfExecutor := initExecutor(ctx)
 	defer wfExecutor.HandleError(ctx)
 	defer stats.LogStats()
diff --git a/docs/artifact-plugin.md b/docs/artifact-plugin.md
index 44cd9996f3f5..cb68cf27230a 100644
--- a/docs/artifact-plugin.md
+++ b/docs/artifact-plugin.md
@@ -11,30 +11,19 @@ By implementing a plugin, you can integrate with proprietary storage systems, ad
 
 To create an artifact plugin, you need to:
 
-### 1. Create and Distribute a Docker Image
-
-Your plugin must be packaged as a Docker image that contains:
-
-- Your plugin implementation
-- All necessary dependencies and runtime requirements
-- The GRPC server that implements the artifact interface
-
-The Docker image will be deployed alongside workflow pods as sidecars and init containers.
-
-### 2. Implement a GRPC Server
+### 1. Implement a GRPC Server
 
 Your plugin's entrypoint must run a GRPC server that:
 
-- Listens on the socket path provided as the first and only command-line parameter
+- Listens on the Unix socket path provided as the first and only command-line parameter. The `unix://` prefix should not be necessary.
 - Implements the artifact service interface
 - Handles artifact operations (load, save, delete, etc.)
+- Shuts down gracefully when given a SIGTERM signal
 
 The GRPC interface is defined in **[`artifact.proto`](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/blob/main/pkg/apiclient/artifact/artifact.proto)**.
 This contains the main `ArtifactService` interface and all request/response message types your plugin must implement.
 
-### 3. Language Flexibility
-
-You can implement your plugin in any programming language that supports GRPC, including:
+The plugin can be implemented in any programming language that supports GRPC, including:
 
 - Go
 - Python
@@ -46,6 +35,16 @@ You can implement your plugin in any programming language that supports GRPC, in
 
 Choose the language that best fits your team's expertise and your storage backend's SDK requirements.
 
+### 2. Create and Distribute a Docker Image
+
+Your plugin must be packaged as a Docker image that contains:
+
+- Your plugin implementation
+- All necessary dependencies and runtime requirements
+- The GRPC server that implements the artifact interface
+
+The Docker image will be deployed alongside workflow pods as sidecars and init containers.
+
 ## Implementation Steps
 
 Follow these steps to implement an artifact plugin in your chosen language:
@@ -56,7 +55,8 @@ Download the [`artifact.proto`](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/blob/
 
 ### 2. Generate GRPC Server Code
 
-Use your language's GRPC tooling to generate server stubs from the protocol definition:
+Use your language's GRPC tooling to generate server stubs from the protocol definition.
+You will need the `googleapis` protocol definitions from <https://github.com/googleapis/googleapis>.
 
 #### Go
 
@@ -72,11 +72,17 @@ protoc --go_out=. --go-grpc_out=. artifact.proto
 #### Python
 
 ```bash
-# Install grpcio-tools
-pip install grpcio-tools
+# Create a project and venv
+python -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate
+
+# Install grpcio-tools and protobuf
+pip install grpcio-tools protobuf
+
+# Create a module
+mkdir my_artifact_plugin
 
 # Generate Python code
-python -m grpc_tools.protoc --python_out=. --grpc_python_out=. artifact.proto
+python -m grpc_tools.protoc --python_out=artifact_plugin --pyi_out=artifact_plugin --grpc_python_out=artifact_plugin -I googleapis -I . artifact.proto
 ```
 
 #### Java
@@ -149,11 +155,12 @@ Your GRPC server must implement these six methods from the `ArtifactService` int
 
 #### Implementation Notes
 
-- Parse the plugin configuration from `artifact.configuration` field in each request
-- Use the `artifact.key` field to identify the specific artifact location in your storage
+- Parse the plugin configuration from `artifact.plugin.configuration` field in each request
+- Use the `artifact.plugin.key` field to identify the specific artifact location in your storage
 - Handle errors gracefully and return appropriate error messages
 - Support both file and directory artifacts where applicable
 - Consider implementing timeouts and retry logic for storage operations
+- IMPORTANT: SIGTERM signals must be handled gracefully to exit with a `0` exit code
 
 ### 4. Build and Package
 
@@ -305,6 +312,6 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 Once local testing passes, test with the full workflow controller:
 
 1. Build and push your Docker image
-2. Configure it in the workflow controller ConfigMap
+2. Configure it in the workflow controller ConfigMap, as shown under [Configuring Your Artifact Repository](configure-artifact-repository.md#plugin-configuration)
 3. Create workflows that use your plugin for artifacts
 4. Verify all artifact operations work correctly by using artifacts as inputs, outputs and performing garbage collection
diff --git a/workflow/controller/workflowpod.go b/workflow/controller/workflowpod.go
index 9e24a9f931a8..6fedc3f5f46f 100644
--- a/workflow/controller/workflowpod.go
+++ b/workflow/controller/workflowpod.go
@@ -664,6 +664,7 @@ func (woc *wfOperationCtx) newInitContainers(ctx context.Context, tmpl *wfv1.Tem
 		}
 
 		ctr.Command = append([]string{common.VarRunArgoPath + "/argoexec", "artifact-plugin", "--plugin-name", string(driver.Name)}, woc.getExecutorLogOpts(ctx)...)
+		ctr.Command = append(ctr.Command, "--")
 		ctr.Command = append(ctr.Command, x.Entrypoint...)
 		ctr.Command = append(ctr.Command, driver.Name.SocketPath())
 		initContainers[i+1] = *ctr