diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 8f935fd..2bc8f24 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ install_requires=
     typing; python_version<"3.5"
     configparser; python_version<"3.2"
     functools32; python_version<"3.2"
-    importlib-metadata; python_version<"3.8"
+    importlib-metadata >= 3.6
 
 python_requires = >=2.7, !=3.0.*, !=3.1.*, !=3.2.*, !=3.3.*, !=3.4.*
 
diff --git a/src/flake8/_compat.py b/src/flake8/_compat.py
index 85af0a3..0bad8a1 100644
--- a/src/flake8/_compat.py
+++ b/src/flake8/_compat.py
@@ -6,9 +6,4 @@ if sys.version_info >= (3,):  # pragma: no cover (PY3+)
 else:  # pragma: no cover (<PY3)
     from functools32 import lru_cache
 
-if sys.version_info >= (3, 8):  # pragma: no cover (PY38+)
-    import importlib.metadata as importlib_metadata
-else:  # pragma: no cover (<PY38)
-    import importlib_metadata
-
-__all__ = ("lru_cache", "importlib_metadata")
+__all__ = ("lru_cache",)
diff --git a/src/flake8/plugins/manager.py b/src/flake8/plugins/manager.py
index 3d4371d..f07ea5b 100644
--- a/src/flake8/plugins/manager.py
+++ b/src/flake8/plugins/manager.py
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 import logging
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Set
 
+import importlib_metadata
+
 from flake8 import exceptions
 from flake8 import utils
-from flake8._compat import importlib_metadata
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -251,7 +252,7 @@ class PluginManager(object):  # pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods
 
     def _load_entrypoint_plugins(self):
         LOG.info('Loading entry-points for "%s".', self.namespace)
-        eps = importlib_metadata.entry_points().get(self.namespace, ())
+        eps = importlib_metadata.entry_points(group=self.namespace)
         # python2.7 occasionally gives duplicate results due to redundant
         # `local/lib` -> `../lib` symlink on linux in virtualenvs so we
         # eliminate duplicates here
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_checker.py b/tests/integration/test_checker.py
index 836b543..8579411 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_checker.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_checker.py
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 """Integration tests for the checker submodule."""
 import mock
 import pytest
+import importlib_metadata
 
 from flake8 import checker
-from flake8._compat import importlib_metadata
 from flake8.plugins import manager
 from flake8.processor import FileProcessor
 
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ def mock_file_checker_with_plugin(plugin_target):
     with mock.patch.object(
             importlib_metadata,
             'entry_points',
-            return_value={'flake8.extension': [entry_point]},
+            return_value=[entry_point],
     ):
         checks = manager.Checkers()
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_plugin_manager.py b/tests/unit/test_plugin_manager.py
index 9ad6aba..ed9f49f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_plugin_manager.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_plugin_manager.py
@@ -1,30 +1,28 @@
 """Tests for flake8.plugins.manager.PluginManager."""
 import mock
+import importlib_metadata
 
-from flake8._compat import importlib_metadata
 from flake8.plugins import manager
 
 
 @mock.patch.object(importlib_metadata, 'entry_points')
 def test_calls_entrypoints_on_instantiation(entry_points_mck):
     """Verify that we call entry_points() when we create a manager."""
-    entry_points_mck.return_value = {}
+    entry_points_mck.return_value = []
     manager.PluginManager(namespace='testing.entrypoints')
-    entry_points_mck.assert_called_once_with()
+    entry_points_mck.assert_called_once_with(group='testing.entrypoints')
 
 
 @mock.patch.object(importlib_metadata, 'entry_points')
 def test_calls_entrypoints_creates_plugins_automaticaly(entry_points_mck):
     """Verify that we create Plugins on instantiation."""
-    entry_points_mck.return_value = {
-        'testing.entrypoints': [
-            importlib_metadata.EntryPoint('T100', '', None),
-            importlib_metadata.EntryPoint('T200', '', None),
-        ],
-    }
+    entry_points_mck.return_value = [
+        importlib_metadata.EntryPoint('T100', '', None),
+        importlib_metadata.EntryPoint('T200', '', None),
+    ]
     plugin_mgr = manager.PluginManager(namespace='testing.entrypoints')
 
-    entry_points_mck.assert_called_once_with()
+    entry_points_mck.assert_called_once_with(group='testing.entrypoints')
     assert 'T100' in plugin_mgr.plugins
     assert 'T200' in plugin_mgr.plugins
     assert isinstance(plugin_mgr.plugins['T100'], manager.Plugin)
@@ -34,12 +32,10 @@ def test_calls_entrypoints_creates_plugins_automaticaly(entry_points_mck):
 @mock.patch.object(importlib_metadata, 'entry_points')
 def test_handles_mapping_functions_across_plugins(entry_points_mck):
     """Verify we can use the PluginManager call functions on all plugins."""
-    entry_points_mck.return_value = {
-        'testing.entrypoints': [
-            importlib_metadata.EntryPoint('T100', '', None),
-            importlib_metadata.EntryPoint('T200', '', None),
-        ],
-    }
+    entry_points_mck.return_value = [
+        importlib_metadata.EntryPoint('T100', '', None),
+        importlib_metadata.EntryPoint('T200', '', None),
+    ]
     plugin_mgr = manager.PluginManager(namespace='testing.entrypoints')
     plugins = [plugin_mgr.plugins[name] for name in plugin_mgr.names]
 
@@ -49,7 +45,7 @@ def test_handles_mapping_functions_across_plugins(entry_points_mck):
 @mock.patch.object(importlib_metadata, 'entry_points')
 def test_local_plugins(entry_points_mck):
     """Verify PluginManager can load given local plugins."""
-    entry_points_mck.return_value = {}
+    entry_points_mck.return_value = []
     plugin_mgr = manager.PluginManager(
         namespace='testing.entrypoints',
         local_plugins=['X = path.to:Plugin']