diff --git a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.cpp b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.cpp
index b5a64e20541..60ef637e2f8 100644
--- a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.cpp
@@ -1790,7 +1790,7 @@ void PluginManagerPrivate::readPluginPaths()
 
     // from the file system
     for (const QString &pluginFile : pluginFiles(pluginPaths)) {
-        expected_str<PluginSpec *> spec = PluginSpecImpl::read(pluginFile);
+        expected_str<PluginSpec *> spec = readPluginSpec(pluginFile);
         if (!spec) {
             qCInfo(pluginLog).noquote()
                 << QString("Ignoring plugin \"%1\" because: %2").arg(pluginFile).arg(spec.error());
@@ -1801,7 +1801,7 @@ void PluginManagerPrivate::readPluginPaths()
 
     // static
     for (const QStaticPlugin &plugin : QPluginLoader::staticPlugins()) {
-        expected_str<PluginSpec *> spec = PluginSpecImpl::read(plugin);
+        expected_str<PluginSpec *> spec = readPluginSpec(plugin);
         QTC_ASSERT_EXPECTED(spec, continue);
         newSpecs.append(*spec);
     }
diff --git a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.cpp b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.cpp
index 2e80ef2c79e..3165fb7911b 100644
--- a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.cpp
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ namespace {
     \internal
     Returns false if the file does not represent a Qt Creator plugin.
 */
-expected_str<PluginSpec *> PluginSpecImpl::read(const QString &fileName)
+expected_str<PluginSpec *> readPluginSpec(const QString &fileName)
 {
     auto spec = new PluginSpecImpl;
 
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ expected_str<PluginSpec *> PluginSpecImpl::read(const QString &fileName)
     return spec;
 }
 
-expected_str<PluginSpec *> PluginSpecImpl::read(const QStaticPlugin &plugin)
+expected_str<PluginSpec *> readPluginSpec(const QStaticPlugin &plugin)
 {
     auto spec = new PluginSpecImpl;
 
diff --git a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.h b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.h
index 09b8f55618f..58a5ea12a3c 100644
--- a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.h
+++ b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.h
@@ -169,8 +169,16 @@ private:
     std::unique_ptr<Internal::PluginSpecPrivate> d;
 };
 
+EXTENSIONSYSTEM_EXPORT Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> readPluginSpec(const QString &filePath);
+EXTENSIONSYSTEM_EXPORT Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> readPluginSpec(const QStaticPlugin &plugin);
+
 class EXTENSIONSYSTEM_TEST_EXPORT PluginSpecImpl : public PluginSpec
 {
+    friend EXTENSIONSYSTEM_EXPORT Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> readPluginSpec(
+        const QString &filePath);
+    friend EXTENSIONSYSTEM_EXPORT Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> readPluginSpec(
+        const QStaticPlugin &plugin);
+
 public:
     ~PluginSpecImpl() override;
 
@@ -184,9 +192,6 @@ public:
     IPlugin::ShutdownFlag stop() override;
     void kill() override;
 
-    static Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> read(const QString &filePath);
-    static Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> read(const QStaticPlugin &plugin);
-
     Utils::expected_str<void> readMetaData(const QJsonObject &pluginMetaData) override;
 
 protected:
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/plugininstallwizard.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/plugininstallwizard.cpp
index df47cfb0705..cb89748a1af 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/plugininstallwizard.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/plugininstallwizard.cpp
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ void checkContents(QPromise<ArchiveIssue> &promise, const FilePath &tempDir)
         if (promise.isCanceled())
             return;
         it.next();
-        expected_str<PluginSpec *> spec = PluginSpecImpl::read(it.filePath());
+        expected_str<PluginSpec *> spec = readPluginSpec(it.filePath());
         if (spec) {
             // Is a Qt Creator plugin. Let's see if we find a Core dependency and check the
             // version
diff --git a/tests/auto/extensionsystem/pluginspec/tst_pluginspec.cpp b/tests/auto/extensionsystem/pluginspec/tst_pluginspec.cpp
index f919ef4139d..b82b12401a3 100644
--- a/tests/auto/extensionsystem/pluginspec/tst_pluginspec.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/extensionsystem/pluginspec/tst_pluginspec.cpp
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ void tst_PluginSpec::experimental()
 
 void tst_PluginSpec::locationAndPath()
 {
-    Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> ps = PluginSpecImpl::read(
+    Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> ps = readPluginSpec(
         QLatin1String(PLUGIN_DIR) + QLatin1String("/testplugin/")
         + libraryName(QLatin1String("test")));
     QVERIFY(ps);
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ void tst_PluginSpec::resolveDependencies()
 
 void tst_PluginSpec::loadLibrary()
 {
-    Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> ps = PluginSpecImpl::read(
+    Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> ps = readPluginSpec(
         QLatin1String(PLUGIN_DIR) + QLatin1String("/testplugin/")
         + libraryName(QLatin1String("test")));
 
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ void tst_PluginSpec::loadLibrary()
 
 void tst_PluginSpec::initializePlugin()
 {
-    Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> ps = PluginSpecImpl::read(
+    Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> ps = readPluginSpec(
         QLatin1String(PLUGIN_DIR) + QLatin1String("/testplugin/")
         + libraryName(QLatin1String("test")));
     QVERIFY(ps);
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ void tst_PluginSpec::initializePlugin()
 
 void tst_PluginSpec::initializeExtensions()
 {
-    Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> ps = PluginSpecImpl::read(
+    Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> ps = readPluginSpec(
         QLatin1String(PLUGIN_DIR) + QLatin1String("/testplugin/")
         + libraryName(QLatin1String("test")));
     QVERIFY(ps);