diff --git a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.cpp b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.cpp
index b7456c49b34..c01f21b47ab 100644
--- a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginspec.cpp
@@ -1405,6 +1405,16 @@ static QList<PluginSpec *> createCppPluginsFromArchive(const FilePath &path)
 {
     QList<PluginSpec *> results;
 
+    if (path.isFile()) {
+        if (QLibrary::isLibrary(path.toFSPathString())) {
+            expected_str<std::unique_ptr<PluginSpec>> spec = readCppPluginSpec(path);
+            QTC_CHECK_EXPECTED(spec);
+            if (spec)
+                results.push_back(spec->release());
+        }
+        return results;
+    }
+
     // look for plugin
     QDirIterator
         it(path.path(),
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/plugininstallwizard.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/plugininstallwizard.cpp
index 1a0ce9247be..40145d9418d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/plugininstallwizard.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/plugininstallwizard.cpp
@@ -533,7 +533,15 @@ bool executePluginInstallWizard(const FilePath &archive)
             const FilePath installPath = data.pluginSpec->installLocation(
                 !data.installIntoApplication);
             if (hasLibSuffix(data.sourcePath)) {
-                return copyPluginFile(data.sourcePath, installPath);
+                if (!copyPluginFile(data.sourcePath, installPath))
+                    return false;
+
+                auto specs = pluginSpecsFromArchive(installPath.resolvePath(
+                    data.pluginSpec->filePath().relativePathFrom(data.extractedPath)));
+
+                QTC_ASSERT(specs.size() == 1, return false);
+                data.pluginSpec.reset(specs.front());
+
             } else {
                 QString error;
                 FileUtils::CopyAskingForOverwrite copy(ICore::dialogParent(), postCopyOperation());
@@ -542,6 +550,13 @@ bool executePluginInstallWizard(const FilePath &archive)
                         ICore::dialogParent(), Tr::tr("Failed to Copy Plugin Files"), error);
                     return false;
                 }
+
+                auto specs = pluginSpecsFromArchive(installPath.resolvePath(
+                    data.pluginSpec->filePath().relativePathFrom(data.extractedPath)));
+
+                QTC_ASSERT(specs.size() == 1, return false);
+                data.pluginSpec.reset(specs.front());
+
                 return true;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/plugins/lua/luaplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/lua/luaplugin.cpp
index 07661245121..37d195c99cb 100644
--- a/src/plugins/lua/luaplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/lua/luaplugin.cpp
@@ -317,7 +317,17 @@ public:
 
         setupLuaExpander(globalMacroExpander());
 
-        pluginSpecsFromArchiveFactories().push_back([](const FilePath &path) {
+        pluginSpecsFromArchiveFactories().push_back([](const FilePath &path) -> QList<PluginSpec *> {
+            if (path.isFile()) {
+                if (path.suffix() == "lua") {
+                    Utils::expected_str<PluginSpec *> spec = loadPlugin(path);
+                    QTC_CHECK_EXPECTED(spec);
+                    if (spec)
+                        return {*spec};
+                }
+                return {};
+            }
+
             QList<PluginSpec *> plugins;
             auto dirs = path.dirEntries(QDir::Dirs | QDir::NoDotAndDotDot);
             for (const auto &dir : dirs) {