diff --git a/src/libs/extensionsystem/CMakeLists.txt b/src/libs/extensionsystem/CMakeLists.txt
index c8e37668060..a1768577b01 100644
--- a/src/libs/extensionsystem/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/libs/extensionsystem/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,10 +20,16 @@ add_qtc_library(ExtensionSystem
 
 find_package(Qt6 COMPONENTS Test QUIET)
 
+# If ExtensionSystem was compiled with QtTest, it should provide the test options
+# and the test related API, regardless if Qt Creator was compiled with tests or not,
+# and regardless if an external plugin is compiled with tests or not.
+# ExtensionSystem may not require QtTest in public headers though.
+# API with EXTENSIONSYSTEM_TEST_EXPORT (like CppPluginSpec) should only be exported
+# if Qt Creator is compiled with tests.
 extend_qtc_library(ExtensionSystem
   CONDITION TARGET Qt::Test
   DEPENDS Qt::Test
-  DEFINES WITH_TESTS
+  PUBLIC_DEFINES EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
 )
 
 extend_qtc_library(ExtensionSystem
diff --git a/src/libs/extensionsystem/extensionsystem.qbs b/src/libs/extensionsystem/extensionsystem.qbs
index 72fe2f4c3cf..c34e97e7544 100644
--- a/src/libs/extensionsystem/extensionsystem.qbs
+++ b/src/libs/extensionsystem/extensionsystem.qbs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ QtcLibrary {
     name: "ExtensionSystem"
 
     cpp.defines: base.concat(["EXTENSIONSYSTEM_LIBRARY", "IDE_TEST_DIR=\".\""])
+                     .concat(qtc.withPluginTests ? ["EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION"] : [])
 
     Depends { name: "Qt"; submodules: ["core", "widgets"] }
     Depends { name: "Qt.testlib"; condition: qtc.withPluginTests }
@@ -35,5 +36,7 @@ QtcLibrary {
 
     Export {
         Depends { name: "Qt.core" }
+        Depends { name: "qtc" }
+        cpp.defines: qtc.withPluginTests ? ["EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION"] : []
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/libs/extensionsystem/optionsparser.cpp b/src/libs/extensionsystem/optionsparser.cpp
index dd9d03944a2..21dfba16ecb 100644
--- a/src/libs/extensionsystem/optionsparser.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/extensionsystem/optionsparser.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ bool OptionsParser::parse()
             continue;
         if (checkForNoCrashcheckOption())
             continue;
-#ifdef WITH_TESTS
+#ifdef EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
         if (checkForTestOptions())
             continue;
         if (checkForScenarioOption())
diff --git a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.cpp b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.cpp
index 78bf778b31c..87ea5914b83 100644
--- a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 #include <QTimer>
 #include <QWriteLocker>
 
-#ifdef WITH_TESTS
+#ifdef EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
 #include <utils/hostosinfo.h>
 #include <QTest>
 #include <QThread>
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ void PluginManager::formatOptions(QTextStream &str, int optionIndentation, int d
                  QLatin1String("Disable startup check for previously crashed instance"),
                  optionIndentation,
                  descriptionIndentation);
-#ifdef WITH_TESTS
+#ifdef EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
     formatOption(str, QString::fromLatin1(OptionsParser::TEST_OPTION)
                  + QLatin1String(" <plugin>[,testfunction[:testdata]]..."), QString(),
                  QLatin1String("Run plugin's tests (by default a separate settings path is used)"),
@@ -798,7 +798,7 @@ bool PluginManager::testRunRequested()
     return !d->testSpecs.empty();
 }
 
-#ifdef WITH_TESTS
+#ifdef EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
 // Called in plugin initialization, the scenario function will be called later, from main
 bool PluginManager::registerScenario(const QString &scenarioId, std::function<bool()> scenarioStarter)
 {
@@ -956,17 +956,18 @@ void PluginManagerPrivate::startDelayedInitialize()
     }
     NANOTRACE_SHUTDOWN();
     emit q->initializationDone();
-#ifdef WITH_TESTS
-        if (PluginManager::testRunRequested())
-            startTests();
-        else if (PluginManager::isScenarioRequested()) {
-            if (PluginManager::runScenario()) {
-                const QString info = QString("Successfully started scenario \"%1\"...").arg(d->m_requestedScenario);
-                qInfo("%s", qPrintable(info));
-            } else {
-                QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, [] { emit m_instance->scenarioFinished(1); });
-            }
+#ifdef EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
+    if (PluginManager::testRunRequested())
+        startTests();
+    else if (PluginManager::isScenarioRequested()) {
+        if (PluginManager::runScenario()) {
+            const QString info
+                = QString("Successfully started scenario \"%1\"...").arg(d->m_requestedScenario);
+            qInfo("%s", qPrintable(info));
+        } else {
+            QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, [] { emit m_instance->scenarioFinished(1); });
         }
+    }
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -1068,14 +1069,15 @@ void PluginManagerPrivate::checkForDuplicatePlugins()
 
 static QHash<IPlugin *, QList<TestCreator>> g_testCreators;
 
-void PluginManagerPrivate::addTestCreator(IPlugin *plugin, const TestCreator &testCreator)
+void PluginManagerPrivate::addTestCreator(
+    [[maybe_unused]] IPlugin *plugin, [[maybe_unused]] const TestCreator &testCreator)
 {
-#ifdef WITH_TESTS
+#ifdef EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
     g_testCreators[plugin].append(testCreator);
 #endif
 }
 
-#ifdef WITH_TESTS
+#ifdef EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
 
 using TestPlan = QHash<QObject *, QStringList>; // Object -> selected test functions
 
@@ -1456,7 +1458,7 @@ void PluginManagerPrivate::shutdown()
         shutdownEventLoop->exec();
     }
     deleteAll();
-#ifdef WITH_TESTS
+#ifdef EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
     if (PluginManager::isScenarioRunning("TestModelManagerInterface")) {
         qDebug() << "Point 2: Expect the next call to Point 3 triggers a crash";
         QThread::sleep(5);
diff --git a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.h b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.h
index 74237db5b34..b35df535b79 100644
--- a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.h
+++ b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager.h
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ public:
 
     static bool testRunRequested();
 
-#ifdef WITH_TESTS
+#ifdef EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
     static bool registerScenario(const QString &scenarioId, std::function<bool()> scenarioStarter);
     static bool isScenarioRequested();
     static bool runScenario();
diff --git a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager_p.h b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager_p.h
index 2404a8b49e9..074400bd6d9 100644
--- a/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager_p.h
+++ b/src/libs/extensionsystem/pluginmanager_p.h
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ private:
     void deleteAll();
     void checkForDuplicatePlugins();
 
-#ifdef WITH_TESTS
+#ifdef EXTENSIONSYSTEM_WITH_TESTOPTION
     void startTests();
 #endif
 };