diff --git a/devscripts/run_tests.py b/devscripts/run_tests.py
index ebb3500b6..cf33d443d 100755
--- a/devscripts/run_tests.py
+++ b/devscripts/run_tests.py
@@ -19,12 +19,14 @@ def parse_args():
         'test', help='an extractor test, test path, or one of "core" or "download"', nargs='*')
     parser.add_argument(
         '-k', help='run a test matching EXPRESSION. Same as "pytest -k"', metavar='EXPRESSION')
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--plugins', help='load plugins', action='store_true')
     parser.add_argument(
         '--pytest-args', help='arguments to passthrough to pytest')
     return parser.parse_args()
 
 
-def run_tests(*tests, pattern=None, ci=False):
+def run_tests(*tests, pattern=None, ci=False, load_plugins=False):
     # XXX: hatch uses `tests` if no arguments are passed
     run_core = 'core' in tests or 'tests' in tests or (not pattern and not tests)
     run_download = 'download' in tests
@@ -47,7 +49,10 @@ def run_tests(*tests, pattern=None, ci=False):
 
     print(f'Running {arguments}', flush=True)
     try:
-        return subprocess.call(arguments)
+        return subprocess.call(arguments, env={
+            **os.environ,
+            'YTDLP_NO_PLUGINS': '1' if os.environ.get('YTDLP_NO_PLUGINS') or not load_plugins else '',
+        })
     except FileNotFoundError:
         pass
 
@@ -72,6 +77,6 @@ def run_tests(*tests, pattern=None, ci=False):
         args = parse_args()
 
         os.chdir(Path(__file__).parent.parent)
-        sys.exit(run_tests(*args.test, pattern=args.k, ci=bool(os.getenv('CI'))))
+        sys.exit(run_tests(*args.test, pattern=args.k, ci=bool(os.getenv('CI')), load_plugins=args.plugins))
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         pass
diff --git a/test/helper.py b/test/helper.py
index e4cb478e2..3a73c191b 100644
--- a/test/helper.py
+++ b/test/helper.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import errno
 import hashlib
 import json
+import os
 import os.path
 import re
 import ssl
@@ -87,6 +88,9 @@ def report_warning(self, message, *args, **kwargs):
 
 
 def gettestcases(include_onlymatching=False):
+    if not os.environ.get('YTDLP_NO_PLUGINS'):
+        import yt_dlp.plugins as plugins
+        plugins.load_all_plugins()
     for ie in yt_dlp.extractor.gen_extractors():
         yield from ie.get_testcases(include_onlymatching)