diff --git a/java/java-indexing-impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/CompilerReferenceService.java b/java/java-indexing-impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/CompilerReferenceService.java
index 0459aae0d45e..ab49c954a003 100644
--- a/java/java-indexing-impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/CompilerReferenceService.java
+++ b/java/java-indexing-impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/CompilerReferenceService.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 package com.intellij.compiler;
 
+import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.components.AbstractProjectComponent;
 import com.intellij.openapi.fileTypes.FileType;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project;
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 
 public abstract class CompilerReferenceService extends AbstractProjectComponent {
   public static final RegistryValue IS_ENABLED_KEY = Registry.get("compiler.ref.index");
+  public static volatile boolean enabledInTests = false;
 
   protected CompilerReferenceService(Project project) {
     super(project);
@@ -53,6 +55,6 @@ public abstract class CompilerReferenceService extends AbstractProjectComponent
                                                                 @NotNull FileType searchFileType);
 
   public static boolean isEnabled() {
-    return IS_ENABLED_KEY.asBoolean();
+    return (!ApplicationManager.getApplication().isHeadlessEnvironment() || enabledInTests) && IS_ENABLED_KEY.asBoolean();
   }
 }
diff --git a/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/compiler/CompilerReferencesTestBase.java b/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/compiler/CompilerReferencesTestBase.java
index 0fd0bde00891..f61f1fd0652e 100644
--- a/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/compiler/CompilerReferencesTestBase.java
+++ b/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/compiler/CompilerReferencesTestBase.java
@@ -24,12 +24,14 @@ public abstract class CompilerReferencesTestBase extends AbstractCompilerAwareTe
   public void setUp() throws Exception {
     myDefaultEnableState = CompilerReferenceService.IS_ENABLED_KEY.asBoolean();
     CompilerReferenceService.IS_ENABLED_KEY.setValue(true);
+    CompilerReferenceService.enabledInTests = true;
     super.setUp();
   }
 
   @Override
   public void tearDown() throws Exception {
     CompilerReferenceService.IS_ENABLED_KEY.setValue(myDefaultEnableState);
+    CompilerReferenceService.enabledInTests = false;
     super.tearDown();
   }
 }
diff --git a/platform/util/resources/misc/registry.properties b/platform/util/resources/misc/registry.properties
index 6aa565b5dca6..8704d58ded7e 100644
--- a/platform/util/resources/misc/registry.properties
+++ b/platform/util/resources/misc/registry.properties
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ ide.projectView.globalOptions.description=Make Project View options such as auto
 ide.projectView.ProjectViewPaneTreeStructure.BuildChildrenInBackground=true
 ide.projectView.ProjectViewPaneTreeStructure.BuildChildrenInBackground.description=Temporary ability to control a tree building for the Project View pane
 
-compiler.ref.index=false
+compiler.ref.index=true
 compiler.ref.index.description=Enables find usages using references from compiler indices
 compiler.ref.index.restartRequired=true
 build.manager.async.fs.events=false