diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/util/indexing/impl/storage/DefaultIndexStorageLayout.kt b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/util/indexing/impl/storage/DefaultIndexStorageLayout.kt
index 98b019035448..e3309370ad70 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/util/indexing/impl/storage/DefaultIndexStorageLayout.kt
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/util/indexing/impl/storage/DefaultIndexStorageLayout.kt
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 // Copyright 2000-2021 JetBrains s.r.o. Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 package com.intellij.util.indexing.impl.storage
 
-import com.intellij.util.SystemProperties
 import com.intellij.util.indexing.*
 import com.intellij.util.indexing.impl.IndexStorage
 import com.intellij.util.indexing.impl.forward.*
-import com.intellij.util.indexing.impl.storage.mvstore.MVStoreForwardIndexStorageLayoutProvider
 import com.intellij.util.indexing.memory.InMemoryForwardIndex
 import com.intellij.util.indexing.memory.InMemoryIndexStorage
 import com.intellij.util.indexing.snapshot.SnapshotInputMappings
@@ -14,11 +12,16 @@ import org.jetbrains.annotations.ApiStatus
 import java.io.IOException
 
 object DefaultIndexStorageLayout {
+  val forcedLayout: String? = System.getProperty("idea.index.storage.forced.layout")
 
   @JvmStatic
   @Throws(IOException::class)
   fun <Key, Value> getLayout(indexExtension: FileBasedIndexExtension<Key, Value>,
                              contentHashEnumeratorReopen: Boolean): VfsAwareIndexStorageLayout<Key, Value> {
+    val layoutEP = getForcedLayoutEP() ?: FileBasedIndexLayoutSettings.getUsedLayout()
+    if (layoutEP != null) {
+      return layoutEP.layoutProvider.getLayout(indexExtension)
+    }
     if (FileBasedIndex.USE_IN_MEMORY_INDEX) {
       return InMemoryStorageLayout(indexExtension)
     }
@@ -31,6 +34,12 @@ object DefaultIndexStorageLayout {
     else DefaultStorageLayout(indexExtension)
   }
 
+  private fun getForcedLayoutEP(): FileBasedIndexLayoutProviderBean? {
+    val layout = forcedLayout ?: return null
+    return FileBasedIndexLayoutProvider.STORAGE_LAYOUT_EP_NAME.extensions.find { it.id == layout }
+           ?: throw IllegalStateException("Can't find index storage layout for id = $layout")
+  }
+
   @ApiStatus.Internal
   private fun <Key, Value> getForwardIndexAccessor(indexExtension: IndexExtension<Key, Value, *>): AbstractMapForwardIndexAccessor<Key, Value, *> {
     return if (indexExtension !is SingleEntryFileBasedIndexExtension<*> || FileBasedIndex.USE_IN_MEMORY_INDEX) {
diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/util/indexing/impl/storage/FileBasedIndexLayoutProviderBean.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/util/indexing/impl/storage/FileBasedIndexLayoutProviderBean.java
index 440f941f1b44..4f216b2e728d 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/util/indexing/impl/storage/FileBasedIndexLayoutProviderBean.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/util/indexing/impl/storage/FileBasedIndexLayoutProviderBean.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package com.intellij.util.indexing.impl.storage;
 
 import com.intellij.AbstractBundle;
 import com.intellij.DynamicBundle;
+import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.diagnostic.Logger;
 import com.intellij.openapi.extensions.PluginAware;
 import com.intellij.openapi.extensions.PluginDescriptor;
@@ -57,7 +58,15 @@ public final class FileBasedIndexLayoutProviderBean implements PluginAware {
     return AbstractBundle.message(resourceBundle, presentableNameKey);
   }
 
-  private PluginDescriptor myPluginDescriptor;
+  private FileBasedIndexLayoutProvider myLayoutProvider;
+  @NotNull synchronized FileBasedIndexLayoutProvider getLayoutProvider() {
+    if (myLayoutProvider == null) {
+      myLayoutProvider = ApplicationManager.getApplication().instantiateClass(providerClass, myPluginDescriptor);
+    }
+    return myLayoutProvider;
+  }
+
+  private volatile PluginDescriptor myPluginDescriptor;
   @Override
   public void setPluginDescriptor(@NotNull PluginDescriptor pluginDescriptor) {
     myPluginDescriptor = pluginDescriptor;