diff --git a/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/plugins/PluginManagerCore.java b/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/plugins/PluginManagerCore.java
index f64f45feb9cb..13329ebe57a9 100644
--- a/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/plugins/PluginManagerCore.java
+++ b/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/plugins/PluginManagerCore.java
@@ -1473,7 +1473,9 @@ public class PluginManagerCore {
 
     List<String> errors = new ArrayList<>();
     IdeaPluginDescriptorImpl[] pluginDescriptors = loadDescriptors(errors);
-    checkEssentialPluginsAreAvailable(pluginDescriptors);
+    if (!ApplicationManager.getApplication().isUnitTestMode()) {
+      checkEssentialPluginsAreAvailable(pluginDescriptors);
+    }
 
     Class callerClass = ReflectionUtil.findCallerClass(1);
     assert callerClass != null;