diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 970b1ec52a..c6d5420c57 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -367,6 +367,7 @@ gimp-debian-x64:
     - echo -e "\e[0Ksection_start:`date +%s`:gimp_build[collapsed=true]\r\e[0KBuilding GIMP"
     - meson setup _build-${RUNNER} -Dprefix="${GIMP_PREFIX}"
                                    -Dg-ir-doc=true
+                                   -Dfile-plug-ins-test=true
                                    $MESON_OPTIONS
     - cd _build-${RUNNER}
     - ninja
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 7db3ccb73a..676c82e5fc 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ option('wmf',               type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Wmf su
 option('xcursor',           type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Xcursor support')
 option('xpm',               type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'XPM support')
 option('headless-tests',    type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Use xvfb-run/dbus-run-session for UI-dependent automatic tests')
+option('file-plug-ins-test', type: 'boolean', value: 'false', description: 'Always install test-file-plug-ins (mostly for CI testing)')
 
 option('can-crosscompile-gir', type: 'boolean', value: false, description: 'GIR is buildable even if crosscompiling')
 
diff --git a/plug-ins/python/tests/test-file-plug-ins/meson.build b/plug-ins/python/tests/test-file-plug-ins/meson.build
index 64b88bd092..497ba3b1ca 100644
--- a/plug-ins/python/tests/test-file-plug-ins/meson.build
+++ b/plug-ins/python/tests/test-file-plug-ins/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-if not stable or not release or gimp_version.endswith('+git')
+if not stable or not release or gimp_version.endswith('+git') or get_option('file-plug-ins-test')
 
 # This does not get installed for releases
 plugins += {