diff --git a/src/libcharon/tests/Makefile.am b/src/libcharon/tests/Makefile.am
index c8be285943..0c1976ac40 100644
--- a/src/libcharon/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/libcharon/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ libcharon_tests_CFLAGS = \
   -I$(top_srcdir)/src/libhydra \
   -I$(top_srcdir)/src/libstrongswan \
   -I$(top_srcdir)/src/libstrongswan/tests \
+  -DPLUGINDIR=\""$(abs_top_builddir)/src/libstrongswan/plugins\"" \
+  -DPLUGINS=\""${s_plugins}\"" \
   @COVERAGE_CFLAGS@
 
 libcharon_tests_LDFLAGS = @COVERAGE_LDFLAGS@
diff --git a/src/libcharon/tests/libcharon_tests.c b/src/libcharon/tests/libcharon_tests.c
index 1ed0f0c958..a22b15129c 100644
--- a/src/libcharon/tests/libcharon_tests.c
+++ b/src/libcharon/tests/libcharon_tests.c
@@ -37,13 +37,27 @@ static bool test_runner_init(bool init)
 {
 	if (init)
 	{
+		char *plugins, *plugindir;
+
 		libhydra_init();
 		libcharon_init();
+
+		plugins = getenv("TESTS_PLUGINS") ?:
+					lib->settings->get_str(lib->settings,
+										"tests.load", PLUGINS);
+		plugindir = lib->settings->get_str(lib->settings,
+										"tests.plugindir", PLUGINDIR);
+		plugin_loader_add_plugindirs(plugindir, plugins);
+		if (!lib->plugins->load(lib->plugins, plugins))
+		{
+			return FALSE;
+		}
 	}
 	else
 	{
 		lib->processor->set_threads(lib->processor, 0);
 		lib->processor->cancel(lib->processor);
+		lib->plugins->unload(lib->plugins);
 		libcharon_deinit();
 		libhydra_deinit();
 	}