diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ESIntegTestCase.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ESIntegTestCase.java
index 5327f4e6325..9bb1cfd0cfb 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ESIntegTestCase.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ESIntegTestCase.java
@@ -1739,7 +1739,7 @@ public abstract class ESIntegTestCase extends ESTestCase {
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException("port is not valid, expected number but was [" + split[1] + "]");
             }
         }
-        return new ExternalTestCluster(createTempDir(), externalClusterClientSettings(), transportAddresses);
+        return new ExternalTestCluster(createTempDir(), externalClusterClientSettings(), transportClientPlugins(), transportAddresses);
     }
 
     protected Settings externalClusterClientSettings() {
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ExternalTestCluster.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ExternalTestCluster.java
index 9a919a391cb..90ca7818b9f 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ExternalTestCluster.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ExternalTestCluster.java
@@ -33,10 +33,12 @@ import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.transport.InetSocketTransportAddress;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.transport.TransportAddress;
 import org.elasticsearch.node.internal.InternalSettingsPreparer;
+import org.elasticsearch.plugins.Plugin;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ public final class ExternalTestCluster extends TestCluster {
     private final int numDataNodes;
     private final int numMasterAndDataNodes;
 
-    public ExternalTestCluster(Path tempDir, Settings additionalSettings, TransportAddress... transportAddresses) {
+    public ExternalTestCluster(Path tempDir, Settings additionalSettings, Collection<Class<? extends Plugin>> pluginClasses, TransportAddress... transportAddresses) {
         super(0);
         Settings clientSettings = Settings.settingsBuilder()
                 .put(additionalSettings)
@@ -75,7 +77,11 @@ public final class ExternalTestCluster extends TestCluster {
                 .put("path.home", tempDir)
                 .put("node.mode", "network").build(); // we require network here!
 
-        this.client = TransportClient.builder().settings(clientSettings).build().addTransportAddresses(transportAddresses);
+        TransportClient.Builder transportClientBuilder = TransportClient.builder().settings(clientSettings);
+        for (Class<? extends Plugin> pluginClass : pluginClasses) {
+            transportClientBuilder.addPlugin(pluginClass);
+        }
+        this.client = transportClientBuilder.build().addTransportAddresses(transportAddresses);
 
         NodesInfoResponse nodeInfos = this.client.admin().cluster().prepareNodesInfo().clear().setSettings(true).setHttp(true).get();
         httpAddresses = new InetSocketAddress[nodeInfos.getNodes().length];