diff --git a/release/scripts/modules/addon_utils.py b/release/scripts/modules/addon_utils.py
index 9ec6d249129..d955985d68f 100644
--- a/release/scripts/modules/addon_utils.py
+++ b/release/scripts/modules/addon_utils.py
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ def _addon_remove(module_name):
             addons.remove(addon)
 
 
-def enable(module_name, default_set=True, persistent=False, handle_error=None):
+def enable(module_name, default_set=False, persistent=False, handle_error=None):
     """
     Enables an addon by name.
 
@@ -308,7 +308,8 @@ def enable(module_name, default_set=True, persistent=False, handle_error=None):
             mod.__addon_enabled__ = False
         except:
             handle_error()
-            _addon_remove(module_name)
+            if default_set:
+                _addon_remove(module_name)
             return None
 
         # 2) try register collected modules
@@ -322,7 +323,8 @@ def enable(module_name, default_set=True, persistent=False, handle_error=None):
                   getattr(mod, "__file__", module_name))
             handle_error()
             del sys.modules[module_name]
-            _addon_remove(module_name)
+            if default_set:
+                _addon_remove(module_name)
             return None
 
     # * OK loaded successfully! *
diff --git a/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py b/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py
index 8d04cb132e6..e7f48eccbf1 100644
--- a/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py
+++ b/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py
@@ -1737,7 +1737,7 @@ class WM_OT_addon_enable(Operator):
             err_str = traceback.format_exc()
             print(err_str)
 
-        mod = addon_utils.enable(self.module, handle_error=err_cb)
+        mod = addon_utils.enable(self.module, default_set=True, handle_error=err_cb)
 
         if mod:
             info = addon_utils.module_bl_info(mod)
diff --git a/tests/python/bl_load_addons.py b/tests/python/bl_load_addons.py
index 716d08b16d6..227edf4164d 100644
--- a/tests/python/bl_load_addons.py
+++ b/tests/python/bl_load_addons.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def test_load_addons():
     for mod in modules:
         mod_name = mod.__name__
         print("\tenabling:", mod_name)
-        addon_utils.enable(mod_name)
+        addon_utils.enable(mod_name, default_set=True)
         if mod_name not in addons:
             addons_fail.append(mod_name)
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def reload_addons(do_reload=True, do_reverse=True):
         for mod in modules:
             mod_name = mod.__name__
             print("\tenabling:", mod_name)
-            addon_utils.enable(mod_name)
+            addon_utils.enable(mod_name, default_set=True)
             assert(mod_name in addons)
 
         for mod in modules:
diff --git a/tests/python/bl_load_py_modules.py b/tests/python/bl_load_py_modules.py
index c0ec4ce5144..07905dfa4b4 100644
--- a/tests/python/bl_load_py_modules.py
+++ b/tests/python/bl_load_py_modules.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def load_addons():
 
     for mod in modules:
         mod_name = mod.__name__
-        addon_utils.enable(mod_name)
+        addon_utils.enable(mod_name, default_set=True)
         assert(mod_name in addons)