diff --git a/release/scripts/modules/addon_utils.py b/release/scripts/modules/addon_utils.py
index 1bd218ad92a..bcde4ce1e18 100644
--- a/release/scripts/modules/addon_utils.py
+++ b/release/scripts/modules/addon_utils.py
@@ -146,7 +146,10 @@ def modules(module_cache):
     for path in path_list:
 
         # force all contrib addons to be 'TESTING'
-        force_support = 'TESTING' if path.endswith("addons_contrib") else None
+        if path.endswith("addons_contrib") or path.endswith("addons_extern"):
+            force_support = 'TESTING'
+        else:
+            force_support = None
 
         for mod_name, mod_path in _bpy.path.module_names(path):
             modules_stale -= {mod_name}