diff --git a/core/modules/simpletest/src/KernelTestBase.php b/core/modules/simpletest/src/KernelTestBase.php
index dc06c87086..10ddbbce11 100644
--- a/core/modules/simpletest/src/KernelTestBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/simpletest/src/KernelTestBase.php
@@ -216,6 +216,9 @@ protected function setUp() {
     if (file_exists($directory . '/settings.testing.php')) {
       Settings::initialize(DRUPAL_ROOT, $site_path, $class_loader);
     }
+    // Ensure to set the module list upfront to avoid setting the kernel into
+    // the pre-installer mode.
+    $this->kernel->updateModules([], []);
     $this->kernel->boot();
 
     // Ensure database install tasks have been run.
@@ -231,6 +234,9 @@ protected function setUp() {
     // prevents any services created during the first boot from having stale
     // database connections, for example, \Drupal\Core\Config\DatabaseStorage.
     $this->kernel->shutdown();
+    // Ensure to set the module list upfront to avoid setting the kernel into
+    // the pre-installer mode.
+    $this->kernel->updateModules([], []);
     $this->kernel->boot();
 
     // Save the original site directory path, so that extensions in the