diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-vcenter-plugin.yml b/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-vcenter-plugin.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a0d11e84514
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-vcenter-plugin.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+    - ansible-test now properly activates the vcenter plugin for vcenter tests when docker is available
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/cloud/vcenter.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/cloud/vcenter.py
index 79b1e96926a..4fb7936c988 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/cloud/vcenter.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/cloud/vcenter.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class VcenterProvider(CloudProvider):
         :type targets: tuple[TestTarget]
         :type exclude: list[str]
         """
-        if self.vmware_test_platform == 'govcsim':
+        if self.vmware_test_platform == 'govcsim' or (self.vmware_test_platform == '' and not os.path.isfile(self.config_static_path)):
             docker = find_executable('docker', required=False)
 
             if docker:
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ class VcenterProvider(CloudProvider):
 
             if skipped:
                 exclude.append(skip)
-                display.warning('Excluding tests marked "%s" which require the "docker" command: %s'
-                                % (skip.rstrip('/'), ', '.join(skipped)))
+                display.warning('Excluding tests marked "%s" which require the "docker" command or config (see "%s"): %s'
+                                % (skip.rstrip('/'), self.config_template_path, ', '.join(skipped)))
         else:
             if os.path.isfile(self.config_static_path):
                 return