diff --git a/kcms/lookandfeel/CMakeLists.txt b/kcms/lookandfeel/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/kcms/lookandfeel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/kcms/lookandfeel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@
 qt5_add_dbus_interface(lookandfeeltool_SRCS ${klauncher_xml} klauncher_iface)
 
 add_executable(lookandfeeltool ${lookandfeeltool_SRCS})
+# TODO: load kcm plugin instead of using code copy
+target_compile_definitions(lookandfeeltool PRIVATE -DDEFINE_NO_PLUGIN)
 
 target_link_libraries(lookandfeeltool
   KF5::KIOWidgets
diff --git a/kcms/lookandfeel/kcm.cpp b/kcms/lookandfeel/kcm.cpp
--- a/kcms/lookandfeel/kcm.cpp
+++ b/kcms/lookandfeel/kcm.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@
 #  include <X11/extensions/Xfixes.h>
 #endif
 
+#ifndef DEFINE_NO_PLUGIN
 K_PLUGIN_FACTORY_WITH_JSON(KCMLookandFeelFactory, "kcm_lookandfeel.json", registerPlugin<KCMLookandFeel>();)
+#endif
 
 KCMLookandFeel::KCMLookandFeel(QObject* parent, const QVariantList& args)
     : KQuickAddons::ConfigModule(parent, args)