diff --git a/packages/babel-helper-fixtures/src/index.ts b/packages/babel-helper-fixtures/src/index.ts
index 2f8beb723497..a9c58508fd4a 100644
--- a/packages/babel-helper-fixtures/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/babel-helper-fixtures/src/index.ts
@@ -135,7 +135,9 @@ function pushTask(taskName, taskDir, suite, suiteName) {
         ? taskOpts.BABEL_8_BREAKING === false
         : taskOpts.BABEL_8_BREAKING === true),
     options: taskOpts,
-    externalHelpers: taskOpts.externalHelpers ?? true,
+    externalHelpers:
+      taskOpts.externalHelpers ??
+      !!tryResolve("@babel/plugin-external-helpers"),
     validateLogs: taskOpts.validateLogs,
     ignoreOutput: taskOpts.ignoreOutput,
     stdout: { loc: stdoutLoc, code: readFile(stdoutLoc) },