diff --git a/test/loading.jl b/test/loading.jl
index 0213a06774eb36..da301a85be8891 100644
--- a/test/loading.jl
+++ b/test/loading.jl
@@ -1333,31 +1333,33 @@ end
 end
 
 @testset "code coverage disabled during precompilation" begin
-    cov_test_dir = joinpath(@__DIR__, "project", "deps", "CovTest.jl")
-    function rm_cov_files()
-        for cov_file in filter(endswith(".cov"), readdir(joinpath(cov_test_dir, "src"), join=true))
-            rm(cov_file)
+    mktempdir() do depot
+        cov_test_dir = joinpath(@__DIR__, "project", "deps", "CovTest.jl")
+        cov_cache_dir = joinpath(depot, "compiled", "v$(VERSION.major).$(VERSION.minor)", "CovTest")
+        function rm_cov_files()
+            for cov_file in filter(endswith(".cov"), readdir(joinpath(cov_test_dir, "src"), join=true))
+                rm(cov_file)
+            end
+            @test !cov_exists()
         end
-        @test !cov_exists()
-    end
-    cov_exists() = !isempty(filter(endswith(".cov"), readdir(joinpath(cov_test_dir, "src"))))
+        cov_exists() = !isempty(filter(endswith(".cov"), readdir(joinpath(cov_test_dir, "src"))))
 
-    mktempdir() do depot
         rm_cov_files() # clear out any coverage files first
         @test !cov_exists()
 
         cd(cov_test_dir) do
             # In our depot, precompile CovTest.jl with coverage on
             @test success(addenv(
-                `$(Base.julia_cmd()) --startup-file=no --code-coverage=@ --project -e 'using CovTest; exit(0)'`,
+                `$(Base.julia_cmd()) --startup-file=no --pkgimage=yes --code-coverage=@ --project -e 'using CovTest; exit(0)'`,
                 "JULIA_DEPOT_PATH" => depot,
             ))
+            @test !isempty(filter(!endswith(".ji"), readdir(cov_cache_dir))) # check that object cache file(s) exists
             @test !cov_exists()
             rm_cov_files()
 
             # same again but call foo(), which is in the pkgimage, and should generate coverage
             @test success(addenv(
-                `$(Base.julia_cmd()) --startup-file=no --code-coverage=@ --project -e 'using CovTest; foo(); exit(0)'`,
+                `$(Base.julia_cmd()) --startup-file=no --pkgimage=yes --code-coverage=@ --project -e 'using CovTest; foo(); exit(0)'`,
                 "JULIA_DEPOT_PATH" => depot,
             ))
             @test cov_exists()
@@ -1365,7 +1367,7 @@ end
 
             # same again but call bar(), which is NOT in the pkgimage, and should generate coverage
             @test success(addenv(
-                `$(Base.julia_cmd()) --startup-file=no --code-coverage=@ --project -e 'using CovTest; bar(); exit(0)'`,
+                `$(Base.julia_cmd()) --startup-file=no --pkgimage=yes --code-coverage=@ --project -e 'using CovTest; bar(); exit(0)'`,
                 "JULIA_DEPOT_PATH" => depot,
             ))
             @test cov_exists()