diff --git a/ci/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/TypelevelCiPlugin.scala b/ci/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/TypelevelCiPlugin.scala
index 4ff15e74..b43d1e7d 100644
--- a/ci/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/TypelevelCiPlugin.scala
+++ b/ci/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/TypelevelCiPlugin.scala
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.typelevel.sbt
 
-import org.typelevel.sbt.NoPublishPlugin.autoImport._
+import org.typelevel.sbt.NoPublishGlobalPlugin.autoImport._
 import org.typelevel.sbt.gha.GenerativePlugin
 import org.typelevel.sbt.gha.GenerativePlugin.autoImport._
 import org.typelevel.sbt.gha.GitHubActionsPlugin
diff --git a/no-publish/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/NoPublishPlugin.scala b/no-publish/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/NoPublishPlugin.scala
index 10004deb..d392dc84 100644
--- a/no-publish/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/NoPublishPlugin.scala
+++ b/no-publish/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/NoPublishPlugin.scala
@@ -19,28 +19,38 @@ package org.typelevel.sbt
 import sbt._
 
 import Keys._
+import NoPublishGlobalPlugin.noPublishInternalAggregation
 
 object NoPublishPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
+
+  override def trigger = noTrigger
+
+  override def projectSettings = Seq(
+    publish := {},
+    publishLocal := {},
+    publishArtifact := false,
+    publish / skip := true,
+    Global / noPublishInternalAggregation += thisProjectRef.value
+  )
+}
+
+object NoPublishGlobalPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
+
+  // triggered even if NoPublishPlugin is not used in the build
+  override def trigger = allRequirements
+
   object autoImport {
     lazy val noPublishProjectRefs = settingKey[Seq[ProjectRef]]("List of no-publish projects")
   }
+
   import autoImport._
 
-  private lazy val noPublishInternalAggregation =
+  private[sbt] lazy val noPublishInternalAggregation =
     settingKey[Seq[ProjectRef]]("Aggregates all the no-publish projects")
 
-  override def trigger = noTrigger
-
   override def globalSettings = Seq(
     noPublishInternalAggregation := Seq(),
     noPublishProjectRefs := noPublishInternalAggregation.value
   )
 
-  override def projectSettings = Seq(
-    publish := {},
-    publishLocal := {},
-    publishArtifact := false,
-    publish / skip := true,
-    Global / noPublishInternalAggregation += thisProjectRef.value
-  )
 }