diff --git a/internal/test/test.go b/internal/test/test.go
index 202e015ab..e3c5b9c68 100644
--- a/internal/test/test.go
+++ b/internal/test/test.go
@@ -27,6 +27,15 @@ import (
 // UpdateGolden writes out the golden files with the latest values, rather than failing the test.
 var updateGolden = flag.Bool("update", false, "update golden files")
 
+// IsTestMode reports whether the binary was built with -tags helmtest.
+// General-purpose signal that the binary was built for tests; consult it
+// from production code paths that need to behave differently under test.
+// Backed by a compile-time const (see test_mode_on.go / test_mode_off.go)
+// so branches gated on it dead-code-eliminate in release builds.
+func IsTestMode() bool {
+	return testMode
+}
+
 // TestingT describes a testing object compatible with the critical functions from the testing.T type
 type TestingT interface {
 	Fatal(...any)
diff --git a/internal/test/test_mode_off.go b/internal/test/test_mode_off.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..62534ed12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/test/test_mode_off.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+//go:build !helmtest
+
+/*
+Copyright The Helm Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package test
+
+const testMode = false
diff --git a/internal/test/test_mode_on.go b/internal/test/test_mode_on.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8a2978699
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/test/test_mode_on.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+//go:build helmtest
+
+/*
+Copyright The Helm Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package test
+
+const testMode = true