diff --git a/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/README.md b/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/README.md
index b2aa02579fd..488f22da15a 100644
--- a/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/README.md
+++ b/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/README.md
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ The following variables are set as defaults:
 
 Use `task -l` to list available targets, or read on.
 
+Example: Run a plugin subtest against a release image.
+
+```
+task test:qa-plugin image=tykio/tyk-plugin-compiler:v5.3.9-rc4
+```
+
 ## Building and testing plugin compiler locally
 
 In order to build the plugin compiler images locally from source,
diff --git a/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/Taskfile.yml b/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/Taskfile.yml
index 0e0fe1c0ed5..2c4a1495b82 100644
--- a/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/Taskfile.yml
+++ b/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/Taskfile.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# yamllint disable rule:line-length
 ---
 version: "3"
 
@@ -82,7 +83,6 @@ tasks:
     internal: true
     cmds:
 
-
   test:basic-plugin:
     desc: "Test plugin compiler (basic-plugin)"
     vars:
@@ -96,6 +96,20 @@ tasks:
       - docker run {{.args}} --entrypoint=/usr/local/bin/tyk {{.image}} plugin load -f plugin.so -s {{.symbol}}
       - strings {{.plugin_path}}/plugin.so | grep test_goplugin.go
 
+  test:qa-plugin:
+    desc: "Test plugin compiler (qa-plugin)"
+    vars:
+      plugin_path: '{{.root}}/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/testdata/qa-plugin'
+      symbol: AuthCheck
+      args: --rm -e DEBUG=1 -v {{.plugin_path}}:/plugin-source -w /plugin-source
+    cmds:
+      - rm -f {{.plugin_path}}/*.so
+      - docker run {{.args}} {{.image}} plugin.so
+      - cp -f {{.plugin_path}}/*.so {{.plugin_path}}/plugin.so
+      - docker run -e GOARCH=arm64 {{.args}} {{.image}} plugin.so
+      - docker run {{.args}} --entrypoint=/usr/local/bin/tyk {{.image}} plugin load -f plugin.so -s {{.symbol}}
+      - strings {{.plugin_path}}/plugin.so | grep test_goplugin.go
+
   test:basic-plugin-id:
     desc: "Test plugin compiler (basic-plugin)"
     vars:
@@ -136,4 +150,3 @@ tasks:
       - cp -f {{.plugin_path}}/*.so {{.plugin_path}}/plugin.so
       - docker run {{.args}} --entrypoint=/usr/local/bin/tyk {{.image}} plugin load -f plugin.so -s {{.symbol}}
       - strings {{.plugin_path}}/plugin.so | grep main.go
-
diff --git a/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/testdata/qa-plugin/README.md b/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/testdata/qa-plugin/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ca3790e1bd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/testdata/qa-plugin/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# QA Plugin
+
+The only difference between this and other plugins is that this one does
+not provide a go.mod. This means a slightly different build path is
+tested for the plugin compiler, ensuring coverage for when no go.mod is
+provided.
diff --git a/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/testdata/qa-plugin/main.go b/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/testdata/qa-plugin/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..06909267480
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/tests/plugin-compiler/testdata/qa-plugin/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"github.com/TykTechnologies/tyk/ctx"
+	"github.com/TykTechnologies/tyk/log"
+	"github.com/TykTechnologies/tyk/user"
+	"net/http"
+)
+
+var logger = log.Get()
+
+// AddFooBarHeader adds custom "Foo: Bar" header to the request
+func AddFooBarHeader(rw http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	r.Header.Add("Foo", "Bar")
+}
+
+// Custom Auth, applies a rate limit of
+// 2 per 10 given a token of "abc"
+func AuthCheck(rw http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	token := r.Header.Get("Authorization")
+	if token != "d3fd1a57-94ce-4a36-9dfe-679a8f493b49" && token != "3be61aa4-2490-4637-93b9-105001aa88a5" {
+		rw.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		return
+	}
+	session := &user.SessionState{
+		Alias: token,
+		Rate:  2,
+		Per:   10,
+		MetaData: map[string]interface{}{
+			token: token,
+		},
+		KeyID: token,
+	}
+	ctx.SetSession(r, session, true)
+}
+func main() {}
+func init() {
+	logger.Info("--- Go custom plugin v4 init success! ---- ")
+}