diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_plugin_utils.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_plugin_utils.py
index ef9c456e..4537d245 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_plugin_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_plugin_utils.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-from bec_widgets.utils.plugin_utils import get_custom_classes
+import sys
+
+from bec_widgets.utils.plugin_utils import get_custom_class_references, get_custom_classes
 
 
 def test_client_generator_classes():
@@ -10,3 +12,13 @@ def test_client_generator_classes():
     assert "Waveform" in connector_cls_names
     assert "MotorMap" in plugins
     assert "NonExisting" not in plugins
+
+
+def test_get_custom_class_references_avoids_importing_widget_modules():
+    target_module = "bec_widgets.widgets.plots.image.image"
+    sys.modules.pop(target_module, None)
+
+    references = get_custom_class_references("bec_widgets", use_cache=False)
+
+    assert "Image" in [reference.name for reference in references]
+    assert target_module not in sys.modules
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_rpc_widget_handler.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_rpc_widget_handler.py
index ed213b8b..cabdf232 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_rpc_widget_handler.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_rpc_widget_handler.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
+import sys
+from types import ModuleType
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
 from bec_widgets.cli.rpc.rpc_widget_handler import RPCWidgetHandler
-from bec_widgets.utils.bec_widget import BECWidget
-from bec_widgets.utils.plugin_utils import BECClassContainer, BECClassInfo
+from bec_widgets.utils.plugin_utils import BECClassReference
 
 
 def test_rpc_widget_handler():
@@ -12,19 +13,38 @@ def test_rpc_widget_handler():
     assert "BECDockArea" in handler.widget_classes
 
 
-class _TestPluginWidget(BECWidget): ...
+def test_duplicate_plugins_not_allowed(monkeypatch):
+    builtin_module = ModuleType("builtin_test_widgets")
+    plugin_module = ModuleType("plugin_test_widgets")
 
+    SharedWidgetBuiltin = type("SharedWidget", (), {})
+    SharedWidgetBuiltin.__module__ = builtin_module.__name__
+    setattr(builtin_module, "SharedWidget", SharedWidgetBuiltin)
 
-@patch(
-    "bec_widgets.cli.rpc.rpc_widget_handler.get_all_plugin_widgets",
-    return_value=BECClassContainer(
-        [
-            BECClassInfo(name="DeviceComboBox", obj=_TestPluginWidget, module="", file=""),
-            BECClassInfo(name="NewPluginWidget", obj=_TestPluginWidget, module="", file=""),
-        ]
-    ),
-)
-def test_duplicate_plugins_not_allowed(_):
-    handler = RPCWidgetHandler()
-    assert handler.widget_classes["DeviceComboBox"] is not _TestPluginWidget
-    assert handler.widget_classes["NewPluginWidget"] is _TestPluginWidget
+    SharedWidgetPlugin = type("SharedWidget", (), {})
+    SharedWidgetPlugin.__module__ = plugin_module.__name__
+    setattr(plugin_module, "SharedWidget", SharedWidgetPlugin)
+
+    NewPluginWidget = type("NewPluginWidget", (), {})
+    NewPluginWidget.__module__ = plugin_module.__name__
+    setattr(plugin_module, "NewPluginWidget", NewPluginWidget)
+
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, builtin_module.__name__, builtin_module)
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, plugin_module.__name__, plugin_module)
+
+    with (
+        patch(
+            "bec_widgets.cli.rpc.rpc_widget_handler.get_all_plugin_widget_references",
+            return_value=[
+                BECClassReference(name="SharedWidget", module=plugin_module.__name__),
+                BECClassReference(name="NewPluginWidget", module=plugin_module.__name__),
+            ],
+        ),
+        patch(
+            "bec_widgets.cli.rpc.rpc_widget_handler.get_custom_class_references",
+            return_value=[BECClassReference(name="SharedWidget", module=builtin_module.__name__)],
+        ),
+    ):
+        handler = RPCWidgetHandler()
+        assert handler.widget_classes["SharedWidget"].__module__ == builtin_module.__name__
+        assert handler.widget_classes["NewPluginWidget"].__module__ == plugin_module.__name__