diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/common/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/PropertiesProvider.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/common/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/PropertiesProvider.kt
index 8374b6a3c8a..e2ec92c59dd 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/common/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/PropertiesProvider.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/common/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/PropertiesProvider.kt
@@ -387,7 +387,10 @@ internal class PropertiesProvider private constructor(private val project: Proje
     private val enableCInteropCommonizationSetByExternalPluginKey = "kotlin.internal.mpp.enableCInteropCommonization.setByExternalPlugin"
 
     internal var enableCInteropCommonizationSetByExternalPlugin: Boolean?
-        get() = booleanProperty(enableCInteropCommonizationSetByExternalPluginKey)
+        get() {
+            if (!project.extensions.extraProperties.has(enableCInteropCommonizationSetByExternalPluginKey)) return null
+            return booleanProperty(enableCInteropCommonizationSetByExternalPluginKey)
+        }
         set(value) {
             project.extensions.extraProperties.set(enableCInteropCommonizationSetByExternalPluginKey, "$value")
         }
diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/functionalTest/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/unitTests/CommonizerTaskTests.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/functionalTest/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/unitTests/CommonizerTaskTests.kt
index e7ec64cad01..c2bb76986de 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/functionalTest/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/unitTests/CommonizerTaskTests.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/functionalTest/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/unitTests/CommonizerTaskTests.kt
@@ -10,10 +10,9 @@ package org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.unitTests
 import org.gradle.api.internal.project.ProjectInternal
 import org.gradle.testfixtures.ProjectBuilder
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.plugin.mpp.KotlinNativeCompilation
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.targets.native.internal.cInteropCommonizationEnabled
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.util.*
-import kotlin.test.Test
-import kotlin.test.assertNotNull
-import kotlin.test.assertNull
+import kotlin.test.*
 
 class CommonizerTaskTests {
 
@@ -136,4 +135,36 @@ class CommonizerTaskTests {
         subproject.tasks.getByName("commonize").assertDependsOn(commonizeCInteropTask)
         rootProject.assertContainsNoTaskWithName(commonizeCInteropTaskName)
     }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `test applying CocoaPods plugin - enables commonization`() {
+        val rootProject = ProjectBuilder.builder().build() as ProjectInternal
+        rootProject.applyMultiplatformPlugin()
+
+        rootProject.runLifecycleAwareTest {
+            assertFalse(rootProject.cInteropCommonizationEnabled())
+
+            rootProject.applyCocoapodsPlugin()
+
+            assertTrue(rootProject.cInteropCommonizationEnabled())
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `test applying CocoaPods plugin - in a root project - enables commonization only in the root project`() {
+        val rootProject = ProjectBuilder.builder().build() as ProjectInternal
+        val subproject = ProjectBuilder.builder().withParent(rootProject).build() as ProjectInternal
+        rootProject.applyMultiplatformPlugin()
+        subproject.applyMultiplatformPlugin()
+
+        rootProject.runLifecycleAwareTest {
+            assertFalse(rootProject.cInteropCommonizationEnabled())
+            assertFalse(subproject.cInteropCommonizationEnabled())
+
+            rootProject.applyCocoapodsPlugin()
+
+            assertTrue(rootProject.cInteropCommonizationEnabled())
+            assertFalse(subproject.cInteropCommonizationEnabled())
+        }
+    }
 }