diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/functions/wpMaybeLoadWidgets.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/functions/wpMaybeLoadWidgets.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..1d0994b017a12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/functions/wpMaybeLoadWidgets.php
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Tests for wp_maybe_load_widgets function.
+ *
+ * @group functions.php
+ *
+ * @covers ::wp_maybe_load_widgets
+ */
+class Tests_Functions_WpMaybeLoadWidgets extends WP_UnitTestCase {
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 57201
+	 */
+	public function test_wp_maybe_load_widgets() {
+		// If the class already exists, we can't test the initial "not loaded" state.
+		if ( ! class_exists( 'WP_Nav_Menu_Widget' ) ) {
+			$this->assertFalse( class_exists( 'WP_Nav_Menu_Widget' ), 'WP_Nav_Menu_Widget class should not be loaded initially.' );
+			$this->assertFalse( has_action( '_admin_menu', 'wp_widgets_add_menu' ), 'wp_widgets_add_menu should not be hooked to _admin_menu initially.' );
+
+			add_filter( 'load_default_widgets', '__return_false' );
+			wp_maybe_load_widgets();
+			remove_filter( 'load_default_widgets', '__return_false' );
+
+			$this->assertFalse( class_exists( 'WP_Nav_Menu_Widget' ), 'WP_Nav_Menu_Widget class should not be loaded when load_default_widgets filter returns false.' );
+			$this->assertFalse( has_action( '_admin_menu', 'wp_widgets_add_menu' ), 'wp_widgets_add_menu should not be hooked to _admin_menu when load_default_widgets filter returns false.' );
+		}
+
+		wp_maybe_load_widgets();
+
+		$this->assertTrue( class_exists( 'WP_Nav_Menu_Widget' ), 'WP_Nav_Menu_Widget class should be loaded.' );
+		$this->assertNotFalse( has_action( '_admin_menu', 'wp_widgets_add_menu' ), 'wp_widgets_add_menu should be hooked to _admin_menu.' );
+	}
+}