diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go
index d9b09077c1ae1..3fd697f3df31b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go
@@ -723,6 +723,9 @@ func runList(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 		b.IsCmdList = true
 		b.NeedExport = *listExport
 		b.NeedCompiledGoFiles = *listCompiled
+		if cfg.Experiment.CoverageRedesign && cfg.BuildCover {
+			load.PrepareForCoverageBuild(pkgs)
+		}
 		a := &work.Action{}
 		// TODO: Use pkgsFilter?
 		for _, p := range pkgs {
@@ -730,9 +733,6 @@ func runList(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 				a.Deps = append(a.Deps, b.AutoAction(work.ModeInstall, work.ModeInstall, p))
 			}
 		}
-		if cfg.Experiment.CoverageRedesign && cfg.BuildCover {
-			load.PrepareForCoverageBuild(pkgs)
-		}
 		b.Do(ctx, a)
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/cover_list.txt b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/cover_list.txt
index 6b8aaf45d1e12..1b1f326662215 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/cover_list.txt
+++ b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/cover_list.txt
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ cp stdout $WORK/toolbuildid.txt
 # Build IDs should match here.
 cmp $WORK/toolbuildid.txt $WORK/listbuildid.txt
 
+# Make sure that the build succeeds regardless of covermode.
+go list -export -covermode=atomic m/example
+go list -export -covermode=count m/example
+
 -- go.mod --
 module m