diff --git a/src/dune_rules/utop.ml b/src/dune_rules/utop.ml
index cd86a55feda..150ed46a635 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/utop.ml
+++ b/src/dune_rules/utop.ml
@@ -93,6 +93,52 @@ let libs_and_ppx_under_dir sctx ~db ~dir =
                     , pps )
                 else
                   (acc, pps))
+            | Dune_file.Executables exes -> (
+              let* libs =
+                let open Memo.Build.O in
+                let* compile_info =
+                  let project = Scope.project d.scope in
+                  let dune_version = Dune_project.dune_version project in
+                  let+ pps =
+                    Resolve.Build.read_memo_build
+                      (Preprocess.Per_module.with_instrumentation
+                         exes.buildable.preprocess
+                         ~instrumentation_backend:
+                           (Lib.DB.instrumentation_backend (Scope.libs d.scope)))
+                    >>| Preprocess.Per_module.pps
+                  in
+                  Lib.DB.resolve_user_written_deps_for_exes db exes.names
+                    exes.buildable.libraries ~pps ~dune_version
+                    ~allow_overlaps:
+                      exes.buildable.allow_overlapping_dependencies
+                    ~forbidden_libraries:exes.forbidden_libraries
+                in
+                let+ available = Lib.Compile.direct_requires compile_info in
+                Resolve.peek available
+              in
+              match libs with
+              | Error () -> Memo.Build.return (acc, pps)
+              | Ok libs ->
+                Memo.Build.List.fold_left libs ~init:(acc, pps)
+                  ~f:(fun (acc, pps) lib ->
+                    let info = Lib.info lib in
+                    match Lib_info.kind info with
+                    | Lib_kind.Ppx_rewriter _
+                    | Ppx_deriver _ ->
+                      Memo.Build.return
+                        ( Appendable_list.( @ )
+                            (Appendable_list.singleton lib)
+                            acc
+                        , Appendable_list.( @ )
+                            (Appendable_list.singleton
+                               (Lib_info.loc info, Lib_info.name info))
+                            pps )
+                    | Normal ->
+                      Memo.Build.return
+                        ( Appendable_list.( @ )
+                            (Appendable_list.singleton lib)
+                            acc
+                        , pps )))
             | _ -> Memo.Build.return (acc, pps)))
     >>| fun (libs, pps) ->
     (Appendable_list.to_list libs, Appendable_list.to_list pps)
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/bin/dune b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/bin/dune
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..dd1214fa74a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/bin/dune
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+(executable
+ (name foo)
+ (libraries bar))
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/bin/foo.ml b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/bin/foo.ml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..897d3b159ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/bin/foo.ml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+module Bar = Bar
+
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/dune-project b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/dune-project
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5bbef0b4909
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/dune-project
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+(lang dune 2.5)
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/lib/bar.ml b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/lib/bar.ml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b6de1a37dc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/lib/bar.ml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+let run () = print_endline "loaded external library successfully"
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/lib/dune b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/lib/dune
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..06f0fc22117
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/lib/dune
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+(library
+ (name bar))
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/load_executable_libraries.ml b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/load_executable_libraries.ml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..47049d3b591
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/load_executable_libraries.ml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+let () =
+  Bar.run ();
+  exit 0
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/run.t b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/run.t
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cf8d260e465
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/utop/utop-executables.t/run.t
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Running dune utop in a project with only executables loads external libraries
+  $ dune utop bin -- load_executable_libraries.ml
+  loaded external library successfully