diff --git a/src/python/pants/backend/python/dependency_inference/rules_test.py b/src/python/pants/backend/python/dependency_inference/rules_test.py
index 7873b4f137c..c6bddbd9149 100644
--- a/src/python/pants/backend/python/dependency_inference/rules_test.py
+++ b/src/python/pants/backend/python/dependency_inference/rules_test.py
@@ -159,14 +159,16 @@ def test_infer_python_conftests(self) -> None:
         )
 
         self.create_file("src/python/root/conftest.py")
-        self.add_to_build_file("src/python/root", "python_library(sources=['conftest.py'])")
+        self.add_to_build_file("src/python/root", "python_library()")
 
         self.create_file("src/python/root/mid/conftest.py")
-        self.add_to_build_file("src/python/root/mid", "python_library(sources=['conftest.py'])")
+        self.add_to_build_file("src/python/root/mid", "python_library()")
 
         self.create_file("src/python/root/mid/leaf/conftest.py")
         self.create_file("src/python/root/mid/leaf/this_is_a_test.py")
-        self.add_to_build_file("src/python/root/mid/leaf", "python_tests()")
+        self.add_to_build_file(
+            "src/python/root/mid/leaf", "python_tests()\npython_library(name='conftest')"
+        )
 
         def run_dep_inference(address: Address) -> InferredDependencies:
             target = self.request_single_product(
@@ -181,6 +183,11 @@ def run_dep_inference(address: Address) -> InferredDependencies:
             [
                 Address("src/python/root", relative_file_path="conftest.py", target_name="root"),
                 Address("src/python/root/mid", relative_file_path="conftest.py", target_name="mid"),
+                Address(
+                    "src/python/root/mid/leaf",
+                    relative_file_path="conftest.py",
+                    target_name="conftest",
+                ),
             ],
             sibling_dependencies_inferrable=False,
         )
diff --git a/src/python/pants/backend/python/rules/pytest_runner_integration_test.py b/src/python/pants/backend/python/rules/pytest_runner_integration_test.py
index b770d64eca1..7e75e8e9875 100644
--- a/src/python/pants/backend/python/rules/pytest_runner_integration_test.py
+++ b/src/python/pants/backend/python/rules/pytest_runner_integration_test.py
@@ -369,10 +369,7 @@ def test_conftest_injection(self) -> None:
             relpath=PurePath(self.source_root, self.conftest_source.path).as_posix(),
             contents=self.conftest_source.content.decode(),
         )
-
-        self.create_file(
-            relpath=PurePath(self.source_root, "BUILD").as_posix(), contents="python_tests()",
-        )
+        self.add_to_build_file(self.source_root, "python_library()")
 
         result = self.run_pytest(passthrough_args="-s")
         assert result.status == Status.SUCCESS
diff --git a/src/python/pants/backend/python/target_types.py b/src/python/pants/backend/python/target_types.py
index 053a54b0e31..01cf2972701 100644
--- a/src/python/pants/backend/python/target_types.py
+++ b/src/python/pants/backend/python/target_types.py
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ class PythonBinary(Target):
 
 
 class PythonTestsSources(PythonSources):
-    default = ("test_*.py", "*_test.py", "tests.py", "conftest.py")
+    default = ("test_*.py", "*_test.py", "tests.py")
 
 
 class PythonTestsTimeout(IntField):
@@ -281,6 +281,9 @@ class PythonTests(Target):
 
     These may be written in either Pytest-style or unittest style.
 
+    All test util code, including `conftest.py`, should go into a dedicated `python_library()`
+    target and then be included in the `dependencies` field.
+
     See https://www.pantsbuild.org/docs/python-test-goal.
     """