diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5f076c2..2d1b65a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- Only activate CMake Tools extension on load if workspace contains CMake
+  project files. This fixes issue #62.
+
 ## [0.17.0] - 2023-01-26
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/src/cmake-adapter.ts b/src/cmake-adapter.ts
index 5cdb2d1..95ca06b 100644
--- a/src/cmake-adapter.ts
+++ b/src/cmake-adapter.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ import {
   getCtestPath,
   CmakeTestEvent,
   CmakeTestRunOptions,
+  isCmakeWorkspace,
 } from './cmake-runner';
+export { isCmakeWorkspace } from './cmake-runner';
 
 /** Special ID value for the root suite */
 const ROOT_SUITE_ID = '*';
@@ -284,7 +286,7 @@ export class CmakeAdapter implements TestAdapter {
         return rootSuite;
       }
     } catch (e) {
-      if (e instanceof CacheNotFoundError && !(await this.isCmakeWorkspace())) {
+      if (e instanceof CacheNotFoundError && !(await isCmakeWorkspace())) {
         // Ignore error when extension is not activable, return empty result instead
         this.log.info(
           `Workspace does not seem to contain CMake project files, ignoring tests`
@@ -553,19 +555,6 @@ export class CmakeAdapter implements TestAdapter {
     );
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Check whether the workspace contains CMake project files
-   *
-   * Note: we don't use `"activationEvents" for that because of issue
-   * [#57](https://github.com/fredericbonnet/cmake-test-explorer/issues/57).
-   * Testing the file presence explicitly allows us to make this test
-   * programmatically
-   */
-  private async isCmakeWorkspace() {
-    const uris = await vscode.workspace.findFiles('**/CMakeLists.txt', null, 1);
-    return !!uris.length;
-  }
-
   /**
    * Get & substitute config settings
    *
diff --git a/src/cmake-runner.ts b/src/cmake-runner.ts
index 7c6fdcf..7e73499 100644
--- a/src/cmake-runner.ts
+++ b/src/cmake-runner.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ import { CmakeTestProcess } from './interfaces/cmake-test-process';
 
 const { split } = require('split-cmd');
 
+/** Name of CMake project file used for activation */
+const CMAKE_PROJECT_FILE = 'CMakeLists.txt';
+
 /** Name of CMake cache file in build dir */
 const CMAKE_CACHE_FILE = 'CMakeCache.txt';
 
@@ -350,3 +353,20 @@ export function getCmakeTestEnvironmentVariables(
     return acc;
   }, {} as { [key: string]: string });
 }
+
+/**
+ * Check whether the workspace contains CMake project files
+ *
+ * Note: we don't use `"activationEvents" for that because of issue
+ * [#57](https://github.com/fredericbonnet/cmake-test-explorer/issues/57).
+ * Testing the file presence explicitly allows us to make this test
+ * programmatically
+ */
+export async function isCmakeWorkspace() {
+  const uris = await vscode.workspace.findFiles(
+    '**/' + CMAKE_PROJECT_FILE,
+    null,
+    1
+  );
+  return !!uris.length;
+}
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index b87681c..7cee605 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import * as vscode from 'vscode';
 import { TestHub, testExplorerExtensionId } from 'vscode-test-adapter-api';
 import { Log, TestAdapterRegistrar } from 'vscode-test-adapter-util';
-import { CmakeAdapter } from './cmake-adapter';
+import { CmakeAdapter, isCmakeWorkspace } from './cmake-adapter';
 
 /**
  * Main extension entry point
@@ -39,7 +39,13 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
       log.warn(
         `CMake integration is enabled but the CMake Tools extension is not active`
       );
-      await cmakeExtension.activate();
+      if (await isCmakeWorkspace()) {
+        // Only activate extension if the workspace contains CMake project files
+        log.info(
+          `Workspace contains CMake project files, waiting for CMake Tools extension to activate`
+        );
+        await cmakeExtension.activate();
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -48,7 +54,7 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
     testExplorerExtensionId
   );
   if (log.enabled)
-    log.info(`Test Explorer ${testExplorerExtension ? '' : 'not '}found`);
+    log.warn(`Test Explorer ${testExplorerExtension ? '' : 'not '}found`);
 
   if (testExplorerExtension) {
     const testHub = testExplorerExtension.exports;