diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index 136ffd6c5ee..8f1aceabfa6 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ Denivy Braiam Rück
 Deysha Rivera
 Dheeraj C K
 Dhiren Serai
+Dhruv Sharma
 Diego Russo
 Dima Gerasimov
 Dmitry Dygalo
diff --git a/changelog/15267.feature.rst b/changelog/15267.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5af9554279b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/15267.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Add an opt-in ``defer=True`` parameter to :func:`pytest.importorskip`.
+During test module or conftest import, unavailable dependencies can now gate
+individual tests at setup while allowing collection, parametrization, and
+``--collect-only`` to include those tests. Eager dependency use or a subsequent
+import error falls back to the existing module-level skip.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py b/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
index d1972228756..61eddd11a45 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
@@ -784,13 +784,18 @@ def _importconftest(
             except KeyError:
                 pass
 
+        from _pytest.deferred_imports import collect_deferred_imports
+
         try:
-            mod = import_path(
-                conftestpath,
-                mode=importmode,
-                root=rootpath,
-                consider_namespace_packages=consider_namespace_packages,
-            )
+            with collect_deferred_imports(
+                cast(Config, self.get_plugin("pytestconfig")), conftestpath
+            ):
+                mod = import_path(
+                    conftestpath,
+                    mode=importmode,
+                    root=rootpath,
+                    consider_namespace_packages=consider_namespace_packages,
+                )
         except Exception as e:
             assert e.__traceback__ is not None
             raise ConftestImportFailure(conftestpath, cause=e) from e
diff --git a/src/_pytest/deferred_imports.py b/src/_pytest/deferred_imports.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2ca2752df22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/_pytest/deferred_imports.py
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+"""Opt-in dependency gates recorded while importing test modules or conftests."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from collections.abc import Iterator
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from contextvars import ContextVar
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pathlib import Path
+import sys
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+from _pytest.outcomes import Skipped
+from _pytest.stash import StashKey
+
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from _pytest.config import Config
+    from _pytest.nodes import Item
+
+
+@dataclass
+class DeferredGate:
+    skipped: Skipped
+    filename: str
+    lineno: int
+
+
+@dataclass
+class ImportContext:
+    gates: list[DeferredGate]
+
+
+_context: ContextVar[ImportContext | None] = ContextVar(
+    "pytest_deferred_import", default=None
+)
+_gates_key = StashKey[dict[Path, list[DeferredGate]]]()
+active_gate_key = StashKey[DeferredGate]()
+
+
+class UnavailableModule:
+    def __init__(self, skipped: Skipped) -> None:
+        self._skipped = skipped
+
+    def __getattr__(self, name: str) -> object:
+        # Collection introspects objects for fixtures, marks, and test classes.
+        if name.startswith("_"):
+            raise AttributeError(name)
+        raise self._skipped
+
+
+def defer_skip(skipped: Skipped) -> UnavailableModule:
+    __tracebackhide__ = True
+    context = _context.get()
+    if context is None:
+        raise skipped
+    caller = sys._getframe(2)
+    context.gates.append(
+        DeferredGate(skipped, caller.f_code.co_filename, caller.f_lineno)
+    )
+    return UnavailableModule(skipped)
+
+
+@contextmanager
+def collect_deferred_imports(config: Config, path: Path) -> Iterator[None]:
+    context = ImportContext([])
+    token = _context.set(context)
+    try:
+        try:
+            yield
+        except (Exception, Skipped):
+            # If eager use or a transitive import prevents collection, retain
+            # the original module-level skip rather than report a new error.
+            if context.gates:
+                raise context.gates[0].skipped from None
+            raise
+        else:
+            if context.gates:
+                config.stash.setdefault(_gates_key, {})[path] = context.gates
+    finally:
+        _context.reset(token)
+
+
+def skip_if_gated(item: Item) -> None:
+    for path, gates in item.config.stash.get(_gates_key, {}).items():
+        if path == item.path or (
+            path.name == "conftest.py" and item.path.is_relative_to(path.parent)
+        ):
+            gate = gates[0]
+            item.stash[active_gate_key] = gate
+            raise Skipped(gate.skipped.msg)
diff --git a/src/_pytest/outcomes.py b/src/_pytest/outcomes.py
index 257b95cf585..b18ee2f6863 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/outcomes.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/outcomes.py
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ def importorskip(
     reason: str | None = None,
     *,
     exc_type: type[ImportError] | None = None,
+    defer: bool = False,
 ) -> Any:
     """Import and return the requested module ``modname``, or skip the
     current test if the module cannot be imported.
@@ -224,6 +225,13 @@ def importorskip(
 
         See :ref:`import-or-skip-import-error` for details.
 
+    :param defer:
+        If true during import of a test module or conftest, collect tests even
+        when the dependency is unavailable and skip each at setup instead.
+        The remaining module body runs. Eager use of the unavailable module,
+        or another import failure, falls back to skipping the whole module.
+        Inside a test or fixture this has the usual immediate-skip behavior.
+
 
     :returns:
         The imported module. This should be assigned to its canonical name.
@@ -242,6 +250,10 @@ def importorskip(
     .. versionchanged:: 9.1
 
         The default for ``exc_type`` is now :class:`ModuleNotFoundError`.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 9.2
+
+        The ``defer`` parameter.
     """
     import warnings
 
@@ -268,6 +280,10 @@ def importorskip(
                 reason = f"could not import {modname!r}: {exc}"
             skipped = Skipped(reason, allow_module_level=True)
     if skipped:
+        if defer:
+            from _pytest.deferred_imports import defer_skip
+
+            return defer_skip(skipped)
         raise skipped
 
     mod = sys.modules[modname]
@@ -279,8 +295,13 @@ def importorskip(
         from packaging.version import Version
 
         if verattr is None or Version(verattr) < Version(minversion):
-            raise Skipped(
+            skipped = Skipped(
                 f"module {modname!r} has __version__ {verattr!r}, required is: {minversion!r}",
                 allow_module_level=True,
             )
+            if defer:
+                from _pytest.deferred_imports import defer_skip
+
+                return defer_skip(skipped)
+            raise skipped
     return mod
diff --git a/src/_pytest/python.py b/src/_pytest/python.py
index 1ce7f71a7bd..df3a8b733d7 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/python.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/python.py
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 from _pytest.config import hookimpl
 from _pytest.config import UsageError
 from _pytest.config.argparsing import Parser
+from _pytest.deferred_imports import collect_deferred_imports
 from _pytest.deprecated import CALLSPEC2_RENAMED
 from _pytest.deprecated import check_ispytest
 from _pytest.fixtures import _resolve_args_directness
@@ -525,12 +526,15 @@ def importtestmodule(
     # We assume we are only called once per module.
     importmode = config.getoption("--import-mode")
     try:
-        mod = import_path(
-            path,
-            mode=importmode,
-            root=config.rootpath,
-            consider_namespace_packages=config.getini("consider_namespace_packages"),
-        )
+        with collect_deferred_imports(config, path):
+            mod = import_path(
+                path,
+                mode=importmode,
+                root=config.rootpath,
+                consider_namespace_packages=config.getini(
+                    "consider_namespace_packages"
+                ),
+            )
     except SyntaxError as e:
         raise nodes.Collector.CollectError(
             ExceptionInfo.from_current().getrepr(style="short")
diff --git a/src/_pytest/skipping.py b/src/_pytest/skipping.py
index aa97e3b7dc6..3189f833d30 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/skipping.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/skipping.py
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 from _pytest.config import Config
 from _pytest.config import hookimpl
 from _pytest.config.argparsing import Parser
+from _pytest.deferred_imports import active_gate_key
+from _pytest.deferred_imports import skip_if_gated
 from _pytest.mark.structures import Mark
 from _pytest.nodes import Item
 from _pytest.outcomes import fail
@@ -246,6 +248,7 @@ def evaluate_xfail_marks(item: Item) -> Xfail | None:
 
 @hookimpl(tryfirst=True)
 def pytest_runtest_setup(item: Item) -> None:
+    skip_if_gated(item)
     skipped = evaluate_skip_marks(item)
     if skipped:
         raise skip.Exception(skipped.reason, _use_item_location=True)
@@ -278,6 +281,9 @@ def pytest_runtest_makereport(
     item: Item, call: CallInfo[None]
 ) -> Generator[None, TestReport, TestReport]:
     rep = yield
+    gate = item.stash.get(active_gate_key, None)
+    if rep.skipped and call.when == "setup" and gate is not None:
+        rep.longrepr = (gate.filename, gate.lineno, "Skipped: " + str(gate.skipped))
     xfailed = item.stash.get(xfailed_key, None)
     if item.config.option.runxfail:
         pass  # don't interfere
diff --git a/testing/test_deferred_importorskip.py b/testing/test_deferred_importorskip.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4c5a36d9517
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/test_deferred_importorskip.py
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from _pytest.pytester import Pytester
+import pytest
+
+
+def test_deferred_collects_all_tests(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+    pytester.makepyfile("""
+        import pytest
+        missing = pytest.importorskip("missing_deferred_dependency", defer=True)
+        @pytest.mark.parametrize("value", [1, 2])
+        def test_dependent(value):
+            missing.work(value)
+    """)
+    result = pytester.runpytest("--collect-only", "-q")
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(
+        ["*test_dependent[[]1[]]", "*test_dependent[[]2[]]", "*2 tests collected*"]
+    )
+    result = pytester.runpytest("-rs")
+    result.assert_outcomes(skipped=2)
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(["*missing_deferred_dependency*"])
+
+
+def test_deferred_conftest_scopes_to_directory(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+    pytester.makepyfile(
+        **{
+            "gated/conftest.py": """
+            import pytest
+            missing = pytest.importorskip("missing_deferred_dependency", defer=True)
+            @pytest.fixture
+            def dependency():
+                return missing.value
+        """,
+            "gated/test_a.py": "def test_gated(dependency): pass",
+            "test_b.py": "def test_unrelated(): pass",
+        }
+    )
+    result = pytester.runpytest()
+    result.assert_outcomes(passed=1, skipped=1)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "tail", ["value = missing.value", "import another_missing_dependency"]
+)
+def test_deferred_eager_use_falls_back_to_module_skip(
+    pytester: Pytester, tail: str
+) -> None:
+    pytester.makepyfile(
+        "import pytest\n"
+        'missing = pytest.importorskip("missing_deferred_dependency", defer=True)\n'
+        + tail
+        + "\ndef test_example(): pass"
+    )
+    result = pytester.runpytest()
+    result.assert_outcomes(skipped=1)
+
+
+def test_deferred_available_returns_real_module(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+    pytester.makepyfile("""
+        import pytest
+        import sys
+        actual = pytest.importorskip("sys", defer=True)
+        def test_available():
+            assert actual is sys
+    """)
+    pytester.runpytest().assert_outcomes(passed=1)
+
+
+def test_deferred_inside_test_skips_immediately(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+    pytester.makepyfile("""
+        import pytest
+        def test_missing():
+            pytest.importorskip("missing_deferred_dependency", defer=True)
+            pytest.fail("must not continue")
+    """)
+    result = pytester.runpytest("-rs")
+    result.assert_outcomes(skipped=1)
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(
+        ["SKIPPED [[]1[]] test_deferred_inside_test_skips_immediately.py:3: *"]
+    )
+
+
+def test_unrelated_import_errors_still_reported(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+    pytester.makepyfile("import another_missing_dependency\ndef test_example(): pass")
+    pytester.runpytest().assert_outcomes(errors=1)
+
+
+def test_deferred_minversion_and_original_location(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+    pytester.makepyfile(dependency='__version__ = "1.0"')
+    pytester.makepyfile(
+        test_version="""
+        import pytest
+        dependency = pytest.importorskip("dependency", minversion="2.0", defer=True)
+        def test_first(): pass
+        def test_second(): pass
+    """
+    )
+    result = pytester.runpytest("-rs")
+    result.assert_outcomes(skipped=2)
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(
+        ["SKIPPED [[]2[]] test_version.py:2: *required is: '2.0'"]
+    )
+
+
+def test_deferred_preserves_existing_markers(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+    pytester.makepyfile("""
+        import pytest
+        pytestmark = pytest.mark.slow
+        pytest.importorskip("missing_deferred_dependency", defer=True)
+        def test_marked(): pass
+    """)
+    result = pytester.runpytest("-m", "not slow", "-o", "markers=slow: slow tests")
+    result.assert_outcomes(deselected=1)
+
+
+def test_deferred_custom_reason(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+    pytester.makepyfile("""
+        import pytest
+        pytest.importorskip("missing_deferred_dependency", defer=True, reason="needs extra")
+        def test_first(): pass
+        def test_second(): pass
+    """)
+    result = pytester.runpytest("-rs")
+    result.assert_outcomes(skipped=2)
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(["SKIPPED [[]2[]] *: needs extra"])