diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9600e43..672a28a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -138,6 +138,16 @@ mariadb_bind_address: 127.0.0.1
 mariadb_unix_socket: "default value depends on OS"
 ```
 
+Extra distribution packages can be installed together with the MariaDB server
+packages (same transaction, before configuration), e.g. the compression
+provider plugins when the configuration loads them via `plugin_load_add`:
+
+```yaml
+mariadb_packages_extra: []
+# mariadb_packages_extra:
+#   - mariadb-plugin-provider-lz4
+```
+
 ```yaml
 mariadb_basic_settings_raw: |
   user                  = mysql
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index b7e36e6..55a2ec4 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@ mariadb_use_official_repo_version: 10.6
 # see: https://manpages.debian.org/stable/apt/sources.list.5.en.html#DEB822-STYLE_FORMAT
 mariadb_use_official_repo_format_deb822: false
 
+# Extra distribution packages to install together with the MariaDB server
+# packages (single transaction, before configuration). Useful for packages
+# the server configuration needs at (re)start, e.g. the compression provider
+# plugins (mariadb-plugin-provider-*) that are split out of mariadb-server
+# in the MariaDB repositories since 10.7.
+mariadb_packages_extra: []
+
 mariadb_enabled_on_startup: true
 # The following is set to true by default but you may consider setting it to
 # false on production servers to prevent ansible from restarting mariadb server.
diff --git a/molecule/default/vars/testvars.yml b/molecule/default/vars/testvars.yml
index 8646ba0..a00109f 100644
--- a/molecule/default/vars/testvars.yml
+++ b/molecule/default/vars/testvars.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ mariadb_server_id: 1
 mariadb_bind_address: 0.0.0.0
 mariadb_replication_role: primary
 
+mariadb_packages_extra:
+  - rsync
+
 mariadb_innodb_raw: |
   innodb_buffer_pool_size = 512M
   innodb_log_file_size  = 64M
diff --git a/molecule/default/verify.yml b/molecule/default/verify.yml
index 19bee1a..8cce090 100644
--- a/molecule/default/verify.yml
+++ b/molecule/default/verify.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 - name: Verify
   hosts: all
   gather_facts: true
+  vars_files: vars/testvars.yml
 
   tasks:
     - name: Include OS vars
@@ -19,6 +20,20 @@
         that: not pkg_status.changed
         fail_msg: "{{ mariadb_server_package }} is not installed"
 
+    - name: Verify extra packages status
+      ansible.builtin.package:
+        name: "{{ mariadb_packages_extra }}"
+        state: present
+      check_mode: true
+      register: extra_pkg_status
+      when: mariadb_packages_extra | default([]) | length > 0
+
+    - name: Check that extra packages are installed
+      ansible.builtin.assert:
+        that: not extra_pkg_status.changed
+        fail_msg: "extra packages {{ mariadb_packages_extra }} are not installed"
+      when: mariadb_packages_extra | default([]) | length > 0
+
     - name: Register {{ mariadb_config_file }}
       ansible.builtin.stat:
         path: "{{ mariadb_config_file }}"
diff --git a/tasks/setup_alpine.yml b/tasks/setup_alpine.yml
index ac81078..64b9c12 100644
--- a/tasks/setup_alpine.yml
+++ b/tasks/setup_alpine.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 ---
 - name: Install packages (package)
   ansible.builtin.package:
-    name:
-      - "{{ mariadb_server_package }}"
-      - mariadb-backup
-      - mariadb-client
-      - py3-pymysql
+    name: "{{ [mariadb_server_package, 'mariadb-backup', 'mariadb-client', 'py3-pymysql'] + mariadb_packages_extra }}"
     state: present
   notify: Setup MariaDB
 
diff --git a/tasks/setup_debian.yml b/tasks/setup_debian.yml
index 615322a..dad8bda 100644
--- a/tasks/setup_debian.yml
+++ b/tasks/setup_debian.yml
@@ -77,9 +77,6 @@
 
 - name: Install packages (apt)
   ansible.builtin.apt:
-    package:
-      - "{{ mariadb_server_package }}"
-      - mariadb-backup
-      - python3-pymysql
+    package: "{{ [mariadb_server_package, 'mariadb-backup', 'python3-pymysql'] + mariadb_packages_extra }}"
     state: present
     update_cache: true
diff --git a/tasks/setup_redhat.yml b/tasks/setup_redhat.yml
index cd1f4a1..2f0776b 100644
--- a/tasks/setup_redhat.yml
+++ b/tasks/setup_redhat.yml
@@ -22,19 +22,13 @@
 
 - name: Install packages (dnf)
   ansible.builtin.dnf:
-    name:
-      - "{{ mariadb_server_package }}"
-      - mariadb-backup
-      - python3-PyMySQL
+    name: "{{ [mariadb_server_package, 'mariadb-backup', 'python3-PyMySQL'] + mariadb_packages_extra }}"
     state: present
   when: not mariadb_use_official_repo
 
 - name: Install packages (dnf/mdbf repo)
   ansible.builtin.dnf:
-    name:
-      - "{{ mariadb_server_package_mdbf }}"
-      - MariaDB-backup
-      - python3-PyMySQL
+    name: "{{ [mariadb_server_package_mdbf, 'MariaDB-backup', 'python3-PyMySQL'] + mariadb_packages_extra }}"
     state: present
   when: mariadb_use_official_repo