diff --git a/spyder/plugins/pylint/tests/test_pylint_config_dialog.py b/spyder/plugins/pylint/tests/test_pylint_config_dialog.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/spyder/plugins/pylint/tests/test_pylint_config_dialog.py
+++ b/spyder/plugins/pylint/tests/test_pylint_config_dialog.py
@@ -10,9 +10,17 @@ from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
 # Third party imports
 from qtpy.QtCore import Signal, QObject
-from qtpy.QtWidgets import QMainWindow
+from qtpy.QtWidgets import QApplication, QMainWindow
 import pytest
 
+# This is necessary to run these tests independently from the rest in our
+# test suite.
+# NOTE: Don't move it to another place; it needs to be before importing the
+# Pylint plugin below.
+# Fixes spyder-ide/spyder#17071
+if QApplication.instance() is None:
+    app = QApplication([])
+
 # Local imports
 from spyder.plugins.pylint.plugin import Pylint
 from spyder.plugins.preferences.tests.conftest import config_dialog
Apply patch from ccordoba<I>:issue-<I> to test_pylint_config_dialog.py as well