diff --git a/docs/en/api-guides/tools/idf-component-manager.rst b/docs/en/api-guides/tools/idf-component-manager.rst
index 3700256194..fcd268c380 100644
--- a/docs/en/api-guides/tools/idf-component-manager.rst
+++ b/docs/en/api-guides/tools/idf-component-manager.rst
@@ -6,13 +6,6 @@ The IDF Component manager is a tool that downloads dependencies for any ESP-IDF
 
 A list of components can be found on `<https://components.espressif.com/>`_
 
-Activating the Component Manager
-================================
-
-If CMake is started using ``idf.py`` or `ESP-IDF VSCode Extension <https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=espressif.esp-idf-extension>`_ then the component manager will be activated by default.
-
-If CMake is used directly or with some CMake-based IDE like CLion, it's necessary to set the ``IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER`` environment variable to ``1`` to enable the component manager integration with the build system.
-
 Using with a project
 ====================
 
@@ -70,3 +63,8 @@ Defining dependencies in the manifest
       # # with relative or absolute path
       # some_local_component:
       #   path: ../../projects/component
+
+Disabling the Component Manager
+===============================
+
+The component manager can be explicitly disabled by setting ``IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER`` environment variable to ``0``.
diff --git a/tools/cmake/build.cmake b/tools/cmake/build.cmake
index 3352238ef6..52fa13ef56 100644
--- a/tools/cmake/build.cmake
+++ b/tools/cmake/build.cmake
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ function(__build_init idf_path)
 
     idf_build_set_property(__PREFIX idf)
     idf_build_set_property(__CHECK_PYTHON 1)
+    idf_build_set_property(__ENABLE_COMPONENT_MANAGER 0)
 
     __build_set_default_build_specifications()
 
@@ -421,54 +422,50 @@ macro(idf_build_process target)
     endif()
 
     # Call for component manager to download dependencies for all components
-    idf_build_set_property(IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER "$ENV{IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER}")
-    idf_build_get_property(idf_component_manager IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER)
-    if(idf_component_manager)
-        if(idf_component_manager EQUAL "0")
-            message(VERBOSE "IDF Component manager was explicitly disabled by setting IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER=0")
-        elseif(idf_component_manager EQUAL "1")
-            set(managed_components_list_file ${build_dir}/managed_components_list.temp.cmake)
-            set(local_components_list_file ${build_dir}/local_components_list.temp.yml)
+    idf_build_get_property(enable_component_manager __ENABLE_COMPONENT_MANAGER)
+    if(enable_component_manager)
+        idf_build_get_property(build_dir BUILD_DIR)
+        set(managed_components_list_file ${build_dir}/managed_components_list.temp.cmake)
+        set(local_components_list_file ${build_dir}/local_components_list.temp.yml)
 
-            set(__contents "components:\n")
-            idf_build_get_property(__component_targets __COMPONENT_TARGETS)
-            foreach(__component_target ${__component_targets})
-                __component_get_property(__component_name ${__component_target} COMPONENT_NAME)
-                __component_get_property(__component_dir ${__component_target} COMPONENT_DIR)
-                set(__contents "${__contents}  - name: \"${__component_name}\"\n    path: \"${__component_dir}\"\n")
-            endforeach()
+        set(__contents "components:\n")
+        idf_build_get_property(__component_targets __COMPONENT_TARGETS)
+        foreach(__component_target ${__component_targets})
+            __component_get_property(__component_name ${__component_target} COMPONENT_NAME)
+            __component_get_property(__component_dir ${__component_target} COMPONENT_DIR)
+            set(__contents "${__contents}  - name: \"${__component_name}\"\n    path: \"${__component_dir}\"\n")
+        endforeach()
 
-            file(WRITE ${local_components_list_file} "${__contents}")
+        file(WRITE ${local_components_list_file} "${__contents}")
 
-            # Call for the component manager to prepare remote dependencies
-            execute_process(COMMAND ${PYTHON}
-                "-m"
-                "idf_component_manager.prepare_components"
-                "--project_dir=${project_dir}"
-                "prepare_dependencies"
-                "--local_components_list_file=${local_components_list_file}"
-                "--managed_components_list_file=${managed_components_list_file}"
-                RESULT_VARIABLE result
-                ERROR_VARIABLE error)
+        # Call for the component manager to prepare remote dependencies
+        idf_build_get_property(python PYTHON)
+        execute_process(COMMAND ${python}
+            "-m"
+            "idf_component_manager.prepare_components"
+            "--project_dir=${project_dir}"
+            "prepare_dependencies"
+            "--local_components_list_file=${local_components_list_file}"
+            "--managed_components_list_file=${managed_components_list_file}"
+            RESULT_VARIABLE result
+            ERROR_VARIABLE error)
 
-            if(NOT result EQUAL 0)
-                message(FATAL_ERROR "${error}")
-            endif()
-
-            include(${managed_components_list_file})
-
-            # Add managed components to list of all components
-            # `managed_components` contains the list of components installed by the component manager
-            # It is defined in the temporary managed_components_list_file file
-            set(__COMPONENTS "${__COMPONENTS};${managed_components}")
-
-            file(REMOVE ${managed_components_list_file})
-            file(REMOVE ${local_components_list_file})
-        else()
-            message(WARNING "IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER environment variable is set to unknown value "
-                    "\"${idf_component_manager}\". If you want to use component manager set it to 1.")
+        if(NOT result EQUAL 0)
+            message(FATAL_ERROR "${error}")
         endif()
+
+        include(${managed_components_list_file})
+
+        # Add managed components to list of all components
+        # `managed_components` contains the list of components installed by the component manager
+        # It is defined in the temporary managed_components_list_file file
+        set(__COMPONENTS "${__COMPONENTS};${managed_components}")
+
+        file(REMOVE ${managed_components_list_file})
+        file(REMOVE ${local_components_list_file})
     else()
+        message(VERBOSE "IDF Component manager was explicitly disabled by setting IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER=0")
+
         idf_build_get_property(__component_targets __COMPONENT_TARGETS)
         set(__components_with_manifests "")
         foreach(__component_target ${__component_targets})
diff --git a/tools/cmake/component.cmake b/tools/cmake/component.cmake
index 8bdba18be2..915f1d32c2 100644
--- a/tools/cmake/component.cmake
+++ b/tools/cmake/component.cmake
@@ -219,8 +219,8 @@ function(__component_get_requirements)
         message(FATAL_ERROR "${error}")
     endif()
 
-    idf_build_get_property(idf_component_manager IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER)
-    if(idf_component_manager AND idf_component_manager EQUAL "1")
+    idf_build_get_property(enable_component_manager __ENABLE_COMPONENT_MANAGER)
+    if(enable_component_manager)
         # Call for component manager once again to inject dependencies
         idf_build_get_property(python PYTHON)
         execute_process(COMMAND ${python}
diff --git a/tools/cmake/project.cmake b/tools/cmake/project.cmake
index eed3def77a..707e3c62ab 100644
--- a/tools/cmake/project.cmake
+++ b/tools/cmake/project.cmake
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ else()
     idf_build_set_property(EXTRA_CMAKE_ARGS "")
 endif()
 
+
+# Enable the component manager for regular projects if not explicitly disabled.
+if(NOT "$ENV{IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER}" EQUAL "0")
+    idf_build_set_property(__ENABLE_COMPONENT_MANAGER 1)
+endif()
+
 #
 # Get the project version from either a version file or the Git revision. This is passed
 # to the idf_build_process call. Dependencies are also set here for when the version file
diff --git a/tools/idf.py b/tools/idf.py
index 3e3986ac5e..f38faf5b98 100755
--- a/tools/idf.py
+++ b/tools/idf.py
@@ -651,6 +651,7 @@ def init_cli(verbose_output=None):
     @click.option('-C', '--project-dir', default=os.getcwd(), type=click.Path())
     def parse_project_dir(project_dir):
         return realpath(project_dir)
+
     # Set `complete_var` to not existing environment variable name to prevent early cmd completion
     project_dir = parse_project_dir(standalone_mode=False, complete_var='_IDF.PY_COMPLETE_NOT_EXISTING')
 
@@ -676,16 +677,10 @@ def init_cli(verbose_output=None):
             if name.endswith('_ext'):
                 extensions.append((name, import_module(name)))
 
-    # Load component manager if available and not explicitly disabled
-    if os.getenv('IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER', None) != '0':
-        try:
-            from idf_component_manager import idf_extensions
-
-            extensions.append(('component_manager_ext', idf_extensions))
-            os.environ['IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER'] = '1'
-
-        except ImportError:
-            pass
+    # Load component manager idf.py extensions if not explicitly disabled
+    if os.getenv('IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER') != '0':
+        from idf_component_manager import idf_extensions
+        extensions.append(('component_manager_ext', idf_extensions))
 
     for name, extension in extensions:
         try:
@@ -700,7 +695,8 @@ def init_cli(verbose_output=None):
             from idf_ext import action_extensions
         except ImportError:
             print_warning('Error importing extension file idf_ext.py. Skipping.')
-            print_warning("Please make sure that it contains implementation (even if it's empty) of add_action_extensions")
+            print_warning(
+                "Please make sure that it contains implementation (even if it's empty) of add_action_extensions")
 
         try:
             all_actions = merge_action_lists(all_actions, action_extensions(all_actions, project_dir))