diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/karma/code-coverage_spec.ts b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/karma/code-coverage_spec.ts
index 381d8c5b2f94..8afedef13ee7 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/karma/code-coverage_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/karma/code-coverage_spec.ts
@@ -184,4 +184,16 @@ describe('Karma Builder code coverage', () => {
     expect(success).toBe(true);
     await run.stop();
   }, 120000);
+
+  it('is able to process coverage plugins provided as string karma-*', async () => {
+    host.replaceInFile('karma.conf.js', /plugins: \[.+?\]/s, `plugins: [
+      'karma-*',
+      require('@angular-devkit/build-angular/plugins/karma'),
+    ]`);
+    const run = await architect.scheduleTarget(karmaTargetSpec, { codeCoverage: true });
+
+    const {success} = await run.result;
+    expect(success).toBe(true);
+    await run.stop();
+  }, 120000);
 });
diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/webpack/plugins/karma.ts b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/webpack/plugins/karma.ts
index d95c5bd92507..ec925d44fb1f 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/webpack/plugins/karma.ts
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/webpack/plugins/karma.ts
@@ -345,7 +345,17 @@ function fallbackMiddleware() {
 function isPlugin(moduleId: string, pluginName: string) {
   return (plugin: string|{}): boolean => {
     if (typeof plugin === 'string') {
-      return plugin === moduleId;
+      if (!plugin.includes('*')) {
+        return plugin === moduleId;
+      }
+      const regexp = new RegExp(`^${plugin.replace('*', '.*')}`);
+      if (regexp.test(moduleId)) {
+        try {
+          require.resolve(moduleId);
+          return true;
+        } catch {}
+      }
+      return false;
     }
     return pluginName in plugin;
   }