diff --git a/tests/unit/python/utils/install/test_php.py b/tests/unit/python/utils/install/test_php.py
index cb9aea3965..a42f8790a0 100644
--- a/tests/unit/python/utils/install/test_php.py
+++ b/tests/unit/python/utils/install/test_php.py
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ class TestEnsurePhpToolchain(unittest.TestCase):
         ):
             php_mod.ensure_php_toolchain()
         self.assertEqual(
-            [c.args[0] for c in ensure.call_args_list], ["php", "composer"]
+            [c.args[0] for c in ensure.call_args_list],
+            ["php", "composer", "unzip"],
         )
         self.assertEqual(
             [c.args[0] for c in extension.call_args_list],
@@ -43,7 +44,8 @@ class TestEnsurePhpPresent(unittest.TestCase):
             phpunit.is_file.return_value = True
             php_mod.ensure_php_present()
         self.assertEqual(
-            [c.args[0] for c in ensure.call_args_list], ["php", "composer"]
+            [c.args[0] for c in ensure.call_args_list],
+            ["php", "composer", "unzip"],
         )
         run.assert_not_called()
 
diff --git a/utils/install/php.py b/utils/install/php.py
index cd1e14017c..3bb2414f29 100644
--- a/utils/install/php.py
+++ b/utils/install/php.py
@@ -25,11 +25,19 @@ def ensure_php_toolchain() -> None:
     A distro ships them as packages separate from the interpreter, which is why
     a present ``php`` binary does not imply they are there.
 
+    Composer needs an archive extractor for its dist downloads. Without one it
+    silently falls back to ``--prefer-source`` and mirror-clones every
+    dependency, which blows its 300 s process timeout on ``phpunit.git``. Arch
+    ships no zip extension and no ``php-zip`` package, so the extractor has to
+    be the ``unzip`` binary rather than the extension.
+
     Raises:
-        RuntimeError: php, composer or one of the extensions is still absent.
+        RuntimeError: php, composer, unzip or one of the extensions is still
+            absent.
     """
     ensure_command_present("php")
     ensure_command_present("composer")
+    ensure_command_present("unzip")
     for extension in _PHPUNIT_EXTENSIONS:
         ensure_php_extension_present(extension)