An approach is provided in which a pH-indicating compound is incorporated in a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board includes a number of layers with the pH-sensitive indicator being incorporated in one of the layers. Conductive pathways are formed from a conductive sheet laminated onto an outer surface of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is exposed to a pH-activating solution. Plated-through hole defects in the printed circuit board are identified by detecting a color formation at a surface location of the printed circuit board that corresponds to the plated-through hole defect. Another approach is also provided where a pH-activating compound is incorporated in one of the layers of the printed circuit board which is then exposed to a pH-indicating solution to produce the color formation that identifies the location of the plated-through hole defect.