Abstract Intrinsic defects are generated by e‐irrradiation, and plastic deformation in ZnO crystals. Spectrally resolved cathodoluminescence (CL) experiments permit the analysis of the optical signature of those defects. We present herein a CL analysis of ZnO crystals irradiated with high energy electrons, and plastically deformed by Vickers indentation. Spectral changes around 3.3 eV and in the deep level emission are observed in the irradiated samples. These changes are compared to those observed around the extended defects introduced by Vickers indentation, which present a similar signature to the e‐irradiated samples, suggesting relation between the defects generated by plastic deformation and e‐irradiation. Zn vacancies seem to be the dominant defects generated in both processes (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)