diff --git a/build.proj b/build.proj
index f8e4adaf5f..6722604b5b 100644
--- a/build.proj
+++ b/build.proj
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
       BuildNative;
       $(TraversalBuildDependsOn);
       DownloadExternalTestFiles;
-      RunTests;
     </TraversalBuildDependsOn>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@
                          TreatErrorsAsWarnings="true"/>
   </Target>
 
-  <Target Name="RunTests" Condition="'$(RunTests)'=='true'">
+  <Target Name="RunTests">
     <MSBuild Projects="test\run-tests.proj"
              Targets="RunTests" />
   </Target>
diff --git a/build/ci/phase-template.yml b/build/ci/phase-template.yml
index ce86cbbdc4..037c207dbb 100644
--- a/build/ci/phase-template.yml
+++ b/build/ci/phase-template.yml
@@ -21,8 +21,10 @@ phases:
           _configuration: Release
       ${{ insert }}: ${{ parameters.queue }}
     steps:
+    - script: $(_buildScript) -$(_configuration)
+      displayName: Build
     - script: $(_buildScript) -$(_configuration) -runtests
-      displayName: Build and Test
+      displayName: Run Tests
     - task: PublishTestResults@2
       displayName: Publish Test Results
       condition: succeededOrFailed()
diff --git a/config.json b/config.json
index 04ff73c8b7..8436586e61 100644
--- a/config.json
+++ b/config.json
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@
       "defaultValue": ""
     },
     "RunTests": {
-      "description": "Run tests after building.",
-      "valueType": "property",
+      "description": "MsBuild target that run the tests. Call this after building.",
+      "valueType": "target",
       "values": [],
       "defaultValue": ""
     },
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@
           }
         },
         "runtests": {
-          "description": "Runs the tests after building.",
+          "description": "Runs the tests. Call this after building.",
           "settings": {
-            "RunTests": "true"
+            "RunTests": "default"
           }
         },
         "verbose": {
diff --git a/docs/building/windows-instructions.md b/docs/building/windows-instructions.md
index 4b58d1c09b..9ffc9c82ae 100644
--- a/docs/building/windows-instructions.md
+++ b/docs/building/windows-instructions.md
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ You can use the Developer Command Prompt, Powershell or work in any regular cmd.
 From a (non-admin) Command Prompt window:
 
 - `build.cmd` - builds the assemblies
-- `build.cmd -runTests` - builds the assemblies and runs tests
+- `build.cmd -runTests` - called after a normal "build.cmd" will run all tests
 - `build.cmd -buildPackages` called after a normal “build.cmd” will create the NuGet packages with the assemblies in “bin"
 
 **Note**: Before working on individual projects or test projects you **must** run `build.cmd` from the root once before beginning that work. It is also a good idea to run `build.cmd` whenever you pull a large set of unknown changes into your branch.
 
 ### Running tests from the command line
 
-From the root, use `build.cmd -runTests`.
+From the root, run `build.cmd` and then `build.cmd -runTests`.
 For more details, or to test an individual project, you can navigate to the test project directory and then use `dotnet test`
  
 ### Running tests from Visual Studio
diff --git a/docs/project-docs/developer-guide.md b/docs/project-docs/developer-guide.md
index 60788f8e96..074ea03dab 100644
--- a/docs/project-docs/developer-guide.md
+++ b/docs/project-docs/developer-guide.md
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ build.cmd -Release -TargetArchitecture:x64
 
 - Building the src and then building and running the tests
 ```
-build.cmd -RunTests
+build.cmd
+build.cmd -runTests
 ```
 
 ### Building individual projects
diff --git a/netci.groovy b/netci.groovy
index b955bf669f..7c1126aff9 100644
--- a/netci.groovy
+++ b/netci.groovy
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ def branch = GithubBranchName
 
             def newJob = job(Utilities.getFullJobName(project, jobName, isPR)) {
                 steps {
+                    shell("./build.sh -$config")
                     shell("./build.sh -$config -runtests")
                     shell("./build.sh -buildPackages")
                 }