diff --git a/tests/scripts/ci.py b/tests/scripts/ci.py
index b3f9cb6500e5..599bbaddceec 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/ci.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/ci.py
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ def generate_command(
     options: Dict[str, Option],
     help: str,
     precheck: Optional[Callable[[], None]] = None,
+    post_build: Optional[List[str]] = None,
 ):
     """
     Helper to generate CLIs that:
@@ -378,6 +379,9 @@ def fn(
                 f"./tests/scripts/task_build.py --build-dir {get_build_dir(name)}",
             ]
 
+        if post_build is not None:
+            scripts += post_build
+
         # Check that a test suite was not used alongside specific test names
         if any(v for v in kwargs.values()) and tests is not None:
             option_flags = ", ".join([f"--{k}" for k in options.keys()])
@@ -624,12 +628,12 @@ def add_subparser(
     generate_command(
         name="hexagon",
         help="Run Hexagon build and test(s)",
+        post_build=["./tests/scripts/task_build_hexagon_api.sh --output build-hexagon"],
         options={
             "cpp": CPP_UNITTEST,
             "test": (
                 "run Hexagon API/Python tests",
                 [
-                    "./tests/scripts/task_build_hexagon_api.sh",
                     "./tests/scripts/task_python_hexagon.sh",
                 ],
             ),
diff --git a/tests/scripts/task_build_hexagon_api.sh b/tests/scripts/task_build_hexagon_api.sh
index 4c7b4f396ced..5f811e4e2749 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/task_build_hexagon_api.sh
+++ b/tests/scripts/task_build_hexagon_api.sh
@@ -19,6 +19,15 @@
 set -e
 set -u
 
+output_directory_parent=$(realpath ${PWD}/build)
+if [ $# -ge 1 ] && [[ "$1" == "--output" ]]; then
+    shift 1
+    output_directory_parent=$(realpath $1)
+    shift 1
+fi
+output_directory="${output_directory_parent}/hexagon_api_output"
+rm -rf ${output_directory}
+
 use_cache=false
 if [ $# -ge 1 ] && [[ "$1" == "--use-cache" ]]; then
     use_cache=true
@@ -26,24 +35,19 @@ if [ $# -ge 1 ] && [[ "$1" == "--use-cache" ]]; then
 fi
 
 cd apps/hexagon_api
-
 if [ "$use_cache" = false ]; then
     rm -rf build
 fi
-
 mkdir -p build
 cd build
 
-output_binary_directory=$(realpath ${PWD}/../../../build/hexagon_api_output)
-rm -rf ${output_binary_directory}
-
 cmake -DANDROID_ABI=arm64-v8a \
     -DANDROID_PLATFORM=android-28 \
     -DUSE_ANDROID_TOOLCHAIN="${ANDROID_NDK_HOME}/build/cmake/android.toolchain.cmake" \
     -DUSE_HEXAGON_ARCH=v68 \
     -DUSE_HEXAGON_SDK="${HEXAGON_SDK_ROOT}" \
     -DUSE_HEXAGON_TOOLCHAIN="${HEXAGON_TOOLCHAIN}" \
-    -DUSE_OUTPUT_BINARY_DIR="${output_binary_directory}" \
+    -DUSE_OUTPUT_BINARY_DIR="${output_directory}" \
     -DUSE_HEXAGON_GTEST="${HEXAGON_SDK_ROOT}/utils/googletest/gtest" ..
 
 make -j$(nproc)