diff --git a/testrunner/runtest.py b/testrunner/runtest.py
index d53312f..8975303 100755
--- a/testrunner/runtest.py
+++ b/testrunner/runtest.py
@@ -222,9 +222,12 @@
 
   def _DoBuild(self):
     logger.SilentLog("Building tests...")
+
+    tests = self._GetTestsToRun()
+    self._DoFullBuild(tests)
+
     target_set = Set()
     extra_args_set = Set()
-    tests = self._GetTestsToRun()
     for test_suite in tests:
       self._AddBuildTarget(test_suite, target_set, extra_args_set)
 
@@ -232,21 +235,8 @@
       if self._options.coverage:
         coverage.EnableCoverageBuild()
 
-      # hack to build cts dependencies
-      # TODO: remove this when build dependency support added to runtest or
-      # cts dependencies are removed
-      if self._IsCtsTests(tests):
-        # need to use make since these fail building with ONE_SHOT_MAKEFILE
-        cmd = ('make -j%s CtsTestStubs android.core.tests.runner' %
-               self._options.make_jobs)
-        logger.Log(cmd)
-        if not self._options.preview:
-          old_dir = os.getcwd()
-          os.chdir(self._root_path)
-          run_command.RunCommand(cmd, return_output=False)
-          os.chdir(old_dir)
-      target_build_string = " ".join(list(target_set))
-      extra_args_string = " ".join(list(extra_args_set))
+      target_build_string = ' '.join(list(target_set))
+      extra_args_string = ' '.join(list(extra_args_set))
       # mmm cannot be used from python, so perform a similar operation using
       # ONE_SHOT_MAKEFILE
       cmd = 'ONE_SHOT_MAKEFILE="%s" make -j%s -C "%s" files %s' % (
@@ -263,12 +253,43 @@
         logger.Log("Syncing to device...")
         self._adb.Sync()
 
+  def _DoFullBuild(self, tests):
+    """If necessary, run a full 'make' command for the tests that need it."""
+    extra_args_set = Set()
+
+    # hack to build cts dependencies
+    # TODO: remove this when cts dependencies are removed
+    if self._IsCtsTests(tests):
+      # need to use make since these fail building with ONE_SHOT_MAKEFILE
+      extra_args_set.add('CtsTestStubs')
+      extra_args_set.add('android.core.tests.runner')
+    for test in tests:
+      if test.IsFullMake():
+        if test.GetExtraBuildArgs():
+          # extra args contains the args to pass to 'make'
+          extra_args_set.add(test.GetExtraBuildArgs())
+        else:
+          logger.Log("Warning: test %s needs a full build but does not specify"
+                     " extra_build_args" % test.GetName())
+
+    # check if there is actually any tests that required a full build
+    if extra_args_set:
+      cmd = ('make -j%s %s' % (self._options.make_jobs,
+                               ' '.join(list(extra_args_set))))
+      logger.Log(cmd)
+      if not self._options.preview:
+        old_dir = os.getcwd()
+        os.chdir(self._root_path)
+        run_command.RunCommand(cmd, return_output=False)
+        os.chdir(old_dir)
+
   def _AddBuildTarget(self, test_suite, target_set, extra_args_set):
-    build_dir = test_suite.GetBuildPath()
-    if self._AddBuildTargetPath(build_dir, target_set):
-      extra_args_set.add(test_suite.GetExtraBuildArgs())
-    for path in test_suite.GetBuildDependencies(self._options):
-      self._AddBuildTargetPath(path, target_set)
+    if not test_suite.IsFullMake():
+      build_dir = test_suite.GetBuildPath()
+      if self._AddBuildTargetPath(build_dir, target_set):
+        extra_args_set.add(test_suite.GetExtraBuildArgs())
+      for path in test_suite.GetBuildDependencies(self._options):
+        self._AddBuildTargetPath(path, target_set)
 
   def _AddBuildTargetPath(self, build_dir, target_set):
     if build_dir is not None: