diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 9eb0358a9..2f2f4d2f8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -11,11 +11,27 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 
 jobs:
+  build-distribution:
+    permissions:
+      attestations: write
+      id-token: write
+      contents: write
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: ./.github/actions/build-distribution
+      - name: generate build provenance
+        uses: actions/attest-build-provenance@e8998f949152b193b063cb0ec769d69d929409be  # v2.4.0
+        with:
+          subject-path: "${{ github.workspace }}/build/dist/elastic-apm-python-lambda-layer.zip"
+
   test:
     uses: ./.github/workflows/test-release.yml
+    needs: build-distribution
     with:
       full-matrix: true
       enabled: ${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags') }}
+      skip-build: true
 
   packages:
     permissions:
@@ -56,20 +72,6 @@ jobs:
         with:
           repository-url: https://test.pypi.org/legacy/
 
-  build-distribution:
-    permissions:
-      attestations: write
-      id-token: write
-      contents: write
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/build-distribution
-      - name: generate build provenance
-        uses: actions/attest-build-provenance@e8998f949152b193b063cb0ec769d69d929409be  # v2.4.0
-        with:
-          subject-path: "${{ github.workspace }}/build/dist/elastic-apm-python-lambda-layer.zip"
-
   publish-lambda-layers:
     permissions:
       contents: read
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-release.yml b/.github/workflows/test-release.yml
index c873f9eb7..43812eb94 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-release.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ on:
         description: "Whether to run the workfow"
         required: true
         type: boolean
+      skip-build:
+        description: "Skip the build distribution step"
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       full-matrix:
@@ -25,6 +30,11 @@ on:
         description: "Whether to run the workfow"
         required: true
         type: boolean
+      skip-build:
+        description: "Skip the build distribution step"
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
 
 jobs:
   test:
@@ -32,6 +42,7 @@ jobs:
     uses: ./.github/workflows/test.yml
     with:
       full-matrix: ${{ inputs.full-matrix }}
+      skip-build: ${{ inputs.skip-build }}
 
   run-if-disabled:
     if: ${{ ! inputs.enabled }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 8de3c2414..a7d25aa1d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ on:
         description: "The git ref of elastic/apm-agent-python to run test workflow from."
         required: false
         type: string
+      skip-build:
+        description: "Skip the build distribution step"
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
   pull_request:
     paths-ignore:
       - "**/*.md"
@@ -29,12 +34,18 @@ on:
         description: "Run the full matrix"
         required: true
         type: boolean
+      skip-build:
+        description: "Skip the build distribution step"
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
 
 jobs:
   build-distribution:
+    if: ${{ !inputs.skip-build }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4