diff --git a/siliconcompiler/core.py b/siliconcompiler/core.py
index 23e7060a8..9e84a120b 100644
--- a/siliconcompiler/core.py
+++ b/siliconcompiler/core.py
@@ -4196,6 +4196,17 @@ def _check_nodes_status(self, flow, status, steplist, indexlist):
             if status[node] != NodeStatus.PENDING:
                 self.set('flowgraph', flow, step, index, 'status', status[node])
 
+    def _pre_run_version_check(self, flow, flowgraph_nodes):
+        # Don't print information messages produced by _check_tool_version()
+        prev_log_level = self.logger.level
+        self.logger.setLevel(logging.WARNING)
+
+        for (step, index) in flowgraph_nodes:
+            run_func = getattr(self._get_task_module(step, index, flow=flow), 'run', None)
+            self._check_tool_version(step, index, run_func)
+
+        self.logger.setLevel(prev_log_level)
+
     def _local_process(self, flow, status, steplist, indexlist):
         # Populate status dict with any flowgraph status values that have already
         # been set.
@@ -4211,18 +4222,6 @@ def _local_process(self, flow, status, steplist, indexlist):
         for (step, index) in flowgraph_nodes:
             # Setting up tool is optional
             self._setup_node(step, index)
-            # Env vars are necessary as test_multiple_tools.py requires it for its version check
-            self._set_env_vars(step, index)
-            tool, task = self._get_tool_task(step, index, flow)
-            # Icarus compiles its executable during the run so we can't check its version
-            if (tool, task) != ('execute', 'exec_input'):
-                run_func = getattr(self._get_task_module(step, index, flow=flow), 'run', None)
-                try:
-                    self._check_tool_version(step, index, run_func)
-                # Convert sys.exit(1) from haltstep() in version check to SilicoCompilerError
-                except SystemExit:
-                    self.error('Pre-run version check failed. Please update your tools.',
-                               fatal=True)
 
         # Check validity of setup
         self.logger.info("Checking manifest before running.")
@@ -4236,6 +4235,8 @@ def _local_process(self, flow, status, steplist, indexlist):
         if self._error:
             self.error('Implementation errors encountered. See previous errors.', fatal=True)
 
+        self._pre_run_version_check(flow, flowgraph_nodes)
+
         nodes_to_run = {}
         processes = {}
         self._prepare_nodes(nodes_to_run, processes, flow, status, steplist, indexlist)
diff --git a/siliconcompiler/tools/execute/execute.py b/siliconcompiler/tools/execute/execute.py
index a40221200..babcab6c6 100644
--- a/siliconcompiler/tools/execute/execute.py
+++ b/siliconcompiler/tools/execute/execute.py
@@ -11,5 +11,6 @@ def setup(chip):
 
     tool, task = chip._get_tool_task(step, index)
 
-    chip.set('tool', tool, 'exe', ":exe:", clobber=False)
+    # Use dummy bash executable 'true' to pass pre-run version check
+    chip.set('tool', tool, 'exe', 'true', clobber=False)
     chip.set('tool', tool, 'task', task, 'option', [], step=step, index=index, clobber=False)
diff --git a/tests/core/test_version_early.py b/tests/core/test_version_early.py
index 93b196567..89c368f97 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_version_early.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_version_early.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 import pytest
 
 
+@pytest.mark.eda
+@pytest.mark.quick
 def test_version_early(capfd):
     chip = siliconcompiler.Chip('test')
     chip.set('input', 'rtl', 'verilog', 'fake.v')
@@ -14,10 +16,9 @@ def test_version_early(capfd):
     chip.node(flow, 'import', parse)
     chip.set('tool', 'surelog', 'version', '==100.0')
 
-    with pytest.raises(siliconcompiler.SiliconCompilerError,
-                       match='Pre-run version check failed. Please update your tools.'):
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
         chip.run()
     # Fail if any task is run
     out, _ = capfd.readouterr()
-    assert "Halting step 'import'" in out
+    assert "Version check failed" in out
     assert "Finished task in" not in out
diff --git a/tests/flows/test_multiple_tools.py b/tests/flows/test_multiple_tools.py
index da7830ad1..f46855118 100644
--- a/tests/flows/test_multiple_tools.py
+++ b/tests/flows/test_multiple_tools.py
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ def test_multiple_tools():
     chip.set('tool', 'surelog', 'licenseserver', 'ACME_LICENSE', '1700@server',
              step='slog', index=1)
 
+    # Set env vars for slog1 for pre-run version check
+    chip._set_env_vars('slog', '1')
+
     # Don't run tools, just version check
     chip.set('option', 'skipall', True)
     chip.run()