diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d0c21a6ef..eeb44c71a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ testcommon: | build deps
 ##########
 ## Waku ##
 ##########
-.PHONY: testwaku wakunode2 testwakunode2 example2 chat2 chat2bridge
+.PHONY: testwaku wakunode2 testwakunode2 example2 chat2 chat2bridge liteprotocoltester
 
 # install anvil only for the testwaku target
 testwaku: | build deps anvil librln
@@ -218,6 +218,13 @@ liteprotocoltester: | build deps librln
 	echo -e $(BUILD_MSG) "build/$@" && \
 		$(ENV_SCRIPT) nim liteprotocoltester $(NIM_PARAMS) waku.nims
 
+build/%: | build deps librln
+	echo -e $(BUILD_MSG) "build/$*" && \
+		$(ENV_SCRIPT) nim buildone $(NIM_PARAMS) waku.nims $*
+
+test/%: | build deps librln
+	echo -e $(BUILD_MSG) "test/$*" && \
+		$(ENV_SCRIPT) nim testone $(NIM_PARAMS) waku.nims $*
 
 ################
 ## Waku tools ##
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a74db00a1..5b0ac7d4c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -68,6 +68,22 @@ If everything went well, you should see your prompt suffixed with `[Nimbus env]$
 make test
 ```
 
+### Building single test files
+
+During development it is handful to build and run a single test file.
+To support this make has a specific target:
+
+targets:
+- `build/<relative path to your test file.nim>`
+- `test/<relative path to your test file.nim>`
+
+Binary will be created as `<path to your test file.nim>.bin` under the `build` directory .
+
+```bash
+# Build and run your test file separately
+make test/tests/common/test_enr_builder.nim
+```
+
 ### Examples
 
 Examples can be found in the examples folder.
diff --git a/waku.nimble b/waku.nimble
index e9eb8aaf9..e4d88a323 100644
--- a/waku.nimble
+++ b/waku.nimble
@@ -26,6 +26,24 @@ requires "nim >= 2.0.8",
   "db_connector"
 
 ### Helper functions
+proc buildModule(filePath, params = "", lang = "c"): bool =
+  if not dirExists "build":
+    mkDir "build"
+  # allow something like "nim nimbus --verbosity:0 --hints:off nimbus.nims"
+  var extra_params = params
+  for i in 2 ..< paramCount() - 1:
+    extra_params &= " " & paramStr(i)
+
+  if not fileExists(filePath):
+    echo "File to build not found: " & filePath
+    return false
+
+  exec "nim " & lang & " --out:build/" & filepath & ".bin --mm:refc " & extra_params &
+    " " & filePath
+
+  # exec will raise exception if anything goes wrong
+  return true
+
 proc buildBinary(name: string, srcDir = "./", params = "", lang = "c") =
   if not dirExists "build":
     mkDir "build"
@@ -33,8 +51,8 @@ proc buildBinary(name: string, srcDir = "./", params = "", lang = "c") =
   var extra_params = params
   for i in 2 ..< paramCount():
     extra_params &= " " & paramStr(i)
-  exec "nim " & lang & " --out:build/" & name & " --mm:refc " & extra_params & " " & srcDir & name &
-    ".nim"
+  exec "nim " & lang & " --out:build/" & name & " --mm:refc " & extra_params & " " &
+    srcDir & name & ".nim"
 
 proc buildLibrary(name: string, srcDir = "./", params = "", `type` = "static") =
   if not dirExists "build":
@@ -45,12 +63,12 @@ proc buildLibrary(name: string, srcDir = "./", params = "", `type` = "static") =
     extra_params &= " " & paramStr(i)
   if `type` == "static":
     exec "nim c" & " --out:build/" & name &
-      ".a --threads:on --app:staticlib --opt:size --noMain --mm:refc --header " & extra_params &
-      " " & srcDir & name & ".nim"
+      ".a --threads:on --app:staticlib --opt:size --noMain --mm:refc --header " &
+      extra_params & " " & srcDir & name & ".nim"
   else:
     exec "nim c" & " --out:build/" & name &
-      ".so --threads:on --app:lib --opt:size --noMain --mm:refc --header " & extra_params & " " &
-      srcDir & name & ".nim"
+      ".so --threads:on --app:lib --opt:size --noMain --mm:refc --header " & extra_params &
+      " " & srcDir & name & ".nim"
 
 proc buildMobileAndroid(srcDir = ".", params = "") =
   let cpu = getEnv("CPU")
@@ -129,6 +147,15 @@ task liteprotocoltester, "Build liteprotocoltester":
   let name = "liteprotocoltester"
   buildBinary name, "apps/liteprotocoltester/"
 
+task buildone, "Build custom target":
+  let filepath = paramStr(paramCount())
+  discard buildModule filepath
+
+task testone, "Test custom target":
+  let filepath = paramStr(paramCount())
+  if buildModule(filepath):
+    exec "build/" & filepath & ".bin"
+
 ### C Bindings
 task libwakuStatic, "Build the cbindings waku node library":
   let name = "libwaku"