diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 92fe62540..bcf3968d0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -15,16 +15,8 @@ BUILD_SYSTEM_DIR := vendor/nimbus-build-system
 
 # debugging tools + testing tools
 TOOLS := \
-	premix \
-	persist \
-	debug \
-	dumper \
-	hunter \
-	regress \
-	tracerTestGen \
-	persistBlockTestGen
+	test_tools_build
 TOOLS_DIRS := \
-	premix \
 	tests
 # comma-separated values for the "clean" target
 TOOLS_CSV := $(subst $(SPACE),$(COMMA),$(TOOLS))
diff --git a/tests/test_tools_build.nim b/tests/test_tools_build.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..86f17d1eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_tools_build.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# nimbus
+# Copyright (c) 2018 Status Research & Development GmbH
+# Licensed and distributed under either of
+#   * MIT license: [LICENSE-MIT](LICENSE-MIT) or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+#   * Apache License, Version 2.0, ([LICENSE-APACHE](LICENSE-APACHE) or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)
+# at your option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed except according to those terms.
+
+# this module helps CI save time
+# when try to test buildability of these tools.
+# They never run in the CI so it is ok to combine them
+
+{. warning[UnusedImport]:off .}
+
+import
+  ../premix/premix,
+  ../premix/persist,
+  ../premix/debug,
+  ../premix/dumper,
+  ../premix/hunter,
+  ../premix/regress,
+  ./tracerTestGen,
+  ./persistBlockTestGen