diff --git a/CoreTestLibs/ivysettings.xml b/CoreTestLibs/ivysettings.xml
index 9c3b496314..fd792f6844 100644
--- a/CoreTestLibs/ivysettings.xml
+++ b/CoreTestLibs/ivysettings.xml
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@
         <ibiblio name="maven.restlet.org" root="http://maven.restlet.com" m2compatible="true" />  
     </chain>
   </resolvers>
+  <property name="packaging.type" value="jar" />
 </ivysettings>
diff --git a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/byte-buddy-1.10.13.jar b/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/byte-buddy-1.10.13.jar
deleted file mode 100644
index 8e2527892b..0000000000
Binary files a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/byte-buddy-1.10.13.jar and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/byte-buddy-agent-1.10.13.jar b/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/byte-buddy-agent-1.10.13.jar
deleted file mode 100644
index d7b4655e56..0000000000
Binary files a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/byte-buddy-agent-1.10.13.jar and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/hamcrest-core-1.3.jar b/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/hamcrest-core-1.3.jar
deleted file mode 100644
index 9d5fe16e3d..0000000000
Binary files a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/hamcrest-core-1.3.jar and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/junit-4.13.2.jar b/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/junit-4.13.2.jar
deleted file mode 100644
index 6da55d8b85..0000000000
Binary files a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/junit-4.13.2.jar and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/mockito-core-3.5.7.jar b/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/mockito-core-3.5.7.jar
deleted file mode 100644
index 5fc0070ab7..0000000000
Binary files a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/mockito-core-3.5.7.jar and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/objenesis-3.1.jar b/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/objenesis-3.1.jar
deleted file mode 100644
index e6be64224b..0000000000
Binary files a/CoreTestLibs/release/modules/ext/objenesis-3.1.jar and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 4a376bfaca..3a65ad091e 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -79,6 +79,12 @@
         <delete includeemptydirs="true" failonerror="false">
             <fileset dir="${basedir}/docs/doxygen-dev/build-docs" includes="**/*"/>
         </delete>
+
+        <!-- build core test libs -->
+        <subant buildpath="${basedir}/CoreTestLibs/build.xml" target="clean" inheritrefs="false" inheritall="false">
+            <property name="nbplatform.active.dir" value="${nbplatform.active.dir}" />
+            <property name="nbplatform.default.harness.dir" value="${nbplatform.default.harness.dir}" />
+        </subant>
     </target>
     
     <!-- This target is similar to the regular test target that calls test on all nbm's, 
@@ -265,9 +271,16 @@
         <property name="build-minimal-platform-renamed" location="${dist.dir}/${app.name}-minimal.zip" />
         <echo>File moved to ${build-minimal-platform-renamed}</echo>
     </target>
+
+    <target name="build-core-test-libs">
+        <subant buildpath="${basedir}/CoreTestLibs/build.xml" target="build" inheritrefs="false" inheritall="false">
+            <property name="nbplatform.active.dir" value="${nbplatform.active.dir}" />
+            <property name="nbplatform.default.harness.dir" value="${nbplatform.default.harness.dir}" />
+        </subant>
+    </target>
     
     <!-- override build to add branding -->
-    <target name="build" depends="build-brand,suite.build,chmod_executables" description="Compiles autopsy and produces a basic branded build that can run on a dev system" />
+    <target name="build" depends="build-core-test-libs,build-brand,suite.build,chmod_executables" description="Compiles autopsy and produces a basic branded build that can run on a dev system" />
  
     <target name="build-brand" depends="-init">