diff --git a/packages/hardhat-node-test-runner/src/task-action.ts b/packages/hardhat-node-test-runner/src/task-action.ts
index 238b085e0e1..b922d68872e 100644
--- a/packages/hardhat-node-test-runner/src/task-action.ts
+++ b/packages/hardhat-node-test-runner/src/task-action.ts
@@ -69,9 +69,8 @@ const testWithHardhat: NewTaskActionFunction<TestActionArguments> = async (
   setGlobalOptionsAsEnvVariables(hre.globalOptions);
 
   if (!noCompile) {
-    await hre.tasks.getTask("build").run({
-      noTests: true,
-    });
+    const noTests = hre.config.solidity.splitTestsCompilation;
+    await hre.tasks.getTask("build").run({ noTests });
     console.log();
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/hardhat-node-test-runner/test/index.ts b/packages/hardhat-node-test-runner/test/index.ts
index e9c0ad0cbfc..a654ea88386 100644
--- a/packages/hardhat-node-test-runner/test/index.ts
+++ b/packages/hardhat-node-test-runner/test/index.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@ import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import { describe, it } from "node:test";
 
 import { useFixtureProject } from "@nomicfoundation/hardhat-test-utils";
+import { overrideTask } from "hardhat/config";
 import { createHardhatRuntimeEnvironment } from "hardhat/hre";
 
+import HardhatNodeTestRunnerPlugin from "../src/index.js";
+
 describe("Hardhat Node plugin", () => {
   useFixtureProject("test-project");
 
@@ -44,4 +47,79 @@ describe("Hardhat Node plugin", () => {
       process.env.NODE_ENV = nodeEnv;
     }
   });
+
+  describe("build invocation", () => {
+    function buildArgCaptor() {
+      const buildArgs: any[] = [];
+      const buildOverride = overrideTask("build")
+        .setAction(async () => {
+          return {
+            default: (args: any) => {
+              buildArgs.push(args);
+              return { contractRootPaths: [], testRootPaths: [] };
+            },
+          };
+        })
+        .build();
+      return { buildArgs, buildOverride };
+    }
+
+    it("should call build without noTests when splitTestsCompilation is false", async () => {
+      const { buildArgs, buildOverride } = buildArgCaptor();
+      const hre = await createHardhatRuntimeEnvironment({
+        plugins: [HardhatNodeTestRunnerPlugin],
+        tasks: [buildOverride],
+      });
+
+      await hre.tasks.getTask(["test", "nodejs"]).run({});
+
+      assert.equal(buildArgs.length, 1);
+      assert.equal(buildArgs[0].noTests, false);
+    });
+
+    it("should call build with noTests when splitTestsCompilation is true", async () => {
+      const { buildArgs, buildOverride } = buildArgCaptor();
+      const hre = await createHardhatRuntimeEnvironment({
+        solidity: {
+          version: "0.8.28",
+          splitTestsCompilation: true,
+        },
+        plugins: [HardhatNodeTestRunnerPlugin],
+        tasks: [buildOverride],
+      });
+
+      await hre.tasks.getTask(["test", "nodejs"]).run({});
+
+      assert.equal(buildArgs.length, 1);
+      assert.equal(buildArgs[0].noTests, true);
+    });
+
+    it("should skip compilation when noCompile is true without splitTestsCompilation", async () => {
+      const { buildArgs, buildOverride } = buildArgCaptor();
+      const hre = await createHardhatRuntimeEnvironment({
+        plugins: [HardhatNodeTestRunnerPlugin],
+        tasks: [buildOverride],
+      });
+
+      await hre.tasks.getTask(["test", "nodejs"]).run({ noCompile: true });
+
+      assert.equal(buildArgs.length, 0);
+    });
+
+    it("should skip compilation when noCompile is true with splitTestsCompilation", async () => {
+      const { buildArgs, buildOverride } = buildArgCaptor();
+      const hre = await createHardhatRuntimeEnvironment({
+        solidity: {
+          version: "0.8.28",
+          splitTestsCompilation: true,
+        },
+        plugins: [HardhatNodeTestRunnerPlugin],
+        tasks: [buildOverride],
+      });
+
+      await hre.tasks.getTask(["test", "nodejs"]).run({ noCompile: true });
+
+      assert.equal(buildArgs.length, 0);
+    });
+  });
 });