diff --git a/tests/README.md b/tests/README.md
index cf355e5624c70..f7187bd3d92f2 100644
--- a/tests/README.md
+++ b/tests/README.md
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ TC_PATHS="tests/kafkatest/tests/client/pluggable_test.py::PluggableConsumerTest.
 ```
 bash tests/docker/ducker-ak up -j 'openjdk:11'; tests/docker/run_tests.sh
 ```
+* Rebuild first and then run tests
+```
+REBUILD="t" bash tests/docker/run_tests.sh
+```
 
 * Notes
   - The scripts to run tests creates and destroys docker network named *knw*.
diff --git a/tests/docker/run_tests.sh b/tests/docker/run_tests.sh
index 6633e33070d7a..063e24d178765 100755
--- a/tests/docker/run_tests.sh
+++ b/tests/docker/run_tests.sh
@@ -18,12 +18,17 @@
 SCRIPT_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"
 KAFKA_NUM_CONTAINERS=${KAFKA_NUM_CONTAINERS:-14}
 TC_PATHS=${TC_PATHS:-./kafkatest/}
+REBUILD=${REBUILD:f}
 
 die() {
     echo $@
     exit 1
 }
 
+if [ "$REBUILD" == "t" ]; then
+    ./gradlew clean systemTestLibs
+fi
+
 if ${SCRIPT_DIR}/ducker-ak ssh | grep -q '(none)'; then
     ${SCRIPT_DIR}/ducker-ak up -n "${KAFKA_NUM_CONTAINERS}" || die "ducker-ak up failed"
 fi