diff --git a/tools/bazel.rc b/tools/bazel.rc
index eb8ec7625c078..592c2bcae5cb6 100644
--- a/tools/bazel.rc
+++ b/tools/bazel.rc
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
+startup --expand_configs_in_place
+
 # TODO: Remove once we expect everyone is running bazel >= 0.18
 # (This is the "legacy" location for bazel.rc)
 # (See https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/issues/6319)
 
 # --stamp is needed to use x_defs, as of rules_go 0.19.0
-build --workspace_status_command=./tools/get_workspace_status.sh --stamp
\ No newline at end of file
+build --stamp
+
+build --workspace_status_command=./tools/get_workspace_status.sh
+build --verbose_failures
+
+test --test_output=errors
\ No newline at end of file