diff --git a/.github/workflows/sanity-test.yml b/.github/workflows/sanity-test.yml
index 8a741f726..60aa943ad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sanity-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sanity-test.yml
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         compiler: [gcc-8, clang-9]
-        std: [c++11, c++14, c++17, c++2a]
+        cxx-std: ["11", "14", "17", "20"]
     steps:
     - uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v4
       with:
@@ -224,10 +224,9 @@ jobs:
         name: builder
         path: .
 
-    - name: Build aws-crt-cpp with ${{ matrix.compiler }}/${{ matrix.std }}
+    - name: Build aws-crt-cpp with ${{ matrix.compiler }}/cxx${{ matrix.cxx-std }}
       run: |
-        export CXXFLAGS=-std=${{ matrix.std }}
-        python3 builder.pyz build -p aws-crt-cpp --compiler=${{ matrix.compiler }}
+        python3 builder.pyz build -p aws-crt-cpp --compiler=${{ matrix.compiler }} --cmake-extra=-DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=${{ matrix.cxx-std }}
 
   release_notes:
     strategy:
diff --git a/builder/actions/cmake.py b/builder/actions/cmake.py
index a15631bbc..6f0375422 100644
--- a/builder/actions/cmake.py
+++ b/builder/actions/cmake.py
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ def _build_project(env, project, cmake_extra, build_tests=False, args_transforme
         "-H{}".format(project_source_dir),
         "-DAWS_WARNINGS_ARE_ERRORS=ON",
         "-DPERFORM_HEADER_CHECK=ON",
+        "-DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE=ON",  # shows all flags passed to compiler & linker
         "-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=" + project_install_dir,
         "-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=" + project_install_dir,
         "-DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON",
diff --git a/builder/core/data.py b/builder/core/data.py
index 2ce27aea3..36f861c2c 100644
--- a/builder/core/data.py
+++ b/builder/core/data.py
@@ -215,6 +215,15 @@ class PKG_TOOLS(Enum):
             'python': "python3",
         },
     },
+    'al2023': {
+        'os': 'linux',
+        'pkg_tool': PKG_TOOLS.DNF,
+        'pkg_update': 'dnf update -y',
+        'pkg_install': 'dnf install -y',
+        'variables': {
+            'python': "python3",
+        },
+    },
     'manylinux': {
         'os': 'linux',
         'pkg_tool': PKG_TOOLS.YUM,
@@ -321,9 +330,6 @@ class PKG_TOOLS(Enum):
             'armv7': {
                 'run_tests': False
             },
-            'armv8': {
-                'run_tests': False
-            },
             'mips': {
                 'run_tests': False
             },
diff --git a/builder/core/project.py b/builder/core/project.py
index d473627c0..a204f511f 100644
--- a/builder/core/project.py
+++ b/builder/core/project.py
@@ -553,7 +553,8 @@ def build_consumers(self, env):
         for c in consumers:
             build_consumers += _build_project(c, env)
             # build consumer tests
-            build_consumers += to_list(c.test(env))
+            if c.needs_tests(env):
+                build_consumers += to_list(c.test(env))
         if len(build_consumers) == 0:
             return None
         return Script(build_consumers, name='build consumers of {}'.format(self.name))
diff --git a/builder/main.py b/builder/main.py
index b3f759dee..61beb82f6 100755
--- a/builder/main.py
+++ b/builder/main.py
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ def post_build(env):
         return env.project.post_build(env)
 
     def test(env):
-        return env.project.test(env)
+        if env.project.needs_tests(env):
+            return env.project.test(env)
 
     def install(env):
         return env.project.install(env)
diff --git a/tests/test_project.py b/tests/test_project.py
index 996255d2f..c6b2e4e97 100644
--- a/tests/test_project.py
+++ b/tests/test_project.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     'name': 'test-proj',
     'search_dirs': [test_data_dir],
     'path': here,
+    'run_tests': True,
 }
 
 
@@ -148,7 +149,8 @@ def test_downstream_tests_build_by_default(self):
         ]
 
         p = Project(**config)
-        mock_env = mock.Mock(name='MockEnv', config=config)
+        m_toolchain = mock.Mock(name='mock toolchain', cross_compile=False)
+        mock_env = mock.Mock(name='MockEnv', config=config, project=p, toolchain=m_toolchain)
         mock_env.spec = BuildSpec()
         steps = p.build_consumers(mock_env)
         self._assert_step_contains_all(steps, ['test lib-1'])
@@ -163,7 +165,8 @@ def test_downstream_post_build_runs_before_tests(self):
         ]
 
         p = Project(**config)
-        mock_env = mock.Mock(name='MockEnv', config=config)
+        m_toolchain = mock.Mock(name='mock toolchain', cross_compile=False)
+        mock_env = mock.Mock(name='MockEnv', config=config, project=p, toolchain=m_toolchain)
         mock_env.spec = BuildSpec()
         steps = p.build_consumers(mock_env)
         self._assert_step_contains_all(steps, ['post build lib-1', 'test lib-1'])