diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index be0dffb75..df6fe2040 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -36,3 +36,86 @@ jobs:
           gradle-version: ${{ env.JOB_GRADLE_VERSION }}
       - name: Build with Gradle
         run: gradle build
+
+  trigger-downstream:
+    needs: build
+    if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - repo: dimagi/commcare-android
+            check_name: "cross-repo / commcare-android"
+            workflow_file: commcare-android-pr-workflow.yml
+          - repo: dimagi/formplayer
+            check_name: "cross-repo / formplayer"
+            workflow_file: build.yml
+    steps:
+      - name: Generate GitHub App token
+        id: app-token
+        uses: actions/create-github-app-token@v1
+        with:
+          app-id: ${{ secrets.CROSS_REPO_CI_APP_ID }}
+          private-key: ${{ secrets.CROSS_REPO_CI_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+          owner: dimagi
+          repositories: commcare-core,commcare-android,formplayer
+
+      - name: Set pending status
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        env:
+          HEAD_SHA: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
+          CHECK_NAME: ${{ matrix.check_name }}
+          REPO: ${{ matrix.repo }}
+          WORKFLOW_FILE: ${{ matrix.workflow_file }}
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ steps.app-token.outputs.token }}
+          script: |
+            await github.rest.repos.createCommitStatus({
+              owner: 'dimagi',
+              repo: 'commcare-core',
+              sha: process.env.HEAD_SHA,
+              state: 'pending',
+              context: process.env.CHECK_NAME,
+              description: 'Waiting for downstream tests...',
+              target_url: `https://github.com/${process.env.REPO}/actions/workflows/${process.env.WORKFLOW_FILE}`
+            });
+
+      - name: Trigger downstream workflow
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        env:
+          HEAD_SHA: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
+          MERGE_SHA: ${{ github.sha }}
+          COMMCARE_CORE_PR: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
+          CHECK_NAME: ${{ matrix.check_name }}
+          REPO: ${{ matrix.repo }}
+          WORKFLOW_FILE: ${{ matrix.workflow_file }}
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ steps.app-token.outputs.token }}
+          script: |
+            try {
+              const [owner, repo] = process.env.REPO.split('/');
+              await github.rest.actions.createWorkflowDispatch({
+                owner,
+                repo,
+                workflow_id: process.env.WORKFLOW_FILE,
+                ref: 'master',
+                inputs: {
+                  commcare_core_sha: process.env.MERGE_SHA,
+                  commcare_core_pr: process.env.COMMCARE_CORE_PR,
+                  commcare_core_check_name: process.env.CHECK_NAME,
+                  commcare_core_status_sha: process.env.HEAD_SHA
+                }
+              });
+            } catch (error) {
+              // If dispatch fails, set error status so it doesn't stay pending forever
+              await github.rest.repos.createCommitStatus({
+                owner: 'dimagi',
+                repo: 'commcare-core',
+                sha: process.env.HEAD_SHA,
+                state: 'error',
+                context: process.env.CHECK_NAME,
+                description: `Failed to trigger: ${error.message}`.substring(0, 140)
+              });
+              throw error;
+            }
diff --git a/docs/cross-repo-ci.md b/docs/cross-repo-ci.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4493b8dd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/cross-repo-ci.md
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# Cross-Repo CI
+
+When a commcare-core pull request passes its own tests, the test suites of
+[commcare-android](https://github.com/dimagi/commcare-android) and
+[formplayer](https://github.com/dimagi/formplayer) are automatically run against
+the PR's version of commcare-core. Results appear as status checks on the PR.
+
+## How it works
+
+The `trigger-downstream` job in `.github/workflows/build.yml` runs after the
+`build` job succeeds on a pull request. It:
+
+1. Sets **pending** commit statuses on the PR (`cross-repo / commcare-android`
+   and `cross-repo / formplayer`)
+2. Fires `workflow_dispatch` to each downstream repo, passing:
+   - `commcare_core_sha` — the PR's **merge commit** SHA (the same code the
+     `build` job tested)
+   - `commcare_core_status_sha` — the PR's **head commit** SHA (for reporting
+     status back to the correct commit on the PR)
+   - `commcare_core_pr` — the PR number
+   - `commcare_core_check_name` — the status check name
+3. Exits immediately (fire-and-forget)
+
+Each downstream repo's CI workflow accepts these inputs via `workflow_dispatch`.
+When present, it checks out commcare-core at `commcare_core_sha` (the merge
+commit) instead of its default, runs tests, and reports the result back as a
+commit status on the commcare-core PR using `commcare_core_status_sha` (the
+head commit).
+
+The merge commit is used for checkout so that downstream repos test the same
+code that commcare-core's own build tested — i.e., the PR's changes merged
+into the base branch. The head SHA is used for status reporting because GitHub
+associates PR status checks with the head commit, not the merge commit.
+
+## Authentication
+
+A dedicated GitHub App (**CommCare Cross-Repo CI**) provides cross-repo access.
+It has two permissions: Actions (write) and Commit statuses (write), and is
+installed on `commcare-core`, `commcare-android`, and `formplayer`.
+
+Each repo stores the app credentials as repo-level secrets:
+- `CROSS_REPO_CI_APP_ID`
+- `CROSS_REPO_CI_PRIVATE_KEY`
+
+## Re-running failed checks
+
+Click the status check link on the commcare-core PR to navigate to the downstream
+workflow run, then use GitHub's "Re-run failed jobs". The re-run preserves the
+original inputs and updates the status on the commcare-core PR when it completes.
+
+## Downstream workflow files
+
+- commcare-android: `.github/workflows/commcare-android-pr-workflow.yml`
+- formplayer: `.github/workflows/build.yml`
+
+Both workflows behave normally for their own PRs and pushes. The cross-repo CI
+path only activates when `workflow_dispatch` inputs are provided.