diff --git a/.github/ZOMBIENET_FLAKY_TESTS.md b/.github/ZOMBIENET_FLAKY_TESTS.md
index 12c4cceec4bfe..38c274993de03 100644
--- a/.github/ZOMBIENET_FLAKY_TESTS.md
+++ b/.github/ZOMBIENET_FLAKY_TESTS.md
@@ -61,4 +61,4 @@ Once a flaky test has been fixed:
 
 - The number of currently disabled tests is displayed in the CI logs during zombienet test runs
 - You can view the current list at: [`.github/zombienet-flaky-tests`](./zombienet-flaky-tests)
-- Each disabled test should have an associated GitHub issue for tracking
+- Each disabled test should have an associated GitHub issue for tracking
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/zombienet-reusable-preflight.yml b/.github/workflows/zombienet-reusable-preflight.yml
index 70b78dfbf1893..f58d36d476b4e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/zombienet-reusable-preflight.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/zombienet-reusable-preflight.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,14 @@ on:
       test_pattern:
         required: false
         type: string
+      build_run_id:
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        description: "Build run ID from the build workflow (when called from build workflow)"
+      ref_slug:
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        description: "Source ref slug from the build workflow (when called from build workflow)"
     # Map the workflow outputs to job outputs
     outputs:
       changes_substrate:
@@ -150,14 +158,16 @@ jobs:
   #
   preflight:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || ! contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'T19-skip-zombienet_tests')
+    # Run if: workflow_call (from build) OR workflow_dispatch OR (PR without skip label)
+    if: github.event_name == 'workflow_call' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || ! contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'T19-skip-zombienet_tests')
 
     outputs:
-      changes_substrate: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.substrate_any_changed || steps.set_changes.outputs.currentWorkflow_any_changed }}
-      changes_cumulus: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.cumulus_any_changed || steps.set_changes.outputs.currentWorkflow_any_changed }}
-      changes_polkadot: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.polkadot_any_changed || steps.set_changes.outputs.currentWorkflow_any_changed }}
-      changes_bridges: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.bridges_any_changed || steps.set_changes.outputs.currentWorkflow_any_changed }}
-      changes_templates: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.templates_any_changed || steps.set_changes.outputs.currentWorkflow_any_changed }}
+      changes_substrate: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.substrate_any_changed }}
+      changes_cumulus: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.cumulus_any_changed }}
+      changes_polkadot: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.polkadot_any_changed }}
+      changes_bridges: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.bridges_any_changed }}
+      changes_templates: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.templates_any_changed }}
+      changes_workflow: ${{ steps.set_changes.outputs.currentWorkflow_any_changed }}
 
       CI_IMAGE: ${{ steps.set_vars.outputs.IMAGE }}
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/zombienet_cumulus.yml b/.github/workflows/zombienet_cumulus.yml
index efd2616d707b7..1c6820365f128 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/zombienet_cumulus.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/zombienet_cumulus.yml
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ jobs:
     with:
       tests_yaml: .github/zombienet-tests/zombienet_cumulus_tests.yml
       test_pattern: ${{ inputs.test_pattern }}
+      build_run_id: ${{ inputs.build_run_id }}
+      ref_slug: ${{ inputs.ref_slug }}
 
 
   zombienet-cumulus-tests:
@@ -48,7 +50,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.test.runner-type == 'large' && needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_LARGE_RUNNER || needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_DEFAULT_RUNNER }}
     timeout-minutes: 70 # 60 for test + 10 for send logs
     needs: [preflight]
-    if: ${{ (needs.preflight.outputs.changes_substrate || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_cumulus || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_polkadot) }}
+    # Run if: called from build workflow OR (manual trigger AND relevant changes detected)
+    if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_call' || (needs.preflight.outputs.changes_substrate || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_cumulus || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_polkadot) }}
     container:
       image: ${{ needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_IMAGE }}
       options: -v /tmp/zombienet:/tmp/zombienet
diff --git a/.github/workflows/zombienet_parachain-template.yml b/.github/workflows/zombienet_parachain-template.yml
index 8c8217b6a349c..acb5054abce57 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/zombienet_parachain-template.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/zombienet_parachain-template.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ jobs:
     with:
       tests_yaml: .github/zombienet-tests/zombienet_parachain-template_tests.yml
       test_pattern: ${{ inputs.test_pattern }}
+      build_run_id: ${{ inputs.build_run_id }}
+      ref_slug: ${{ inputs.ref_slug }}
 
 
   zombienet-parachain-template-tests:
@@ -43,7 +45,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.test.runner-type == 'large' && needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_LARGE_RUNNER || needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_DEFAULT_RUNNER }}
     timeout-minutes: 40 # 30 for test + 10 for send logs
     needs: [preflight]
-    if: ${{ (needs.preflight.outputs.changes_substrate || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_cumulus || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_polkadot) }}
+    # Run if: called from build workflow OR (manual trigger AND relevant changes detected)
+    if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_call' || (needs.preflight.outputs.changes_substrate || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_cumulus || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_polkadot) }}
     container:
       image: ${{ needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_IMAGE }}
       options: -v /tmp/zombienet:/tmp/zombienet
diff --git a/.github/workflows/zombienet_polkadot.yml b/.github/workflows/zombienet_polkadot.yml
index 27bb39f38f9a5..1d4ba562e4cd0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/zombienet_polkadot.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/zombienet_polkadot.yml
@@ -41,13 +41,16 @@ jobs:
     with:
       tests_yaml: .github/zombienet-tests/zombienet_polkadot_tests.yml
       test_pattern: ${{ inputs.test_pattern }}
+      build_run_id: ${{ inputs.build_run_id }}
+      ref_slug: ${{ inputs.ref_slug }}
 
   zombienet-polkadot-tests:
     name: ${{ matrix.test.job-name }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.test.runner-type == 'large' && (matrix.test.use-zombienet-sdk && needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_LARGE_RUNNER || needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_LARGE_RUNNER) || (matrix.test.use-zombienet-sdk && needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_DEFAULT_RUNNER || needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_DEFAULT_RUNNER) }}
     timeout-minutes: 70 # 60 for test + 10 for send logs
     needs: [preflight]
-    if: ${{ (needs.preflight.outputs.changes_substrate || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_polkadot) }}
+    # Run if: called from build workflow OR (manual trigger AND relevant changes detected)
+    if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_call' || (needs.preflight.outputs.changes_substrate || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_polkadot) }}
     container:
       image: ${{ matrix.test.use-zombienet-sdk && needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_IMAGE || needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_IMAGE }}
       options: -v /tmp/zombienet:/tmp/zombienet
diff --git a/.github/workflows/zombienet_substrate.yml b/.github/workflows/zombienet_substrate.yml
index ff8c9353dc144..bb784df50d480 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/zombienet_substrate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/zombienet_substrate.yml
@@ -45,13 +45,16 @@ jobs:
     with:
       tests_yaml: .github/zombienet-tests/zombienet_substrate_tests.yml
       test_pattern: ${{ inputs.test_pattern }}
+      build_run_id: ${{ inputs.build_run_id }}
+      ref_slug: ${{ inputs.ref_slug }}
 
   zombienet-substrate-tests:
     name: ${{ matrix.test.job-name }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.test.runner-type == 'large' && (matrix.test.use-zombienet-sdk && needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_LARGE_RUNNER || needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_LARGE_RUNNER) || (matrix.test.use-zombienet-sdk && needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_DEFAULT_RUNNER || needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_DEFAULT_RUNNER) }}
     timeout-minutes: 70 # 60 for test + 10 for send logs
     needs: [preflight]
-    if: ${{ (needs.preflight.outputs.changes_substrate || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_polkadot) }}
+    # Run if: called from build workflow OR (manual trigger AND relevant changes detected)
+    if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_call' || (needs.preflight.outputs.changes_substrate || needs.preflight.outputs.changes_polkadot) }}
     container:
       image: ${{ matrix.test.use-zombienet-sdk && needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_SDK_IMAGE || needs.preflight.outputs.ZOMBIENET_IMAGE }}
       options: -v /tmp/zombienet:/tmp/zombienet