diff --git a/.github/workflows/vitess_tester_vtgate.yml b/.github/workflows/vitess_tester_vtgate.yml
index 0c2965fee9c..4a72eaa9b24 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/vitess_tester_vtgate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/vitess_tester_vtgate.yml
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ jobs:
         # which musn't be more than 107 characters long.
         export VTDATAROOT="/tmp/"
         source build.env
+        export NOVTADMINBUILD=1
         make build
 
         set -exo pipefail
diff --git a/test/templates/cluster_vitess_tester.tpl b/test/templates/cluster_vitess_tester.tpl
index bd34c2de088..af018d71172 100644
--- a/test/templates/cluster_vitess_tester.tpl
+++ b/test/templates/cluster_vitess_tester.tpl
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ jobs:
         # which musn't be more than 107 characters long.
         export VTDATAROOT="/tmp/"
         source build.env
+        export NOVTADMINBUILD=1
         make build
 
         set -exo pipefail