diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml
index a0e306ce5..53f066a66 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml
@@ -23,8 +23,38 @@ permissions:
   packages: read
 
 jobs:
+  e2e-binaries:
+    name: E2E binaries
+    runs-on: ${{ inputs.runner }}
+    timeout-minutes: 20
+    container:
+      image: ghcr.io/nvidia/openshell/ci:latest
+      credentials:
+        username: ${{ github.actor }}
+        password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+    env:
+      MISE_GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@df4cb1c069e1874edd31b4311f1884172cec0e10 # v6
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ inputs['checkout-ref'] || github.sha }}
+
+      - name: Build gateway and CLI
+        run: |
+          cargo build -p openshell-server --bin openshell-gateway --features openshell-core/dev-settings
+          cargo build -p openshell-cli --bin openshell --features openshell-core/dev-settings
+
+      - name: Upload e2e binaries
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7
+        with:
+          name: openshell-e2e-binaries
+          path: |
+            target/debug/openshell
+            target/debug/openshell-gateway
+
   e2e:
     name: "E2E (${{ matrix.suite }})"
+    needs: e2e-binaries
     runs-on: ${{ inputs.runner }}
     timeout-minutes: 30
     strategy:
@@ -66,11 +96,22 @@ jobs:
         with:
           ref: ${{ inputs['checkout-ref'] || github.sha }}
 
+      - name: Download OpenShell e2e binaries
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8.0.1
+        with:
+          name: openshell-e2e-binaries
+          path: target/debug
+
+      - name: Mark OpenShell e2e binaries executable
+        run: chmod +x target/debug/openshell target/debug/openshell-gateway
+
       - name: Install OS test dependencies
         if: matrix.apt_packages != ''
         env:
           APT_PACKAGES: ${{ matrix.apt_packages }}
-        run: apt-get update && apt-get install -y ${APT_PACKAGES} && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+        run: |
+          # shellcheck disable=SC2086
+          apt-get update && apt-get install -y ${APT_PACKAGES} && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
       - name: Log in to GHCR with Docker
         run: echo "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}" | docker login ghcr.io -u "${{ github.actor }}" --password-stdin
@@ -104,6 +145,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run tests
         env:
           OPENSHELL_SUPERVISOR_IMAGE: ${{ format('ghcr.io/nvidia/openshell/supervisor:{0}', inputs.image-tag) }}
+          OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN: ${{ github.workspace }}/target/debug/openshell-gateway
+          OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN: ${{ github.workspace }}/target/debug/openshell
           E2E_CMD: ${{ matrix.cmd }}
         run: |
           if [ "${{ matrix.rootless }}" = "true" ]; then
@@ -122,6 +165,8 @@ jobs:
               OPENSHELL_REGISTRY_HOST="${OPENSHELL_REGISTRY_HOST}" \
               OPENSHELL_REGISTRY_USERNAME="${OPENSHELL_REGISTRY_USERNAME}" \
               OPENSHELL_REGISTRY_PASSWORD="${OPENSHELL_REGISTRY_PASSWORD}" \
+              OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN="${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN}" \
+              OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN="${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN}" \
               IMAGE_TAG="${IMAGE_TAG}" \
               MISE_GITHUB_TOKEN="${MISE_GITHUB_TOKEN}" \
               bash -c "${E2E_CMD}"
diff --git a/e2e/rust/e2e-docker.sh b/e2e/rust/e2e-docker.sh
index a020f87c8..30b0c7d91 100755
--- a/e2e/rust/e2e-docker.sh
+++ b/e2e/rust/e2e-docker.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../.." && pwd)"
 E2E_TEST="${OPENSHELL_E2E_DOCKER_TEST:-smoke}"
 E2E_FEATURES="${OPENSHELL_E2E_DOCKER_FEATURES:-e2e,e2e-docker}"
 
-cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings
+if [ -z "${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN:-}" ] || [ -z "${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN:-}" ]; then
+  cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings
+fi
 
 exec "${ROOT}/e2e/with-docker-gateway.sh" \
   cargo test --manifest-path "${ROOT}/e2e/rust/Cargo.toml" \
diff --git a/e2e/rust/e2e-kubernetes.sh b/e2e/rust/e2e-kubernetes.sh
index 0644a0618..78e2a8c11 100755
--- a/e2e/rust/e2e-kubernetes.sh
+++ b/e2e/rust/e2e-kubernetes.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../.." && pwd)"
 
 E2E_FEATURES="${OPENSHELL_E2E_KUBERNETES_FEATURES:-e2e,e2e-host-gateway,e2e-kubernetes}"
 
-cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings
+if [ -z "${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN:-}" ] || [ -z "${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN:-}" ]; then
+  cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings
+fi
 
 test_filter=()
 if [ -n "${OPENSHELL_E2E_KUBE_TEST:-}" ]; then
diff --git a/e2e/rust/e2e-podman.sh b/e2e/rust/e2e-podman.sh
index 5f325d0d2..10a81d9b1 100755
--- a/e2e/rust/e2e-podman.sh
+++ b/e2e/rust/e2e-podman.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../.." && pwd)"
 E2E_TEST="${OPENSHELL_E2E_PODMAN_TEST:-}"
 E2E_FEATURES="${OPENSHELL_E2E_PODMAN_FEATURES:-e2e-podman}"
 
-cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings
+if [ -z "${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN:-}" ] || [ -z "${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN:-}" ]; then
+  cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings
+fi
 
 TEST_ARGS=(
   cargo test --manifest-path "${ROOT}/e2e/rust/Cargo.toml"
diff --git a/e2e/support/gateway-common.sh b/e2e/support/gateway-common.sh
index 8da3d0706..aaef6c2d2 100644
--- a/e2e/support/gateway-common.sh
+++ b/e2e/support/gateway-common.sh
@@ -172,17 +172,47 @@ e2e_build_gateway_binaries() {
   local target_var=$2
   local gateway_var=$3
   local cli_var=$4
-  local target_dir
+  local resolved_target_dir
+  local prebuilt_gateway="${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN:-}"
+  local prebuilt_cli="${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN:-}"
   local jobs=()
 
+  # CI workflows can build these once and share them across e2e jobs. When
+  # unset, keep the local developer path unchanged and build from source here.
+  if [ -n "${prebuilt_gateway}" ] || [ -n "${prebuilt_cli}" ]; then
+    local prebuilt_cli_dir
+
+    if [ -z "${prebuilt_gateway}" ] || [ -z "${prebuilt_cli}" ]; then
+      echo "ERROR: set both OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN and OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN, or neither." >&2
+      exit 2
+    fi
+    if [ ! -x "${prebuilt_gateway}" ]; then
+      echo "ERROR: OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN is not executable: ${prebuilt_gateway}" >&2
+      exit 2
+    fi
+    if [ ! -x "${prebuilt_cli}" ]; then
+      echo "ERROR: OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN is not executable: ${prebuilt_cli}" >&2
+      exit 2
+    fi
+
+    prebuilt_cli_dir="$(cd "$(dirname "${prebuilt_cli}")" && pwd)"
+    resolved_target_dir="${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_TARGET_DIR:-$(cd "${prebuilt_cli_dir}/.." && pwd)}"
+    printf -v "${target_var}" '%s' "${resolved_target_dir}"
+    printf -v "${gateway_var}" '%s' "${prebuilt_gateway}"
+    printf -v "${cli_var}" '%s' "${prebuilt_cli}"
+    echo "Using prebuilt e2e gateway binary: ${prebuilt_gateway}"
+    echo "Using prebuilt e2e CLI binary: ${prebuilt_cli}"
+    return 0
+  fi
+
   if [ -n "${CARGO_BUILD_JOBS:-}" ]; then
     jobs=(-j "${CARGO_BUILD_JOBS}")
   fi
 
-  target_dir="$(e2e_cargo_target_dir "${root}")"
-  printf -v "${target_var}" '%s' "${target_dir}"
-  printf -v "${gateway_var}" '%s' "${target_dir}/debug/openshell-gateway"
-  printf -v "${cli_var}" '%s' "${target_dir}/debug/openshell"
+  resolved_target_dir="$(e2e_cargo_target_dir "${root}")"
+  printf -v "${target_var}" '%s' "${resolved_target_dir}"
+  printf -v "${gateway_var}" '%s' "${resolved_target_dir}/debug/openshell-gateway"
+  printf -v "${cli_var}" '%s' "${resolved_target_dir}/debug/openshell"
 
   echo "Building openshell-gateway..."
   cargo build "${jobs[@]}" \
@@ -194,12 +224,12 @@ e2e_build_gateway_binaries() {
     -p openshell-cli --bin openshell \
     --features openshell-core/dev-settings
 
-  if [ ! -x "${target_dir}/debug/openshell-gateway" ]; then
-    echo "ERROR: expected openshell-gateway binary at ${target_dir}/debug/openshell-gateway" >&2
+  if [ ! -x "${resolved_target_dir}/debug/openshell-gateway" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: expected openshell-gateway binary at ${resolved_target_dir}/debug/openshell-gateway" >&2
     exit 1
   fi
-  if [ ! -x "${target_dir}/debug/openshell" ]; then
-    echo "ERROR: expected openshell CLI binary at ${target_dir}/debug/openshell" >&2
+  if [ ! -x "${resolved_target_dir}/debug/openshell" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: expected openshell CLI binary at ${resolved_target_dir}/debug/openshell" >&2
     exit 1
   fi
 }
diff --git a/tasks/test.toml b/tasks/test.toml
index cf031bd6f..c9acd2253 100644
--- a/tasks/test.toml
+++ b/tasks/test.toml
@@ -60,14 +60,14 @@ hide = true
 ["e2e:rust"]
 description = "Run Rust CLI e2e tests against a Docker-backed gateway"
 run = [
-  "cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings",
+  "if [ -z \"${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN:-}\" ] || [ -z \"${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN:-}\" ]; then cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings; fi",
   "e2e/with-docker-gateway.sh cargo test --manifest-path e2e/rust/Cargo.toml --features e2e-docker",
 ]
 
 ["e2e:websocket-conformance"]
 description = "Run focused WebSocket conformance e2e tests against a Docker-backed gateway"
 run = [
-  "cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings",
+  "if [ -z \"${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN:-}\" ] || [ -z \"${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN:-}\" ]; then cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings; fi",
   "e2e/with-docker-gateway.sh cargo test --manifest-path e2e/rust/Cargo.toml --features e2e-docker --test websocket_conformance",
 ]
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ run = "e2e/rust/e2e-docker.sh"
 ["e2e:mechanistic-smoke"]
 description = "Run mechanistic L4 smoke against a Docker-backed gateway"
 run = [
-  "cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings",
+  "if [ -z \"${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_GATEWAY_BIN:-}\" ] || [ -z \"${OPENSHELL_E2E_PREBUILT_CLI_BIN:-}\" ]; then cargo build -p openshell-cli --features openshell-core/dev-settings; fi",
   "e2e/with-docker-gateway.sh bash -lc 'target/debug/openshell settings set --global --key agent_policy_proposals_enabled --value true --yes && OPENSHELL_BIN=$PWD/target/debug/openshell bash e2e/policy-advisor/mechanistic-smoke.sh'",
 ]