diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index d6e31ab149..6d03beb5e9 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) !void {
     prepare_zig0.dependOn(air_gen_result.step);
 
     const test_zig0_step = b.step("test-zig0", "Run zig0 C implementation tests");
-    addZig0TestStep(b, test_zig0_step, zig0_target, optimize, zig0_cc, zig0_no_exec, zig0_valgrind, zig0_test_timeout, air_gen_result.air_dir);
+    addZig0TestStep(b, test_zig0_step, zig0_target, optimize, zig0_cc, zig0_no_exec, zig0_valgrind, zig0_test_timeout, air_gen_result);
 
     // zig0 standalone executable
     const zig0_step = b.step("zig0", "Build zig0 standalone executable");
@@ -838,7 +838,7 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) !void {
     all_zig0.dependOn(&zig0_fmt_check.step);
     all_zig0.dependOn(lint_zig0);
     for (zig0_compilers) |compiler| {
-        addZig0TestStep(b, all_zig0, zig0_target, optimize, compiler, false, zig0_valgrind, zig0_test_timeout, air_gen_result.air_dir);
+        addZig0TestStep(b, all_zig0, zig0_target, optimize, compiler, false, zig0_valgrind, zig0_test_timeout, air_gen_result);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1739,6 +1739,8 @@ fn addAirGen(b: *std.Build, exe_options: *std.Build.Step.Options) AirGenResult {
     const gen_exe = b.addExecutable(.{
         .name = "air_gen",
         .root_module = gen_mod,
+        .use_llvm = false,
+        .use_lld = false,
     });
 
     // Run generator: air_gen <output_dir> [<name> <resolved_path>]...
@@ -1767,7 +1769,7 @@ fn addZig0TestStep(
     no_exec: bool,
     valgrind: bool,
     test_timeout: ?[]const u8,
-    air_dir: std.Build.LazyPath,
+    air_gen: AirGenResult,
 ) void {
     // Step 1: Compile Zig test code to .o (cached independently of C objects).
     // NOTE: test_mod does NOT import zig_internals — stage0 tests are fast.
@@ -1781,10 +1783,10 @@ fn addZig0TestStep(
     test_mod.linkSystemLibrary("c", .{});
     // Make pre-computed AIR data available to tests.
     test_mod.addAnonymousImport("air_tag_names", .{
-        .root_source_file = air_dir.path(b, "tag_names.zig"),
+        .root_source_file = air_gen.air_dir.path(b, "tag_names.zig"),
     });
     test_mod.addAnonymousImport("air_data", .{
-        .root_source_file = air_dir.path(b, "air_data.zig"),
+        .root_source_file = air_gen.air_dir.path(b, "air_data.zig"),
     });
 
     const test_obj = b.addTest(.{
@@ -1793,6 +1795,7 @@ fn addZig0TestStep(
         .use_llvm = false,
         .use_lld = false,
     });
+    test_obj.step.dependOn(air_gen.step);
 
     // Step 2: Link test_obj + C objects into final executable.
     // No more dumper_obj — AIR is pre-computed at build time.