diff --git a/.buildkite/linux/docker/Dockerfile.amd64 b/.buildkite/linux/docker/Dockerfile.amd64
index 9dc0020d0..0223bb2b6 100644
--- a/.buildkite/linux/docker/Dockerfile.amd64
+++ b/.buildkite/linux/docker/Dockerfile.amd64
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM python:3.9-slim-buster
+FROM debian:10-slim
 
 ARG DEBIAN_FRONTEND="noninteractive"
 
@@ -48,16 +48,12 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt install --yes gnupg ca-certificates && \
     zstd \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
-RUN curl -L https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazelisk/releases/download/v1.7.4/bazelisk-linux-amd64 \
-    -o /usr/local/bin/bazel \
-    && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/bazel
-RUN ln -sf /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python
-
 RUN mkdir -p /etc/buildkite-agent/hooks && chown -R user /etc/buildkite-agent
 
 COPY buildkite.cfg /etc/buildkite-agent/buildkite-agent.cfg
 COPY environment /etc/buildkite-agent/hooks/environment
 
+# Available in Debian 11 as ninja-build, but we're building with Debian 10
 RUN curl -LO https://github.com/ninja-build/ninja/releases/download/v1.11.1/ninja-linux.zip \
     && unzip ninja-linux.zip \
     && chmod +x ninja \
diff --git a/.buildkite/linux/docker/Dockerfile.arm64 b/.buildkite/linux/docker/Dockerfile.arm64
index c13d50bb7..a9c48dee3 100644
--- a/.buildkite/linux/docker/Dockerfile.arm64
+++ b/.buildkite/linux/docker/Dockerfile.arm64
@@ -53,12 +53,6 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt install --yes gnupg ca-certificates && \
     # -- end only required for arm64/debian11    
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
-RUN curl -L https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazelisk/releases/download/v1.10.1/bazelisk-linux-arm64 \
-    -o /usr/local/bin/bazel \
-    && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/bazel
-
-RUN ln -sf /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python
-
 RUN mkdir -p /etc/buildkite-agent/hooks && chown -R user /etc/buildkite-agent
 
 COPY buildkite.cfg /etc/buildkite-agent/buildkite-agent.cfg
diff --git a/.buildkite/linux/entrypoint b/.buildkite/linux/entrypoint
index 926ea431b..5c1b20b70 100755
--- a/.buildkite/linux/entrypoint
+++ b/.buildkite/linux/entrypoint
@@ -14,3 +14,6 @@ export BUILD_ROOT=/state/build
 export ONLINE_TESTS=1
 
 ./ninja pylib/anki qt/aqt check
+
+# ensure anki/aqt importable
+SKIP_RUN=1 ./run
diff --git a/tools/run.py b/tools/run.py
index 35be14068..e17e22a97 100644
--- a/tools/run.py
+++ b/tools/run.py
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 # Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
+import os
 import sys
 
 sys.path.extend(["pylib", "qt", "out/pylib", "out/qt"])
 
 import aqt
 
-aqt.run()
+if not os.environ.get("SKIP_RUN"):
+    aqt.run()