diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/steps/product-build-darwin-test.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/steps/product-build-darwin-test.yml
index 2028b862f8f..d01ee78dcd8 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/steps/product-build-darwin-test.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/steps/product-build-darwin-test.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ steps:
 
   - ${{ if eq(parameters.VSCODE_RUN_ELECTRON_TESTS, true) }}:
     - script: ./scripts/test.sh --build --tfs "Unit Tests"
+      env:
+        VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH: '1'
       displayName: 🧪 Run unit tests (Electron)
       timeoutInMinutes: 15
     - script: npm run test-node -- --build
@@ -64,6 +66,7 @@ steps:
         ./scripts/test-integration.sh --build --tfs "Integration Tests"
       env:
         VSCODE_REMOTE_SERVER_PATH: $(agent.builddirectory)/vscode-server-darwin-$(VSCODE_ARCH)
+        VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH: '1'
       displayName: 🧪 Run integration tests (Electron)
       timeoutInMinutes: 20
 
@@ -85,6 +88,7 @@ steps:
         ./scripts/test-remote-integration.sh
       env:
         VSCODE_REMOTE_SERVER_PATH: $(agent.builddirectory)/vscode-server-darwin-$(VSCODE_ARCH)
+        VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH: '1'
       displayName: 🧪 Run integration tests (Remote)
       timeoutInMinutes: 20
 
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/linux/steps/product-build-linux-test.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/linux/steps/product-build-linux-test.yml
index c91f3e8ec0e..79b9a96b618 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/linux/steps/product-build-linux-test.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/linux/steps/product-build-linux-test.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ steps:
 
   - ${{ if eq(parameters.VSCODE_RUN_ELECTRON_TESTS, true) }}:
     - script: ./scripts/test.sh --build --tfs "Unit Tests"
+      env:
+        VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH: '1'
       displayName: 🧪 Run unit tests (Electron)
       timeoutInMinutes: 15
     - script: npm run test-node -- --build
@@ -75,6 +77,7 @@ steps:
         ./scripts/test-integration.sh --build --tfs "Integration Tests"
       env:
         VSCODE_REMOTE_SERVER_PATH: $(agent.builddirectory)/vscode-server-linux-$(VSCODE_ARCH)
+        VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH: '1'
       displayName: 🧪 Run integration tests (Electron)
       timeoutInMinutes: 20
 
@@ -95,6 +98,7 @@ steps:
         ./scripts/test-remote-integration.sh
       env:
         VSCODE_REMOTE_SERVER_PATH: $(agent.builddirectory)/vscode-server-linux-$(VSCODE_ARCH)
+        VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH: '1'
       displayName: 🧪 Run integration tests (Remote)
       timeoutInMinutes: 20
 
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/win32/steps/product-build-win32-test.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/win32/steps/product-build-win32-test.yml
index f8b4eb57440..d8d7851a89c 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/win32/steps/product-build-win32-test.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/win32/steps/product-build-win32-test.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ steps:
 
   - ${{ if eq(parameters.VSCODE_RUN_ELECTRON_TESTS, true) }}:
     - powershell: .\scripts\test.bat --build --tfs "Unit Tests"
+      env:
+        VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH: '1'
       displayName: 🧪 Run unit tests (Electron)
       timeoutInMinutes: 15
     - powershell: npm run test-node -- --build
@@ -82,6 +84,8 @@ steps:
         $env:INTEGRATION_TEST_ELECTRON_PATH = "$AppRoot\$AppNameShort.exe"
         $env:VSCODE_REMOTE_SERVER_PATH = "$(agent.builddirectory)\test\vscode-server-win32-$(VSCODE_ARCH)"
         exec { .\scripts\test-integration.bat --build --tfs "Integration Tests" }
+      env:
+        VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH: '1'
       displayName: 🧪 Run integration tests (Electron)
       timeoutInMinutes: 20
 
@@ -105,6 +109,8 @@ steps:
         $env:INTEGRATION_TEST_ELECTRON_PATH = "$AppRoot\$AppNameShort.exe"
         $env:VSCODE_REMOTE_SERVER_PATH = "$(agent.builddirectory)\test\vscode-server-win32-$(VSCODE_ARCH)"
         exec { .\scripts\test-remote-integration.bat }
+      env:
+        VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH: '1'
       displayName: 🧪 Run integration tests (Remote)
       timeoutInMinutes: 20
 
diff --git a/build/lib/electron.ts b/build/lib/electron.ts
index 64786cb2de7..8d4eb0f8844 100644
--- a/build/lib/electron.ts
+++ b/build/lib/electron.ts
@@ -229,15 +229,9 @@ function getElectron(arch: string): () => NodeJS.ReadWriteStream {
 }
 
 async function main(arch: string = process.arch): Promise<void> {
-	const version = electronVersion;
 	const electronPath = path.join(root, '.build', 'electron');
-	const versionFile = path.join(electronPath, versionedResourcesFolder, 'version');
-	const isUpToDate = fs.existsSync(versionFile) && fs.readFileSync(versionFile, 'utf8') === `${version}`;
-
-	if (!isUpToDate) {
-		await util.rimraf(electronPath)();
-		await util.streamToPromise(getElectron(arch)());
-	}
+	await util.rimraf(electronPath)();
+	await util.streamToPromise(getElectron(arch)());
 }
 
 if (import.meta.main) {
diff --git a/extensions/vscode-test-resolver/src/extension.ts b/extensions/vscode-test-resolver/src/extension.ts
index 74d25c65ae0..3e6c9f0ad49 100644
--- a/extensions/vscode-test-resolver/src/extension.ts
+++ b/extensions/vscode-test-resolver/src/extension.ts
@@ -165,6 +165,8 @@ export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
 
 				outputChannel.appendLine(`Launching server: "${serverCommandPath}" ${commandArgs.join(' ')}`);
 				const shell = (process.platform === 'win32');
+				// Skip prelaunch to avoid redownloading electron while it may be in use
+				env['VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH'] = '1';
 				extHostProcess = cp.spawn(serverCommandPath, commandArgs, { env, cwd: vscodePath, shell });
 			} else {
 				const extensionToInstall = process.env['TESTRESOLVER_INSTALL_BUILTIN_EXTENSION'];
diff --git a/scripts/node-electron.sh b/scripts/node-electron.sh
index 187bfe314bb..d95c302944f 100755
--- a/scripts/node-electron.sh
+++ b/scripts/node-electron.sh
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ else
 fi
 
 # Get electron
-npm run electron
+if [[ -z "${VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH}" ]]; then
+	npm run electron
+fi
 
 popd
 
diff --git a/scripts/test.bat b/scripts/test.bat
index 79d939a589c..4e0f89fb501 100644
--- a/scripts/test.bat
+++ b/scripts/test.bat
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ set NAMESHORT=%NAMESHORT:"=%.exe
 set CODE=".build\electron\%NAMESHORT%"
 
 :: Download Electron if needed
-call node build\lib\electron.ts
-if %errorlevel% neq 0 node .\node_modules\gulp\bin\gulp.js electron
+if "%VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH%"=="" (
+	call node build\lib\electron.ts
+	if %errorlevel% neq 0 node .\node_modules\gulp\bin\gulp.js electron
+)
 
 :: Run tests
 set ELECTRON_ENABLE_LOGGING=1
diff --git a/scripts/test.sh b/scripts/test.sh
index bc4661ecb7f..423bfec1ecf 100755
--- a/scripts/test.sh
+++ b/scripts/test.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ VSCODECRASHDIR=$ROOT/.build/crashes
 test -d node_modules || npm i
 
 # Get electron
-npm run electron
+if [[ -z "${VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH}" ]]; then
+	npm run electron
+fi
 
 # Unit Tests
 if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "darwin"* ]]; then
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/policyExport/test/node/policyExport.integrationTest.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/policyExport/test/node/policyExport.integrationTest.ts
index ddfa6885e01..a405426a595 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/policyExport/test/node/policyExport.integrationTest.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/policyExport/test/node/policyExport.integrationTest.ts
@@ -38,8 +38,10 @@ suite('PolicyExport Integration Tests', () => {
 				? join(rootPath, 'scripts', 'code.bat')
 				: join(rootPath, 'scripts', 'code.sh');
 
+			// Skip prelaunch to avoid redownloading electron while the parent VS Code is using it
 			await exec(`"${scriptPath}" --export-policy-data="${tempFile}"`, {
-				cwd: rootPath
+				cwd: rootPath,
+				env: { ...process.env, VSCODE_SKIP_PRELAUNCH: '1' }
 			});
 
 			// Read both files