diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 71b63011b..1291e3466 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -293,30 +293,7 @@ function(add_python_test name)
         message(STATUS "ctest: not registering ${name} (no Python3 interpreter)")
     endif()
 endfunction()
-# engine#1864: the ordering rule itself, checked on the file (no configure, no build): every ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} use has
-# to follow the find_package above. The nine that did not ran through their exec bit, and a mode-only rewrite of one
-# script turned the row into BAD_COMMAND.
-add_python_test(python_test_order_check ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/python_test_order_check.py --check --root ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})
-add_python_test(python_test_order_check_self ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/python_test_order_check.py --self-test)
-add_python_test(ci_targets ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/ci/ci_targets_check.py --check --root ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})
-add_python_test(ci_targets_self ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/ci/ci_targets_check.py --self-test)
-# engine#1820: the other half of ci_targets_check -- a standalone shell test that nothing references cannot fail.
-# `need` is every tests/*.sh, `have` is every file that mentions its basename somewhere that can run it, and
-# tools/ci/unreferenced_tests.txt carries the deliberate exclusions WITH their reasons, so the list can shrink.
-add_python_test(tests_referenced ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/ci/tests_referenced_check.py --check --root ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})
-add_python_test(tests_referenced_self ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/ci/tests_referenced_check.py --self-test)
-# engine#1901: five tools ship a --self-test that no runner named, so the arms existed, were maintained beside the logic they
-# check, and never executed. All five run device-free and fast (58-277 ms measured), so they are rows rather than allow-list
-# excuses, and tools/ci/tests_referenced_check.py now counts tools/**/*.py that declare one and are named by no RUNNER
-# (CMakeLists/cmake/workflows -- a citation in another tool's source is not a runner: that is the 5-vs-2 difference).
-# Registered through add_python_test (engine#1864), so they run THROUGH the interpreter: my first version used the raw
-# `${Python3_EXECUTABLE}` form above the find_package and the repository's own ordering guard caught it by name --
-# tools/mtp_head_ref.py is the one of the five without an exec bit, and it became BAD_COMMAND under ctest.
-add_python_test(tool_selftest_batched_repeat ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/batched_repeat.py --selftest)
-add_python_test(tool_selftest_logprob_agree ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/logprob_agree.py --selftest)
-add_python_test(tool_selftest_mtp_head_ref ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/mtp_head_ref.py --selftest)
-add_python_test(tool_selftest_spec_decode_acceptance ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/spec_decode_acceptance.py --selftest)
-add_python_test(tool_selftest_whisper_encoder_baseline ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/whisper_encoder_baseline.py --self-test)
+include(cmake/tests-python-tools.cmake)
 # engine#1777: the release row's own arm, which merged unregistered -- this sweep is what found it (engine#1820).
 add_test(NAME release_check_hrx_init_reason COMMAND bash ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/release_check_hrx_init_reason_test.sh ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/os/mini/release-check.sh)
 # engine#1615: every process holding the GPU/NPU device must belong to a live gpu-hold/npu-hold ticket. Three
diff --git a/cmake/tests-python-tools.cmake b/cmake/tests-python-tools.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aa973cc8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/tests-python-tools.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Copyright 2026 bong-water-water-bong
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+# Python tool self-tests (engine#1979). Every row here drives a `tools/*.py` or `tests/*.py` self-test through
+# `add_python_test()`, defined in CMakeLists.txt above this include. They live in their own file because they are the rows
+# every lane appends one of, and they were the block that went stale first -- two lanes appending to different registration
+# files cannot conflict. `cmake/tests-gpu-hold.cmake` is the same idea for a target-bearing family, and both CI guards
+# already treat `cmake/tests-*.cmake` as registration files, so nothing in the checks needs to know this file exists.
+# engine#1864: the ordering rule itself, checked on the file (no configure, no build): every ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} use has
+# to follow the find_package above. The nine that did not ran through their exec bit, and a mode-only rewrite of one
+# script turned the row into BAD_COMMAND.
+add_python_test(python_test_order_check ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/python_test_order_check.py --check --root ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})
+add_python_test(python_test_order_check_self ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/python_test_order_check.py --self-test)
+add_python_test(ci_targets ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/ci/ci_targets_check.py --check --root ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})
+add_python_test(ci_targets_self ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/ci/ci_targets_check.py --self-test)
+# engine#1820: the other half of ci_targets_check -- a standalone shell test that nothing references cannot fail.
+# `need` is every tests/*.sh, `have` is every file that mentions its basename somewhere that can run it, and
+# tools/ci/unreferenced_tests.txt carries the deliberate exclusions WITH their reasons, so the list can shrink.
+add_python_test(tests_referenced ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/ci/tests_referenced_check.py --check --root ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})
+add_python_test(tests_referenced_self ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/ci/tests_referenced_check.py --self-test)
+# engine#1901: five tools ship a --self-test that no runner named, so the arms existed, were maintained beside the logic they
+# check, and never executed. All five run device-free and fast (58-277 ms measured), so they are rows rather than allow-list
+# excuses, and tools/ci/tests_referenced_check.py now counts tools/**/*.py that declare one and are named by no RUNNER
+# (CMakeLists/cmake/workflows -- a citation in another tool's source is not a runner: that is the 5-vs-2 difference).
+# Registered through add_python_test (engine#1864), so they run THROUGH the interpreter: my first version used the raw
+# `${Python3_EXECUTABLE}` form above the find_package and the repository's own ordering guard caught it by name --
+# tools/mtp_head_ref.py is the one of the five without an exec bit, and it became BAD_COMMAND under ctest.
+add_python_test(tool_selftest_batched_repeat ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/batched_repeat.py --selftest)
+add_python_test(tool_selftest_logprob_agree ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/logprob_agree.py --selftest)
+add_python_test(tool_selftest_mtp_head_ref ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/mtp_head_ref.py --selftest)
+add_python_test(tool_selftest_spec_decode_acceptance ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/spec_decode_acceptance.py --selftest)
+add_python_test(tool_selftest_whisper_encoder_baseline ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/whisper_encoder_baseline.py --self-test)