diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-merge-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/python-merge-tests.yml
index 45f9b24f79..92a5934f0e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-merge-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-merge-tests.yml
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: not python tests
         if: steps.filter.outputs.python != 'true'
         run: echo "NOT python file"
-  python-tests-main:
-    name: Python Tests - Main
+  python-tests-core:
+    name: Python Tests - Core
     needs: paths-filter
     if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' && needs.paths-filter.outputs.pythonChanges == 'true'
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
@@ -60,56 +60,6 @@ jobs:
       OPENAI_CHAT_MODEL_ID: ${{ vars.OPENAI__CHATMODELID }}
       OPENAI_RESPONSES_MODEL_ID: ${{ vars.OPENAI__RESPONSESMODELID }}
       OPENAI_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.OPENAI__APIKEY }}
-      LOCAL_MCP_URL: ${{ vars.LOCAL_MCP__URL }}
-    defaults:
-      run:
-        working-directory: python
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
-      - name: Set up python and install the project
-        id: python-setup
-        uses: ./.github/actions/python-setup
-        with:
-          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-          os: ${{ runner.os }}
-        env:
-          # Configure a constant location for the uv cache
-          UV_CACHE_DIR: /tmp/.uv-cache
-      - name: Test with pytest
-        timeout-minutes: 10
-        run: uv run poe all-tests -n logical --dist loadfile --dist worksteal --timeout 300 --retries 3 --retry-delay 10
-        working-directory: ./python
-      - name: Test main samples
-        timeout-minutes: 10
-        if: env.RUN_SAMPLES_TESTS == 'true'
-        run: uv run pytest tests/samples/ -m "openai"
-        working-directory: ./python
-      - name: Surface failing tests
-        if: always()
-        uses: pmeier/pytest-results-action@v0.7.2
-        with:
-          path: ./python/**.xml
-          summary: true
-          display-options: fEX
-          fail-on-empty: false
-          title: Test results
-
-  python-tests-azure-ai:
-    name: Python Tests - Azure
-    needs: paths-filter
-    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' && needs.paths-filter.outputs.pythonChanges == 'true'
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
-    environment: ${{ matrix.environment }}
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: true
-      matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.10"]
-        os: [ubuntu-latest]
-        environment: ["integration"]
-    env:
-      UV_PYTHON: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-      AZURE_AI_PROJECT_ENDPOINT: ${{ secrets.AZUREAI__ENDPOINT }}
-      AZURE_AI_MODEL_DEPLOYMENT_NAME: ${{ vars.AZUREAI__DEPLOYMENTNAME }}
       AZURE_OPENAI_CHAT_DEPLOYMENT_NAME: ${{ vars.AZUREOPENAI__CHATDEPLOYMENTNAME }}
       AZURE_OPENAI_RESPONSES_DEPLOYMENT_NAME: ${{ vars.AZUREOPENAI__RESPONSESDEPLOYMENTNAME }}
       AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT: ${{ vars.AZUREOPENAI__ENDPOINT }}
@@ -139,10 +89,67 @@ jobs:
         timeout-minutes: 10
         run: uv run poe all-tests -n logical --dist loadfile --dist worksteal --timeout 300 --retries 3 --retry-delay 10
         working-directory: ./python
-      - name: Test azure samples
+      - name: Test core samples
         timeout-minutes: 10
         if: env.RUN_SAMPLES_TESTS == 'true'
-        run: uv run pytest tests/samples/ -m "azure-ai" -m "azure"
+        run: uv run pytest tests/samples/ -m "openai" -m "azure"
+        working-directory: ./python
+      - name: Surface failing tests
+        if: always()
+        uses: pmeier/pytest-results-action@v0.7.2
+        with:
+          path: ./python/**.xml
+          summary: true
+          display-options: fEX
+          fail-on-empty: false
+          title: Test results
+
+  python-tests-azure-ai:
+    name: Python Tests - Azure AI
+    needs: paths-filter
+    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' && needs.paths-filter.outputs.pythonChanges == 'true'
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    environment: ${{ matrix.environment }}
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: true
+      matrix:
+        python-version: ["3.10"]
+        os: [ubuntu-latest]
+        environment: ["integration"]
+    env:
+      UV_PYTHON: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+      AZURE_AI_PROJECT_ENDPOINT: ${{ secrets.AZUREAI__ENDPOINT }}
+      AZURE_AI_MODEL_DEPLOYMENT_NAME: ${{ vars.AZUREAI__DEPLOYMENTNAME }}
+      LOCAL_MCP_URL: ${{ vars.LOCAL_MCP__URL }}
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        working-directory: python
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+      - name: Set up python and install the project
+        id: python-setup
+        uses: ./.github/actions/python-setup
+        with:
+          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+          os: ${{ runner.os }}
+        env:
+          # Configure a constant location for the uv cache
+          UV_CACHE_DIR: /tmp/.uv-cache
+      - name: Azure CLI Login
+        if: github.event_name != 'pull_request'
+        uses: azure/login@v2
+        with:
+          client-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CLIENT_ID }}
+          tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
+          subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
+      - name: Test with pytest
+        timeout-minutes: 10
+        run: uv run poe azure-ai-tests -n logical --dist loadfile --dist worksteal --timeout 300 --retries 3 --retry-delay 10
+        working-directory: ./python
+      - name: Test Azure AI samples
+        timeout-minutes: 10
+        if: env.RUN_SAMPLES_TESTS == 'true'
+        run: uv run pytest tests/samples/ -m "azure-ai"
         working-directory: ./python
       - name: Surface failing tests
         if: always()
@@ -161,7 +168,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs:
       [
-        python-tests-main,
+        python-tests-core,
         python-tests-azure-ai
       ]
     steps:
diff --git a/python/pyproject.toml b/python/pyproject.toml
index 65f3aeab23..d25815da7e 100644
--- a/python/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/pyproject.toml
@@ -252,6 +252,13 @@ pytest --import-mode=importlib
 packages/**/tests
 """
 
+[tool.poe.tasks.azure-ai-tests]
+cmd = """
+pytest --import-mode=importlib
+-n logical --dist loadfile --dist worksteal
+packages/azure-ai/tests
+"""
+
 [tool.poe.tasks.venv]
 cmd = "uv venv --clear --python $python"
 args = [{ name = "python", default = "3.13", options = ['-p', '--python'] }]