diff --git a/.claude/skills/test/SKILL.md b/.claude/skills/test/SKILL.md
index bdef12364f3..7e6ddd37294 100644
--- a/.claude/skills/test/SKILL.md
+++ b/.claude/skills/test/SKILL.md
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ Determine the Gradle test task:
 
 | Module Pattern | Test Task |
 |---------------|-----------|
-| `sentry-android-*` | `testDebugUnitTest` |
-| `sentry-compose*` | `testDebugUnitTest` |
-| `*-android` | `testDebugUnitTest` |
+| `sentry-android-*` | `testReleaseUnitTest` |
+| `sentry-compose*` | `testReleaseUnitTest` |
+| `*-android` | `testReleaseUnitTest` |
 | Everything else | `test` |
 
 **Interactive mode:** Before running, read the test class file and use AskUserQuestion to ask:
diff --git a/.cursor/rules/coding.mdc b/.cursor/rules/coding.mdc
index fbcda27b120..70ac39e43a2 100644
--- a/.cursor/rules/coding.mdc
+++ b/.cursor/rules/coding.mdc
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ sentry-java is the Java and Android SDK for Sentry. This repository contains the
 ./gradlew check
 
 # Run unit tests for a specific file
-./gradlew ':<module>:testDebugUnitTest' --tests="*<file name>*" --info
+./gradlew ':<module>:testReleaseUnitTest' --tests="*<file name>*" --info
 ```
 
 ## Contributing Guidelines
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index ec2ef62974c..de4e29376ad 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ The project uses **Gradle** with Kotlin DSL. Key build files:
 ### Testing
 ```bash
 # Run unit tests for a specific file
-./gradlew ':<module>:testDebugUnitTest' --tests="*<file name>*" --info
+./gradlew ':<module>:testReleaseUnitTest' --tests="*<file name>*" --info
 
 # Run system tests (requires Python virtual env)
 make systemTest
 
 # Run specific test suites
-./gradlew :sentry-android-core:testDebugUnitTest
+./gradlew :sentry-android-core:testReleaseUnitTest
 ./gradlew :sentry:test
 ```
 
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/java/Config.kt b/buildSrc/src/main/java/Config.kt
index 7575670a38a..09d2869988b 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/java/Config.kt
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/java/Config.kt
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ object Config {
     object Android {
         val abiFilters = listOf("x86", "armeabi-v7a", "x86_64", "arm64-v8a")
 
+        // Debug variants are disabled everywhere. Unit tests run against the release
+        // variant, so building the debug variant would only add overhead.
         fun shouldSkipDebugVariant(name: String?): Boolean {
-            return System.getenv("CI")?.toBoolean() ?: false && name == "debug"
+            return name == "debug"
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/sentry-android-core/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-android-core/build.gradle.kts
index f92876530fd..23248d6dae4 100644
--- a/sentry-android-core/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-android-core/build.gradle.kts
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ android {
     getByName("release") { consumerProguardFiles("proguard-rules.pro") }
   }
 
-  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. CI disables the debug
-  // variant, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
+  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. The debug variant is
+  // disabled, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
   testBuildType = "release"
 
   kotlin { compilerOptions.jvmTarget = JVM_1_8 }
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ tasks.withType<JavaCompile>().configureEach {
 // outputs so Gradle's build cache restores them on cache hits (otherwise the CLI upload step
 // finds an empty directory).
 tasks
-  .matching { it.name == "testDebugUnitTest" || it.name == "testReleaseUnitTest" }
+  .matching { it.name == "testReleaseUnitTest" }
   .configureEach { outputs.dir(layout.buildDirectory.dir("test-snapshots")) }
 
 dependencies {
diff --git a/sentry-android-distribution/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-android-distribution/build.gradle.kts
index 363bce003f4..c699c364c3b 100644
--- a/sentry-android-distribution/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-android-distribution/build.gradle.kts
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ android {
   defaultConfig { minSdk = libs.versions.minSdk.get().toInt() }
   buildFeatures { buildConfig = false }
 
-  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. CI disables the debug
-  // variant, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
+  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. The debug variant is
+  // disabled, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
   testBuildType = "release"
 
   testOptions {
diff --git a/sentry-android-fragment/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-android-fragment/build.gradle.kts
index 197c0b05d6a..3ef1c1934f8 100644
--- a/sentry-android-fragment/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-android-fragment/build.gradle.kts
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ android {
     getByName("release") { consumerProguardFiles("proguard-rules.pro") }
   }
 
-  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. CI disables the debug
-  // variant, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
+  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. The debug variant is
+  // disabled, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
   testBuildType = "release"
 
   kotlin {
diff --git a/sentry-android-navigation/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-android-navigation/build.gradle.kts
index 5ac9842548f..6c1aa62a57d 100644
--- a/sentry-android-navigation/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-android-navigation/build.gradle.kts
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ android {
     getByName("release") { consumerProguardFiles("proguard-rules.pro") }
   }
 
-  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. CI disables the debug
-  // variant, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
+  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. The debug variant is
+  // disabled, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
   testBuildType = "release"
 
   kotlin {
diff --git a/sentry-android-ndk/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-android-ndk/build.gradle.kts
index ba651da56ac..6867d964124 100644
--- a/sentry-android-ndk/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-android-ndk/build.gradle.kts
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ android {
     getByName("release") { consumerProguardFiles("proguard-rules.pro") }
   }
 
-  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. CI disables the debug
-  // variant, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
+  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. The debug variant is
+  // disabled, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
   testBuildType = "release"
 
   kotlin { compilerOptions.jvmTarget = org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.JvmTarget.JVM_1_8 }
diff --git a/sentry-android-replay/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-android-replay/build.gradle.kts
index 02f2dab3d4d..45838cb1e1b 100644
--- a/sentry-android-replay/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-android-replay/build.gradle.kts
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ android {
     getByName("release") { consumerProguardFiles("proguard-rules.pro") }
   }
 
-  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. CI disables the debug
-  // variant, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
+  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. The debug variant is
+  // disabled, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
   testBuildType = "release"
 
   kotlin {
diff --git a/sentry-android-sqlite/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-android-sqlite/build.gradle.kts
index e1e3bc68765..9cf09fd76fd 100644
--- a/sentry-android-sqlite/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-android-sqlite/build.gradle.kts
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ android {
     getByName("release") { consumerProguardFiles("proguard-rules.pro") }
   }
 
-  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. CI disables the debug
-  // variant, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
+  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. The debug variant is
+  // disabled, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
   testBuildType = "release"
 
   kotlin {
diff --git a/sentry-android-timber/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-android-timber/build.gradle.kts
index e55b8b0e3c5..3c8ac1ea1e4 100644
--- a/sentry-android-timber/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-android-timber/build.gradle.kts
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ android {
     getByName("release") { consumerProguardFiles("proguard-rules.pro") }
   }
 
-  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. CI disables the debug
-  // variant, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
+  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. The debug variant is
+  // disabled, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
   testBuildType = "release"
 
   kotlin {
diff --git a/sentry-compose/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-compose/build.gradle.kts
index 388bfe832bb..4ebd9349662 100644
--- a/sentry-compose/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-compose/build.gradle.kts
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ android {
     getByName("release") { consumerProguardFiles("proguard-rules.pro") }
   }
 
-  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. CI disables the debug
-  // variant, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
+  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. The debug variant is
+  // disabled, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
   testBuildType = "release"
 
   testOptions {
diff --git a/sentry-launchdarkly-android/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-launchdarkly-android/build.gradle.kts
index 32b3641203f..f201c57b97d 100644
--- a/sentry-launchdarkly-android/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-launchdarkly-android/build.gradle.kts
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ android {
     getByName("release") { consumerProguardFiles("proguard-rules.pro") }
   }
 
-  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. CI disables the debug
-  // variant, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
+  // AGP 9 only generates unit tests for the testBuildType. The debug variant is
+  // disabled, so unit tests must target release to run at all.
   testBuildType = "release"
 
   kotlin { compilerOptions.jvmTarget = org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.JvmTarget.JVM_1_8 }
diff --git a/sentry-samples/sentry-samples-android/build.gradle.kts b/sentry-samples/sentry-samples-android/build.gradle.kts
index f994081450d..0cc78a38f77 100644
--- a/sentry-samples/sentry-samples-android/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sentry-samples/sentry-samples-android/build.gradle.kts
@@ -133,10 +133,6 @@ android {
 
   kotlin { compilerOptions.jvmTarget = org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.JvmTarget.JVM_11 }
 
-  androidComponents.beforeVariants {
-    it.enable = !Config.Android.shouldSkipDebugVariant(it.buildType)
-  }
-
   androidComponents.onVariants { variant ->
     variant.buildConfigFields?.put(
       "USE_SAGP",