diff --git a/eng/devices/android.cake b/eng/devices/android.cake
index 32496bbc145b..0077a33a9ff0 100644
--- a/eng/devices/android.cake
+++ b/eng/devices/android.cake
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ const int DefaultApiLevel = 30;
 
 Information("Local Dotnet: {0}", localDotnet);
 
+if (EnvironmentVariable("JAVA_HOME") == null)
+{
+	throw new Exception("JAVA_HOME environment variable isn't set. Set it to your JDK installation (e.g. \"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Android\\openjdk\\jdk-17.0.8.101-hotspot\\bin\").");
+}
+
 string DEFAULT_ANDROID_PROJECT = "../../src/Controls/tests/TestCases.Android.Tests/Controls.TestCases.Android.Tests.csproj";
 var projectPath = Argument("project", EnvironmentVariable("ANDROID_TEST_PROJECT") ?? DEFAULT_ANDROID_PROJECT);
 var testDevice = Argument("device", EnvironmentVariable("ANDROID_TEST_DEVICE") ?? $"android-emulator-64_{DefaultApiLevel}");
@@ -65,7 +70,12 @@ Setup(context =>
 
 Teardown(context =>
 {
-	CleanUpVirtualDevice(emulatorProcess, avdSettings);
+	// For the uitest-prepare target, just leave the virtual device running
+	if (! string.Equals(TARGET, "uitest-prepare", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+	{
+		CleanUpVirtualDevice(emulatorProcess, avdSettings);
+	}
+
 });
 
 Task("boot");
@@ -91,7 +101,14 @@ Task("uitest-build")
 		ExecuteBuildUITestApp(testAppProjectPath, testDevice, binlogDirectory, configuration, targetFramework, "", dotnetToolPath);
 	});
 
+Task("uitest-prepare")
+	.Does(() =>
+	{
+		ExecutePrepareUITests(projectPath, testAppProjectPath, testAppPackageName, testDevice, testResultsPath, binlogDirectory, configuration, targetFramework, "", androidVersion, dotnetToolPath, testAppInstrumentation);
+	});
+
 Task("uitest")
+	.IsDependentOn("uitest-prepare")
 	.Does(() =>
 	{
 		ExecuteUITests(projectPath, testAppProjectPath, testAppPackageName, testDevice, testResultsPath, binlogDirectory, configuration, targetFramework, "", androidVersion, dotnetToolPath, testAppInstrumentation);
@@ -265,10 +282,11 @@ void ExecuteBuildUITestApp(string appProject, string device, string binDir, stri
 	Information("UI Test app build completed.");
 }
 
-void ExecuteUITests(string project, string app, string appPackageName, string device, string resultsDir, string binDir, string config, string tfm, string rid, string ver, string toolPath, string instrumentation)
+void ExecutePrepareUITests(string project, string app, string appPackageName, string device, string resultsDir, string binDir, string config, string tfm, string rid, string ver, string toolPath, string instrumentation)
 {
 	string platform = "android";
-	Information("Starting UI Tests...");
+	Information("Preparing UI Tests...");
+
 	var testApp = GetTestApplications(app, device, config, tfm, "").FirstOrDefault();
 
 	if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(testApp))
@@ -295,7 +313,11 @@ void ExecuteUITests(string project, string app, string appPackageName, string de
 	Information($"Results Directory: {resultsDir}");
 
 	InstallApk(testApp, appPackageName, resultsDir, deviceSkin);
+}
 
+void ExecuteUITests(string project, string app, string appPackageName, string device, string resultsDir, string binDir, string config, string tfm, string rid, string ver, string toolPath, string instrumentation)
+{
+	string platform = "android";
 	Information("Build UITests project {0}", project);
 
 	var name = System.IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(project);
@@ -442,7 +464,7 @@ void HandleVirtualDevice(AndroidEmulatorToolSettings emuSettings, AndroidAvdMana
 		catch { }
 
 		// create the new AVD
-		Information("Creating AVD: {0}...", avdName);
+		Information("Creating AVD: {0} ({1})...", avdName, avdImage);
 		AndroidAvdCreate(avdName, avdImage, avdSkin, force: true, settings: avdSettings);
 
 		// start the emulator
diff --git a/eng/devices/devices-shared.cake b/eng/devices/devices-shared.cake
index 87c3a3e89ac2..42c61bffd3ba 100644
--- a/eng/devices/devices-shared.cake
+++ b/eng/devices/devices-shared.cake
@@ -21,13 +21,9 @@ string TARGET = Argument("target", "Test");
 string DEFAULT_PROJECT = "";
 string DEFAULT_APP_PROJECT = "";
 
-if (string.Equals(TARGET, "uitest", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
-{
-    DEFAULT_PROJECT = "../../src/Controls/tests/TestCases.Shared.Tests/Controls.TestCases.Shared.Tests.csproj";
-    DEFAULT_APP_PROJECT = "../../src/Controls/tests/TestCases.HostApp/Controls.TestCases.HostApp.csproj";
-}
 
-if (string.Equals(TARGET, "uitest-build", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+// "uitest", "uitest-build", and "uitest-prepare" all trigger this case
+if (TARGET.StartsWith("uitest", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
 {
     DEFAULT_PROJECT = "../../src/Controls/tests/TestCases.Shared.Tests/Controls.TestCases.Shared.Tests.csproj";
     DEFAULT_APP_PROJECT = "../../src/Controls/tests/TestCases.HostApp/Controls.TestCases.HostApp.csproj";
diff --git a/eng/devices/ios.cake b/eng/devices/ios.cake
index 044bc11b228c..089017b5089f 100644
--- a/eng/devices/ios.cake
+++ b/eng/devices/ios.cake
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ Setup(context =>
 
 Teardown(context => 
 {
-	if (!deviceBoot || targetBoot)
+	if (!deviceBoot || targetBoot || string.Equals(TARGET, "uitest-prepare", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
 	{
 		return;
 	}
@@ -99,11 +99,17 @@ Task("uitest-build")
 		ExecuteBuildUITestApp(testAppProjectPath, testDevice, binlogDirectory, configuration, targetFramework, runtimeIdentifier, dotnetToolPath);
 	});
 
+Task("uitest-prepare")
+	.Does(() =>
+	{
+		ExecutePrepareUITests(projectPath, testAppProjectPath, testDevice, testResultsPath, binlogDirectory, configuration, targetFramework, runtimeIdentifier, iosVersion, dotnetToolPath);
+	});
+
 Task("uitest")
+	.IsDependentOn("uitest-prepare")
 	.Does(() =>
 	{
 		ExecuteUITests(projectPath, testAppProjectPath, testDevice, testResultsPath, binlogDirectory, configuration, targetFramework, runtimeIdentifier, iosVersion, dotnetToolPath);
-
 	});
 
 Task("cg-uitest")
@@ -203,15 +209,14 @@ void ExecuteTests(string project, string device, string resultsDir, string confi
 	Information("Testing completed.");
 }
 
-void ExecuteUITests(string project, string app, string device, string resultsDir, string binDir, string config, string tfm, string rid, string ver, string toolPath)
+void ExecutePrepareUITests(string project, string app, string device, string resultsDir, string binDir, string config, string tfm, string rid, string ver, string toolPath)
 {
-	Information("Starting UI Tests...");
+	Information("Preparing UI Tests...");
 	var testApp = GetTestApplications(app, device, config, tfm, rid).FirstOrDefault();
 
 	Information($"Testing Device: {device}");
 	Information($"Testing App Project: {app}");
 	Information($"Testing App: {testApp}");
-	Information($"Results Directory: {resultsDir}");
 
 	if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(testApp))
 	{
@@ -219,6 +224,11 @@ void ExecuteUITests(string project, string app, string device, string resultsDir
 	}
 
 	InstallIpa(testApp, "", device, resultsDir, ver, toolPath);
+}
+
+void ExecuteUITests(string project, string app, string device, string resultsDir, string binDir, string config, string tfm, string rid, string ver, string toolPath)
+{
+	Information($"Results Directory: {resultsDir}");
 
 	Information("Build UITests project {0}", project);
 
diff --git a/src/Controls/tests/TestCases.Shared.Tests/UITest.cs b/src/Controls/tests/TestCases.Shared.Tests/UITest.cs
index 267236295bb7..cddd49b7013b 100644
--- a/src/Controls/tests/TestCases.Shared.Tests/UITest.cs
+++ b/src/Controls/tests/TestCases.Shared.Tests/UITest.cs
@@ -127,18 +127,18 @@ but both can happen.
 				switch (_testDevice)
 				{
 					case TestDevice.Android:
-						if (deviceName == "Nexus 5X")
-						{
-							environmentName = "android";
-						}
-						else
+						environmentName = "android";
+						var deviceApiLevel = (long)((AppiumApp)App).Driver.Capabilities.GetCapability("deviceApiLevel");
+						var deviceScreenSize = (string)((AppiumApp)App).Driver.Capabilities.GetCapability("deviceScreenSize");
+						var deviceScreenDensity = (long)((AppiumApp)App).Driver.Capabilities.GetCapability("deviceScreenDensity");
+
+						if (! (deviceApiLevel == 30 && deviceScreenSize == "1080x1920" && deviceScreenDensity == 420))
 						{
-							Assert.Fail($"Android visual tests should be run on an Nexus 5X (API 30) emulator image, but the current device is '{deviceName}'. Follow the steps on the MAUI UI testing wiki.");
+							Assert.Fail($"Android visual tests should be run on an API30 emulator image with 1080x1920 420dpi screen, but the current device is API {deviceApiLevel} with a {deviceScreenSize} {deviceScreenDensity}dpi screen. Follow the steps on the MAUI UI testing wiki to launch the Android emulator with the right image.");
 						}
 						break;
 
 					case TestDevice.iOS:
-
 						var platformVersion = (string)((AppiumApp)App).Driver.Capabilities.GetCapability("platformVersion");
 						var device = (string)((AppiumApp)App).Driver.Capabilities.GetCapability("deviceName");
 
@@ -152,7 +152,6 @@ but both can happen.
 						}
 						else
 						{
-
 							Assert.Fail($"iOS visual tests should be run on iPhone Xs (iOS 17.2) or iPhone X (iOS 16.4) simulator images, but the current device is '{deviceName}'. Follow the steps on the MAUI UI testing wiki.");
 						}
 						break;