diff --git a/build/teamcity/cockroach/nightlies/random_syntax_tests_impl.sh b/build/teamcity/cockroach/nightlies/random_syntax_tests_impl.sh
index 48523b757e55..60d2e5ed197f 100755
--- a/build/teamcity/cockroach/nightlies/random_syntax_tests_impl.sh
+++ b/build/teamcity/cockroach/nightlies/random_syntax_tests_impl.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ set -xeuo pipefail
 
 dir="$(dirname $(dirname $(dirname $(dirname "${0}"))))"
 
-bazel build --config ci --config force_build_cdeps //c-deps:libgeos
 bazel build //pkg/cmd/bazci --config=ci
 BAZEL_BIN=$(bazel info bazel-bin --config=ci)
 exit_status=0
diff --git a/pkg/sql/tests/BUILD.bazel b/pkg/sql/tests/BUILD.bazel
index da20efc58fe3..7d14705fbaca 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/tests/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/pkg/sql/tests/BUILD.bazel
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@ go_test(
         "virtual_table_test.go",
     ],
     args = ["-test.timeout=3595s"],
-    data = glob(["testdata/**"]),
+    data = glob(["testdata/**"]) + [
+        "//c-deps:libgeos",  # keep
+    ],
     embed = [":tests"],
     shard_count = 16,
     deps = [