diff --git a/backends/arm/scripts/build_executorch.sh b/backends/arm/scripts/build_executorch.sh
index 5ac2674f964..56e75299d7a 100755
--- a/backends/arm/scripts/build_executorch.sh
+++ b/backends/arm/scripts/build_executorch.sh
@@ -96,8 +96,10 @@ cmake_args=(
     -DEXECUTORCH_BUILD_DEVTOOLS=${build_devtools}
     -DEXECUTORCH_BUILD_ARM_ETDUMP=${build_with_etdump}
     -DEXECUTORCH_BAREMETAL_SKIP_INSTALL=OFF
-    "${extra_cmake_args[@]}"
 )
+if ((${#extra_cmake_args[@]})); then
+      cmake_args+=("${extra_cmake_args[@]}")
+fi
 
 if [[ -n "${target_cpu}" ]]; then
     cmake_args+=(-DTARGET_CPU=${target_cpu})
diff --git a/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh b/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh
index be48d7ad234..1cb9e135d00 100755
--- a/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh
+++ b/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh
@@ -302,11 +302,41 @@ test_deit_e2e_ethos_u() {
 test_model_smollm2_135M() {
     echo "${TEST_SUITE_NAME}: Test SmolLM2-135M on Ethos-U85"
 
-    # Build common libs once
-    python3 backends/arm/test/test_model.py --test_output=arm_test/test_model --build_libs
-
-    python3 backends/arm/test/test_model.py --test_output=arm_test/test_model --target=ethos-u85-128 --model=smollm2 --extra_flags="-DEXECUTORCH_SELECT_OPS_LIST=dim_order_ops::_to_dim_order_copy.out" --specify_ethosu_scratch
+    backends/arm/scripts/build_executorch.sh
 
+    # Build pte for smollm2
+    python3 -m extension.llm.export.export_llm \
+        base.model_class=smollm2 \
+        base.params=examples/models/smollm2/135M_config.json \
+        debug.verbose=True model.enable_dynamic_shape=False quantization.pt2e_quantize="ethosu_8a8w" \
+        backend.ethosu.enabled=True backend.ethosu.target="ethos-u85-256" backend.ethosu.memory_mode=Dedicated_Sram_384KB
+
+    # Build the arm_executor_runner application, pre-loading the pte in the DDR for faster linking
+    local pte_addr="0x76000000"
+    backends/arm/scripts/build_executor_runner.sh \
+      --et_build_root="${et_root_dir}/arm_test" \
+      --pte="${pte_addr}" \
+      --build_type=Release \
+      --target=ethos-u85-256 \
+      --system_config=Ethos_U85_SYS_DRAM_Mid \
+      --memory_mode=Dedicated_Sram_384KB \
+      --ethosu_tools_dir="${scratch_dir}" \
+      --toolchain=arm-none-eabi-gcc \
+      --extra_build_flags="-DET_ARM_BAREMETAL_SCRATCH_TEMP_ALLOCATOR_POOL_SIZE=0x20000" \
+      --select_ops_list="dim_order_ops::_to_dim_order_copy.out" 
+
+
+    # Deploy the application on the FVP in fast mode
+    FVP_Corstone_SSE-320 -C mps4_board.subsystem.ethosu.num_macs=256 \
+        -C mps4_board.visualisation.disable-visualisation=1 \
+        -C vis_hdlcd.disable_visualisation=1 \
+        -C mps4_board.telnetterminal0.start_telnet=0 \
+        -C mps4_board.uart0.out_file='-' \
+        -C mps4_board.uart0.shutdown_on_eot=1 \
+        -a "${et_root_dir}"/arm_test/ethos-u85-256_${pte_addr}/cmake-out/arm_executor_runner \
+        -C mps4_board.subsystem.ethosu.extra_args="--fast" \
+        --data smollm2.pte@"${pte_addr}"
+    
     echo "${TEST_SUITE_NAME}: PASS"
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/arm/executor_runner/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/arm/executor_runner/CMakeLists.txt
index d84947a75ad..88050a2ae77 100644
--- a/examples/arm/executor_runner/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/arm/executor_runner/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -349,7 +349,6 @@ elseif(FOUND_OPS_IN_FILE)
     "gen_oplist:  EXECUTORCH_SELECT_OPS_MODEL=${ET_PTE_FILE_PATH} is used to auto generate ops from"
   )
 else()
-  set(EXECUTORCH_SELECT_OPS_LIST "")
   set(EXECUTORCH_SELECT_OPS_MODEL "")
   message(
     "gen_oplist: No non delagated ops was found in ${ET_PTE_FILE_PATH} no ops added to build"
diff --git a/examples/arm/run.sh b/examples/arm/run.sh
index cfbcae2dbad..3ef4b0b829b 100755
--- a/examples/arm/run.sh
+++ b/examples/arm/run.sh
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ configure_ethosu_scratch_if_requested() {
         return
     fi
     local scratch_size
-    scratch_size=$(get_ethosu_scratch_size "$pte_path" || true)
+    scratch_size=$(get_ethosu_scratch_size "$pte_path" | tail -n 1)
     if [[ -z "${scratch_size}" ]]; then
         echo "WARNING: Failed to derive Ethos-U scratch size from ${pte_path}" >&2
         return