diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 42609866cf..78cb36bd02 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20.0)
 
 project(onnx-mlir)
 
-option(ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS "Build ONNX-MLIR test executables. If OFF, just generate build targets." ON)
+# Like in LLVM, default tests are off. Lit-tests are always on.
+option(ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS "Build ONNX-MLIR test executables. If OFF, just generate build targets." OFF)
 option(ONNX_MLIR_CCACHE_BUILD "Set to ON for a ccache enabled build." OFF)
 option(ONNX_MLIR_ENABLE_STABLEHLO "Enable StableHLO support." ON)
 option(ONNX_MLIR_ENABLE_WERROR "Enable warnings as errors." OFF)
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.onnx-mlir b/docker/Dockerfile.onnx-mlir
index f028ed29b3..0877c5e679 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.onnx-mlir
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.onnx-mlir
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ RUN LLVM_PROJECT_ROOT=${WORK_DIR}/llvm-project \
     && CC=clang CXX=clang++ \
        cmake -DMLIR_DIR=${LLVM_PROJECT_ROOT}/build/lib/cmake/mlir \
              -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+             -DONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=ON \
              -DLLVM_ENABLE_ASSERTIONS=ON \
              -DCMAKE_INSTALL_MESSAGE=NEVER \
              -DONNX_MLIR_ACCELERATORS=${ACCEL} .. \
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.onnx-mlir-dev b/docker/Dockerfile.onnx-mlir-dev
index 574737c1a9..4d595de1fb 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.onnx-mlir-dev
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.onnx-mlir-dev
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ RUN LLVM_PROJECT_ROOT=${WORK_DIR}/llvm-project \
     && CC=clang CXX=clang++ \
        cmake -DMLIR_DIR=${LLVM_PROJECT_ROOT}/build/lib/cmake/mlir \
              -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
+             -DONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=ON \
              -DONNX_MLIR_TEST_OPTLEVEL=0 \
              -DONNX_MLIR_ACCELERATORS=${ACCEL} .. \
 # Run the cppcheck scanner on s390x
diff --git a/docs/BuildOnLinuxOSX.md b/docs/BuildOnLinuxOSX.md
index d3917e6c9c..9824012751 100644
--- a/docs/BuildOnLinuxOSX.md
+++ b/docs/BuildOnLinuxOSX.md
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ This project uses lit ([LLVM's Integrated Tester](https://llvm.org/docs/CommandG
 
 To build ONNX-MLIR, use the following commands (maybe with additional `-DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS` argument described [below](#enable-cpu-optimizations)):
 
+To build a version with extended tests, keep the `-DONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=ON` line below.
+Note that the extended tests requires the installation of `onnx` via a pip install of `third_party/onnx`. To build a version without a dependence on `third_party/onnx`, remove the `-DONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=ON` line or set to `OFF`.
+The lightweight Literal tests are build regardless of this option.
+
 [same-as-file]: <> ({"ref": "utils/install-onnx-mlir.sh", "skip-doc": 2})
 ```bash
 git clone --recursive https://github.com/onnx/onnx-mlir.git
@@ -68,6 +72,7 @@ if [[ -z "$pythonLocation" ]]; then
   cmake -G Ninja \
         -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=/usr/bin/c++ \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+        -DONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=ON \
         -DLLVM_ENABLE_ASSERTIONS=ON \
         -DMLIR_DIR=${MLIR_DIR} \
         ..
@@ -75,6 +80,7 @@ else
   cmake -G Ninja \
         -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=/usr/bin/c++ \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+        -DONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=ON \
         -DLLVM_ENABLE_ASSERTIONS=ON \
         -DPython3_ROOT_DIR=$pythonLocation \
         -DMLIR_DIR=${MLIR_DIR} \
diff --git a/docs/BuildOnWindows.md b/docs/BuildOnWindows.md
index 2d1628aa1a..c359fe5c94 100644
--- a/docs/BuildOnWindows.md
+++ b/docs/BuildOnWindows.md
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@ call cmake --build . --config Release
 ```
 After the above commands succeed, an `onnx-mlir` executable should appear in the `Debug/bin` or `Release/bin` directory.
 
+To build a version with extended tests, add the `-DONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=ON` line above.
+Note that the extended tests requires the installation of `onnx` via a pip install of `third_party/onnx`. To build a version without a dependence on `third_party/onnx`, do not add the `-DONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=ON` line or set to `OFF`.
+The lightweight Literal tests are build regardless of this option.
+
 ### Trouble shooting build issues
 
 Check this [page](TestingHighLevel.md) for helpful hints.
diff --git a/docs/doc_check/CMakeLists.txt b/docs/doc_check/CMakeLists.txt
index 5012d5c1cd..f1ca28d94a 100644
--- a/docs/doc_check/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/docs/doc_check/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+if (NOT ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS)
+  set(EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ON)
+endif()
+
 set(check_cmd ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/check.py)
 
 add_custom_target(check-doc
diff --git a/test/accelerators/NNPA/CMakeLists.txt b/test/accelerators/NNPA/CMakeLists.txt
index 1d8d768d16..314ef55c7e 100644
--- a/test/accelerators/NNPA/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/accelerators/NNPA/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+if (NOT ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS)
+  set(EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ON)
+endif()
+
 add_custom_target(check-onnx-backend-numerical-nnpa)
 
 add_subdirectory(backend)
diff --git a/test/backend-cpp/CMakeLists.txt b/test/backend-cpp/CMakeLists.txt
index fe9793abcd..ccea7a1d27 100644
--- a/test/backend-cpp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/backend-cpp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+if (NOT ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS)
+  set(EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ON)
+endif()
+
 add_custom_target(backend-cpp)
 set_target_properties(backend-cpp PROPERTIES FOLDER "Tests")
 
diff --git a/test/backend/CMakeLists.txt b/test/backend/CMakeLists.txt
index cfc65f5716..dae585b292 100644
--- a/test/backend/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/backend/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+if (NOT ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS)
+  set(EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ON)
+endif()
+
 file(GENERATE
   OUTPUT ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/conftest.py
   INPUT ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/conftest.py
diff --git a/test/backend/common.py b/test/backend/common.py
index a9b077eae7..7e56f4ecb5 100644
--- a/test/backend/common.py
+++ b/test/backend/common.py
@@ -16,7 +16,15 @@
 import sys
 import os
 import ctypes
-import onnx
+
+try:
+    import onnx
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
+
 import subprocess
 import variables
 from variables import *
diff --git a/test/backend/inference_backend.py b/test/backend/inference_backend.py
index b13f25f177..5bf36404cd 100644
--- a/test/backend/inference_backend.py
+++ b/test/backend/inference_backend.py
@@ -18,8 +18,16 @@
 import base64
 import numpy as np
 import re
-import onnx
-import onnx.parser
+
+try:
+    import onnx
+    import onnx.parser
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
+
 import subprocess
 from onnx.backend.base import Device, DeviceType, Backend
 from onnx.backend.test import BackendTest
diff --git a/test/backend/onnxmlir_node_tests.py b/test/backend/onnxmlir_node_tests.py
index 9a63d34edc..864d3f767c 100644
--- a/test/backend/onnxmlir_node_tests.py
+++ b/test/backend/onnxmlir_node_tests.py
@@ -8,8 +8,16 @@
 ################################################################################
 
 import numpy as np
-import onnx
-import onnx.parser
+
+try:
+    import onnx
+    import onnx.parser
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
+
 from collections import namedtuple
 
 OnnxMlirNodeTestCase = namedtuple(
diff --git a/test/compilerlib/CMakeLists.txt b/test/compilerlib/CMakeLists.txt
index b5d0da143b..58acdeff8d 100644
--- a/test/compilerlib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/compilerlib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+if (NOT ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS)
+  set(EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ON)
+endif()
+
 add_onnx_mlir_executable(CompilerLibTest
   CompilerLibTest.cpp
 
diff --git a/test/mlir/CMakeLists.txt b/test/mlir/CMakeLists.txt
index 0e2408fcda..ab681d987e 100644
--- a/test/mlir/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/mlir/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+# Just like LLVM, ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=false does not disable lit tests.
+
 # Turn on lit test for specified accelerators even if the
 # accelerator code itself cannot be built.
 if (ONNX_MLIR_ACCELERATORS)
diff --git a/test/modellib/CMakeLists.txt b/test/modellib/CMakeLists.txt
index 338655b4cb..99270525f6 100644
--- a/test/modellib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/modellib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+if (NOT ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS)
+  set(EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ON)
+endif()
+
 add_onnx_mlir_library(ModelLib
   CategoryMapperModel.cpp
   ConvModel.cpp
diff --git a/test/numerical/CMakeLists.txt b/test/numerical/CMakeLists.txt
index 95cbd7d9f1..bb2b4c6269 100644
--- a/test/numerical/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/numerical/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+if (NOT ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS)
+  set(EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ON)
+endif()
+
 add_custom_target(numerical)
 set_target_properties(numerical PROPERTIES FOLDER "Tests")
 
diff --git a/test/perf/CMakeLists.txt b/test/perf/CMakeLists.txt
index 010a7882a1..ec5b13e8ac 100644
--- a/test/perf/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/perf/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+if (NOT ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS)
+  set(EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ON)
+endif()
+
 add_onnx_mlir_library(PerfLib
   PerfHelper.cpp
   EXCLUDE_FROM_OM_LIBS
diff --git a/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt b/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
index 849459b4c8..4e44bc6c8d 100644
--- a/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+if (NOT ONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS)
+  set(EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ON)
+endif()
+
 add_custom_target(unittest)
 set_target_properties(unittest PROPERTIES FOLDER "Tests")
 
diff --git a/utils/CheckONNXModel.py b/utils/CheckONNXModel.py
index 7b90165de9..9bf2bb2e69 100755
--- a/utils/CheckONNXModel.py
+++ b/utils/CheckONNXModel.py
@@ -37,7 +37,14 @@
 import os
 import sys
 import argparse
-import onnx
+
+try:
+    import onnx
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
 import time
 import signal
 import subprocess
diff --git a/utils/RunONNXModel.py b/utils/RunONNXModel.py
index 56c2b603cb..e878f20e4e 100755
--- a/utils/RunONNXModel.py
+++ b/utils/RunONNXModel.py
@@ -14,7 +14,14 @@
 import os
 import sys
 import argparse
-import onnx
+
+try:
+    import onnx
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
 import time
 import signal
 import subprocess
@@ -984,7 +991,14 @@ def run(self, outputname, input_feed, **kwargs):
             if args.verify.lower() == "onnxruntime":
                 input_model_path = args.model
                 # Reference backend by using onnxruntime.
-                import onnxruntime
+
+                try:
+                    import onnxruntime
+                except ImportError:
+                    print(
+                        "Failed to include the `onnxruntime` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+                    )
+                    exit(1)
 
                 input_feed = dict(zip(input_names, inputs))
                 print("Running inference using onnxruntime ...")
diff --git a/utils/gen_onnx_mlir.py b/utils/gen_onnx_mlir.py
index a32c931521..c74c442f4f 100755
--- a/utils/gen_onnx_mlir.py
+++ b/utils/gen_onnx_mlir.py
@@ -30,7 +30,14 @@
 from typing import Any, Text, Sequence, Dict, List, Type, Set, Tuple
 
 import pprint
-import onnx
+
+try:
+    import onnx
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
 
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
 parser.add_argument(
diff --git a/utils/install-onnx-mlir.sh b/utils/install-onnx-mlir.sh
index 789d1e4d54..eb8cd562ad 100755
--- a/utils/install-onnx-mlir.sh
+++ b/utils/install-onnx-mlir.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ if [[ -z "$pythonLocation" ]]; then
   cmake -G Ninja \
         -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=/usr/bin/c++ \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+        -DONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=ON \
         -DLLVM_ENABLE_ASSERTIONS=ON \
         -DMLIR_DIR=${MLIR_DIR} \
         ..
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ else
   cmake -G Ninja \
         -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=/usr/bin/c++ \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+        -DONNX_MLIR_BUILD_TESTS=ON \
         -DLLVM_ENABLE_ASSERTIONS=ON \
         -DPython3_ROOT_DIR=$pythonLocation \
         -DMLIR_DIR=${MLIR_DIR} \
diff --git a/utils/onnx2json.py b/utils/onnx2json.py
index 3f15a64859..1136a710da 100755
--- a/utils/onnx2json.py
+++ b/utils/onnx2json.py
@@ -10,7 +10,15 @@
 ################################################################################
 
 import argparse
-import onnx
+
+try:
+    import onnx
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
+
 from google.protobuf.json_format import MessageToJson
 
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
diff --git a/utils/onnx2text.py b/utils/onnx2text.py
index 831eeb8e9a..6663a27b66 100755
--- a/utils/onnx2text.py
+++ b/utils/onnx2text.py
@@ -10,7 +10,15 @@
 ################################################################################
 
 import argparse
-import onnx
+
+try:
+    import onnx
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
+
 import onnx.printer
 
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
diff --git a/utils/onnxExternalizeData.py b/utils/onnxExternalizeData.py
index 02b5bc3dc3..c301f1b0da 100755
--- a/utils/onnxExternalizeData.py
+++ b/utils/onnxExternalizeData.py
@@ -20,7 +20,15 @@
 ################################################################################
 
 import argparse
-import onnx
+
+try:
+    import onnx
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
+
 import os
 import sys
 
diff --git a/utils/onnxmlirrun.py b/utils/onnxmlirrun.py
index ae1332c68f..256c52d87d 100644
--- a/utils/onnxmlirrun.py
+++ b/utils/onnxmlirrun.py
@@ -3,7 +3,15 @@
 
 import os
 import sys
-import onnx
+
+try:
+    import onnx
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
+
 import time
 import signal
 import subprocess
diff --git a/utils/pre-onnx-mlir.py b/utils/pre-onnx-mlir.py
index 66a5ea4a2c..557540cf08 100644
--- a/utils/pre-onnx-mlir.py
+++ b/utils/pre-onnx-mlir.py
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@
   python pre-onnx-mlir add.onnx -v --no_convert
 """
 
-import onnx
+try:
+    import onnx
+except ImportError:
+    print(
+        "Failed to include the `onnx` package; please install to successfully use this script."
+    )
+    exit(1)
+
 import argparse
 from onnx import version_converter, helper