diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index dec65da720..4a6457bf33 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.17.2)
 
 project(VULKAN_TOOLS)
 
+add_subdirectory(scripts)
+
 set(API_NAME "Vulkan" CACHE STRING "API name")
 add_definitions(-DAPI_NAME="${API_NAME}")
 
@@ -9,26 +11,6 @@ add_definitions(-DVK_ENABLE_BETA_EXTENSIONS)
 
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 
-if (JSONCPP_INSTALL_DIR)
-    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${JSONCPP_INSTALL_DIR})
-endif()
-if (VULKAN_HEADERS_INSTALL_DIR)
-    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${VULKAN_HEADERS_INSTALL_DIR})
-endif()
-if (GOOGLETEST_INSTALL_DIR)
-    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${GOOGLETEST_INSTALL_DIR})
-endif()
-if (VALIJSON_INSTALL_DIR)
-    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${VALIJSON_INSTALL_DIR})
-endif()
-if (VULKAN_LOADER_INSTALL_DIR)
-    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${VULKAN_LOADER_INSTALL_DIR})
-endif()
-if (VULKAN_VALIDATIONLAYERS_INSTALL_DIR)
-    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${VULKAN_VALIDATIONLAYERS_INSTALL_DIR})
-endif()
-
-file(TO_CMAKE_PATH "${VULKAN_VALIDATIONLAYERS_INSTALL_DIR}" VULKAN_VALIDATIONLAYERS_INSTALL_DIR)
 set(Vulkan-ValidationLayers_INCLUDE_DIR "${VULKAN_VALIDATIONLAYERS_INSTALL_DIR}/include/vulkan")
 set(Vulkan-ValidationLayers_LIBRARY_DIR "${VULKAN_VALIDATIONLAYERS_INSTALL_DIR}/lib")
 find_library(VkLayer_utils_LIBRARY VkLayer_utils HINTS ${Vulkan-ValidationLayers_LIBRARY_DIR})
@@ -83,7 +65,6 @@ if (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Windows" OR
     CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Linux" OR
     CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "BSD")
 
-    option(BUILD_TESTS "Build tests" ON)
     option(BUILD_APIDUMP "Build api_dump layer" ON)
     option(BUILD_MONITOR "Build monitor layer" ON)
     option(BUILD_SCREENSHOT "Build screenshot layer" ON)
@@ -94,7 +75,6 @@ if (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Windows" OR
 elseif (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Darwin")
 
     option(BUILD_LOADER OFF)
-    option(BUILD_TESTS OFF)
     option(BUILD_APIDUMP "Build api_dump layer" ON)
     option(BUILD_MONITOR "Build monitor layer" ON)
     option(BUILD_SCREENSHOT "Build screenshot layer" ON)
@@ -105,6 +85,7 @@ elseif (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Darwin")
 
 endif()
 
+option(BUILD_TESTS "Build tests")
 if(BUILD_TESTS)
     enable_testing()
     add_subdirectory(tests)
diff --git a/scripts/CMakeLists.txt b/scripts/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..14db8c73db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+# ~~~
+# Copyright (c) 2023 LunarG, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+# ~~~
+
+option(UPDATE_DEPS "Run update_deps.py for user")
+if (UPDATE_DEPS)
+    find_package(Python3 REQUIRED QUIET)
+
+    set(update_dep_py "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/update_deps.py")
+    set(known_good_json "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/known_good.json")
+
+    set_property(DIRECTORY APPEND PROPERTY CMAKE_CONFIGURE_DEPENDS ${update_dep_py} ${known_good_json})
+
+    list(APPEND update_dep_command "${update_dep_py}")
+    list(APPEND update_dep_command "--generator")
+    list(APPEND update_dep_command "${CMAKE_GENERATOR}")
+
+    if (CMAKE_GENERATOR_PLATFORM)
+        list(APPEND update_dep_command "--arch")
+        list(APPEND update_dep_command "${CMAKE_GENERATOR_PLATFORM}")
+    endif()
+
+    if (NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+        message(WARNING "CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE not set. Using Debug for dependency build type")
+        set(_build_type Debug)
+    else()
+        set(_build_type ${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE})
+    endif()
+    list(APPEND update_dep_command "--config")
+    list(APPEND update_dep_command "${_build_type}")
+
+    set(UPDATE_DEPS_DIR_SUFFIX "${_build_type}")
+    if (CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING)
+        set(UPDATE_DEPS_DIR_SUFFIX "${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME}/${UPDATE_DEPS_DIR_SUFFIX}/${CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR}")
+    else()
+        math(EXPR bitness "8 * ${CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P}")
+        set(UPDATE_DEPS_DIR_SUFFIX "${UPDATE_DEPS_DIR_SUFFIX}/${bitness}")
+    endif()    
+    set(UPDATE_DEPS_DIR "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/external/${UPDATE_DEPS_DIR_SUFFIX}" CACHE PATH "Location where update_deps.py installs packages")
+    list(APPEND update_dep_command "--dir" )
+    list(APPEND update_dep_command "${UPDATE_DEPS_DIR}")
+
+    if (NOT BUILD_TESTS)
+        list(APPEND update_dep_command "--optional=tests")
+    endif()
+
+    if (UPDATE_DEPS_SKIP_EXISTING_INSTALL)
+        list(APPEND update_dep_command "--skip-existing-install")
+    endif()
+
+    list(APPEND cmake_vars "CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE")
+    if (ANDROID)
+        list(APPEND cmake_vars "ANDROID_PLATFORM" "CMAKE_ANDROID_ARCH_ABI" "CMAKE_ANDROID_STL_TYPE" "CMAKE_ANDROID_RTTI" "CMAKE_ANDROID_EXCEPTIONS" "ANDROID_USE_LEGACY_TOOLCHAIN_FILE")
+    endif()
+
+    set(cmake_var)
+    foreach(var IN LISTS cmake_vars)
+        if (DEFINED ${var})
+            list(APPEND update_dep_command "--cmake_var")
+            list(APPEND update_dep_command "${var}=${${var}}")
+        endif()
+    endforeach()
+
+    if (cmake_var)
+        list(APPEND update_dep_command "${cmake_var}")
+    endif()
+
+    file(TIMESTAMP ${update_dep_py} timestamp_1)
+    file(TIMESTAMP ${known_good_json} timestamp_2)
+
+    string("MD5" md5_hash "${timestamp_1}-${timestamp_2}-${update_dep_command}")
+
+    set(UPDATE_DEPS_HASH "0" CACHE STRING "Default value until we run update_deps.py")
+    mark_as_advanced(UPDATE_DEPS_HASH)
+
+    if ("${UPDATE_DEPS_HASH}" STREQUAL "0")
+        list(APPEND update_dep_command "--clean-build")
+        list(APPEND update_dep_command "--clean-install")
+    endif()
+
+    if ("${md5_hash}" STREQUAL $CACHE{UPDATE_DEPS_HASH})
+        message(DEBUG "update_deps.py: no work to do.")
+    else()
+        execute_process(
+            COMMAND ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} ${update_dep_command}
+            RESULT_VARIABLE _update_deps_result
+        )
+        if (NOT (${_update_deps_result} EQUAL 0))
+            message(FATAL_ERROR "Could not run update_deps.py which is necessary to download dependencies.")
+        endif()
+        set(UPDATE_DEPS_HASH ${md5_hash} CACHE STRING "Ensure we only run update_deps.py when we need to." FORCE)
+        include("${UPDATE_DEPS_DIR}/helper.cmake")
+    endif()
+endif()
+
+if (JSONCPP_INSTALL_DIR)
+    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${JSONCPP_INSTALL_DIR})
+endif()
+if (VULKAN_HEADERS_INSTALL_DIR)
+    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${VULKAN_HEADERS_INSTALL_DIR})
+endif()
+if (GOOGLETEST_INSTALL_DIR)
+    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${GOOGLETEST_INSTALL_DIR})
+endif()
+if (VALIJSON_INSTALL_DIR)
+    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${VALIJSON_INSTALL_DIR})
+endif()
+if (VULKAN_LOADER_INSTALL_DIR)
+    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${VULKAN_LOADER_INSTALL_DIR})
+endif()
+
+# TODO: Remove VVL as a dependency. Use the utility libraries.
+if (VULKAN_VALIDATIONLAYERS_INSTALL_DIR)
+    list(APPEND CMAKE_INCLUDE_PATH ${VULKAN_VALIDATIONLAYERS_INSTALL_DIR}/include/vulkan)
+    set(CMAKE_INCLUDE_PATH ${CMAKE_INCLUDE_PATH} PARENT_SCOPE)
+    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${VULKAN_VALIDATIONLAYERS_INSTALL_DIR})
+endif()
+
+if (CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING)
+    set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH ${CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH} ${CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH} PARENT_SCOPE)
+else()
+    set(CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH} PARENT_SCOPE)
+endif()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/github_ci_linux.py b/scripts/github_ci_linux.py
index 1e7bdc89c1..04b6d37146 100644
--- a/scripts/github_ci_linux.py
+++ b/scripts/github_ci_linux.py
@@ -63,23 +63,17 @@ def CreateBuildDirectory(dir_path):
 #
 # Prepare the tools for testing
 def BuildVT(args):
-
     print("Log CMake version")
     cmake_ver_cmd = 'cmake --version'
     RunShellCmd(cmake_ver_cmd)
 
-    print("Run update_deps.py for VT Repository")
-    update_cmd = 'python3 scripts/update_deps.py --dir %s --config %s --arch x64' % (EXTERNAL_DIR_NAME, args.configuration)
-    RunShellCmd(update_cmd)
-
-    CreateBuildDirectory(VT_BUILD_DIR)
     print("Run CMake")
-    cmake_cmd = 'cmake -C ../%s/helper.cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=%s ..' % (EXTERNAL_DIR_NAME, args.configuration.capitalize())
-    RunShellCmd(cmake_cmd, VT_BUILD_DIR)
+    cmake_cmd = f'cmake -S . -B {VT_BUILD_DIR} -D UPDATE_DEPS_DIR={EXTERNAL_DIR} -DUPDATE_DEPS=ON -DBUILD_TESTS=ON'
+    RunShellCmd(cmake_cmd)
 
     print("Build Vulkan Tools")
     os.chdir(VT_BUILD_DIR)
-    build_cmd = 'cmake --build . -- -j%s' % os.cpu_count()
+    build_cmd = f'cmake --build {VT_BUILD_DIR} --parallel {os.cpu_count()}'
     RunShellCmd(build_cmd, VT_BUILD_DIR)
 
     print("Run Vulkan Tools Tests")
diff --git a/scripts/github_ci_win.py b/scripts/github_ci_win.py
index bec319455a..d8d5325654 100644
--- a/scripts/github_ci_win.py
+++ b/scripts/github_ci_win.py
@@ -67,18 +67,14 @@ def CreateBuildDirectory(dir_path):
 def BuildVT(args):
     print("Build Configuration: %s %s" % (args.arch, args.configuration))
 
-    print("Run update_deps.py for VT Repository")
-    update_cmd = 'python3 scripts/update_deps.py --dir %s --config %s --arch %s' % (EXTERNAL_DIR_NAME, args.configuration.lower(), args.arch.lower())
-    RunShellCmd(update_cmd)
-
-    CreateBuildDirectory(VT_BUILD_DIR)
     print("Run CMake")
-    cmake_cmd = 'cmake -A %s -C ../%s/helper.cmake ..' % (args.arch, EXTERNAL_DIR_NAME)
-    RunShellCmd(cmake_cmd, VT_BUILD_DIR)
+    cmake_cmd = f'cmake -S . -B {VT_BUILD_DIR} -D UPDATE_DEPS_DIR={EXTERNAL_DIR} -DUPDATE_DEPS=ON -DBUILD_TESTS=ON '
+    cmake_cmd += f' -A {args.arch}'
+    RunShellCmd(cmake_cmd)
 
     print("Build Vulkan Tools")
     os.chdir(VT_BUILD_DIR)
-    build_cmd = 'cmake --build . --parallel %s' % os.cpu_count()
+    build_cmd = f'cmake --build {VT_BUILD_DIR} --config {args.configuration} --parallel {os.cpu_count()}'
     RunShellCmd(build_cmd, VT_BUILD_DIR)
 
     print("Run Vulkan Tools Tests")