diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull.yml b/.github/workflows/pull.yml
index dca55ee5d24..a8825733c36 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull.yml
@@ -796,6 +796,11 @@ jobs:
           exit 1
         fi
 
+        # Run a minimal image on the FVP to check the build actually executes
+        if [[ ${{ matrix.os }} == "bare_metal" ]]; then
+          backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh test_minimal_classic_ml_cortex_m55
+        fi
+
   test-mcu-cortex-m-backend:
     needs: docker-image
     name: test-mcu-cortex-m-backend
diff --git a/backends/arm/scripts/run_fvp.sh b/backends/arm/scripts/run_fvp.sh
index 7fe87676883..57f1c7eab4c 100755
--- a/backends/arm/scripts/run_fvp.sh
+++ b/backends/arm/scripts/run_fvp.sh
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ help() {
     echo "Options:"
     echo "  --elf=<ELF_FILE>         elf file to run"
     echo "  --data=<FILE>@<ADDRESS>  Place a file in memory at this address, useful to emulate a PTE flashed into memory instead as part of the code."
-    echo "  --bundle=<BPTE_FILE>     Bundled program (.bpte) to load via semihosting. Required for cortex-m targets; the FVP launches a semihosting executor_runner that reads the bundle from the host filesystem and checks the embedded reference outputs."
+    echo "  --bundle=<BPTE_FILE>     Bundled program (.bpte) to load via semihosting for cortex-m targets; the FVP launches a semihosting executor_runner that reads the bundle from the host filesystem and checks the embedded reference outputs. Optional; without it the ELF is run directly."
     echo "  --target=<TARGET>        Target to build and run for Default: ${target}"
     echo "  --timeout=<TIME_IN_SEC>  Maximum target runtime, used to detect hanging, might need to be higer on large models Default: ${timeout}"
     echo "  --etrecord=<FILE>        If ETDump is used you can supply a ETRecord file matching the PTE"
@@ -185,9 +185,7 @@ if [[ -n "${semihosting_cmd_line}" ]]; then
     )
 fi
 
-if [[ ${target} == cortex-m* ]]; then
-    [[ -z "${bundle_file}" ]] \
-        && { echo "[${BASH_SOURCE[0]}] --bundle=<BPTE_FILE> is required for cortex-m targets"; exit 1; }
+if [[ ${target} == cortex-m* && -n "${bundle_file}" ]]; then
     bundle_file=$(realpath "${bundle_file}")
     bundle_dir=$(dirname "${bundle_file}")
     bundle_name=$(basename "${bundle_file}")
@@ -221,7 +219,8 @@ if [[ ${target} == cortex-m* ]]; then
         rm "${log_file}"
         exit 1
     fi
-elif [[ ${target} == *"ethos-u55"* || ${target} == *"ethos-u65"* ]]; then
+elif [[ ${target} == *"ethos-u55"* || ${target} == *"ethos-u65"* \
+        || ( ${target} == cortex-m* && ${target} != cortex-m85* ) ]]; then
     run_simulation ${nobuf} ${fvp_model}                    \
         -C ethosu.num_macs=${num_macs}                      \
         -C mps3_board.visualisation.disable-visualisation=1 \
@@ -233,7 +232,7 @@ elif [[ ${target} == *"ethos-u55"* || ${target} == *"ethos-u65"* ]]; then
         -a "${elf_file}"                                    \
         ${data_file}                                        \
         --timelimit ${timeout} # seconds
-elif [[ ${target} == *"ethos-u85"*  ]]; then
+elif [[ ${target} == *"ethos-u85"* || ${target} == cortex-m85* ]]; then
     run_simulation ${nobuf} ${fvp_model}                    \
         -C mps4_board.subsystem.ethosu.num_macs=${num_macs} \
         -C mps4_board.visualisation.disable-visualisation=1 \
diff --git a/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh b/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh
index 02e7aca1882..7c713b5e558 100755
--- a/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh
+++ b/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh
@@ -340,6 +340,38 @@ test_minimal_classic_ml_ethos_u55() {
     echo "${TEST_SUITE_NAME}: PASS"
 }
 
+test_minimal_classic_ml_cortex_m55() {
+    echo "${TEST_SUITE_NAME}: Test minimal classic ML runner on Cortex-M55"
+
+    local build_dir="${et_root_dir}/arm_test/minimal_classic_ml_cortex_m55"
+    local pte_path="${build_dir}/add.pte"
+    local fvp_log="${build_dir}/run_fvp.log"
+    mkdir -p "${build_dir}"
+
+    python3 -m backends.arm.scripts.aot_arm_compiler \
+        --model_name=add \
+        --target=cortex-m55 \
+        --intermediates="${build_dir}" \
+        --output="${pte_path}"
+
+    cmake \
+        -S examples/arm/minimal_classic_ml \
+        -B "${build_dir}" \
+        -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE="${et_root_dir}/examples/arm/ethos-u-setup/arm-none-eabi-gcc.cmake" \
+        -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+        -DET_PTE_FILE_PATH="${pte_path}"
+    cmake --build "${build_dir}" --target arm_classic_ml_runner -j"$(nproc)"
+
+    backends/arm/scripts/run_fvp.sh \
+        --elf="${build_dir}/arm_classic_ml_runner" \
+        --target=cortex-m55 | tee "${fvp_log}"
+    local fvp_status="${PIPESTATUS[0]}"
+    [[ "${fvp_status}" -eq 0 ]]
+    grep -Fq "Inference complete: 1 output(s)" "${fvp_log}"
+
+    echo "${TEST_SUITE_NAME}: PASS"
+}
+
 # ----------------------------------------------
 # -------- Arm Ethos-U85 specific tests --------
 # ----------------------------------------------