diff --git a/pkg/e2e/compose_run_build_once_test.go b/pkg/e2e/compose_run_build_once_test.go
index c891ca0f9..a78440986 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/compose_run_build_once_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/compose_run_build_once_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 package e2e
 
 import (
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -32,11 +35,11 @@ func TestRunBuildOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	c := NewParallelCLI(t)
 
 	t.Run("dependency with pull_policy build is built only once", func(t *testing.T) {
-		projectName := "e2e-run-build-once-single"
+		projectName := randomProjectName("build-once")
 		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once.yaml", "down", "--rmi", "local", "--remove-orphans")
 		res.Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 
-		res = c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once.yaml", "run", "--rm", "curl")
+		res = c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once.yaml", "run", "--build", "--rm", "curl")
 		res.Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 
 		// Count how many times nginx was built by looking for its unique RUN command output
@@ -50,11 +53,11 @@ func TestRunBuildOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("nested dependencies build only once each", func(t *testing.T) {
-		projectName := "e2e-run-build-once-nested"
+		projectName := randomProjectName("build-nested")
 		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-nested.yaml", "down", "--rmi", "local", "--remove-orphans")
 		res.Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 
-		res = c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-nested.yaml", "run", "--rm", "app")
+		res = c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-nested.yaml", "run", "--build", "--rm", "app")
 		res.Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 
 		output := res.Combined()
@@ -73,11 +76,11 @@ func TestRunBuildOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("service with no dependencies builds once", func(t *testing.T) {
-		projectName := "e2e-run-build-once-no-deps"
+		projectName := randomProjectName("build-simple")
 		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-no-deps.yaml", "down", "--rmi", "local", "--remove-orphans")
 		res.Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 
-		res = c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-no-deps.yaml", "run", "--rm", "simple")
+		res = c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-no-deps.yaml", "run", "--build", "--rm", "simple")
 		res.Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 
 		// Should build exactly once
@@ -88,3 +91,11 @@ func TestRunBuildOnce(t *testing.T) {
 		c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-no-deps.yaml", "down", "--remove-orphans")
 	})
 }
+
+// randomProjectName generates a unique project name for parallel test execution
+// Format: prefix-<8 random hex chars> (e.g., "build-once-3f4a9b2c")
+func randomProjectName(prefix string) string {
+	b := make([]byte, 4) // 4 bytes = 8 hex chars
+	rand.Read(b)         //nolint:errcheck
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s", prefix, hex.EncodeToString(b))
+}