diff --git a/packages/kbn-test/src/jest/run.ts b/packages/kbn-test/src/jest/run.ts
index f2592500beee..697402adf3dd 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-test/src/jest/run.ts
+++ b/packages/kbn-test/src/jest/run.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ declare global {
 
 export function runJest(configName = 'jest.config.js') {
   const argv = buildArgv(process.argv);
+  const devConfigName = 'jest.config.dev.js';
 
   const log = new ToolingLog({
     level: argv.verbose ? 'verbose' : 'info',
@@ -67,18 +68,25 @@ export function runJest(configName = 'jest.config.js') {
     log.verbose('commonTestFiles:', commonTestFiles);
 
     let configPath;
+    let devConfigPath;
 
     // sets the working directory to the cwd or the common
     // base directory of the provided test files
     let wd = testFilesProvided ? commonTestFiles : cwd;
 
+    devConfigPath = resolve(wd, devConfigName);
     configPath = resolve(wd, configName);
 
-    while (!existsSync(configPath)) {
+    while (!existsSync(configPath) && !existsSync(devConfigPath)) {
       wd = resolve(wd, '..');
+      devConfigPath = resolve(wd, devConfigName);
       configPath = resolve(wd, configName);
     }
 
+    if (existsSync(devConfigPath)) {
+      configPath = devConfigPath;
+    }
+
     log.verbose(`no config provided, found ${configPath}`);
     process.argv.push('--config', configPath);
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/jest.config.dev.js b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/jest.config.dev.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2162d85f4336
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/jest.config.dev.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+
+module.exports = {
+  preset: '@kbn/test',
+  rootDir: '../../../',
+  projects: [
+    '<rootDir>/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/*/jest.config.js',
+
+    '<rootDir>/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/*/jest.config.js',
+    '<rootDir>/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/*/jest.config.js',
+  ],
+};