diff --git a/bindings/python/CMakeLists.txt b/bindings/python/CMakeLists.txt
index 2fe304a0dc..802514c485 100644
--- a/bindings/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/bindings/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ add_dependencies(packages python_package)
 
 if (NOT WIN32 AND NOT OPEN_FOR_IDE)
   add_fdbclient_test(
-    NAME fdbcli_tests
+    NAME single_process_fdbcli_tests
     COMMAND ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/bindings/python/tests/fdbcli_tests.py
             ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/fdbcli
             @CLUSTER_FILE@
@@ -92,4 +92,24 @@ if (NOT WIN32 AND NOT OPEN_FOR_IDE)
             @CLUSTER_FILE@
             5
             )
+  if (TARGET external_client) # external_client copies fdb_c to bindings/c/libfdb_c.so
+    add_fdbclient_test(
+    NAME single_process_external_client_fdbcli_tests
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/bindings/python/tests/fdbcli_tests.py
+            ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/fdbcli
+            @CLUSTER_FILE@
+            1
+            ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bindings/c/libfdb_c.so
+            )
+    add_fdbclient_test(
+    NAME multi_process_external_client_fdbcli_tests
+    PROCESS_NUMBER 5
+    TEST_TIMEOUT 120 # The test can take near to 1 minutes sometime, set timeout to 2 minutes to be safe
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/bindings/python/tests/fdbcli_tests.py
+            ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/fdbcli
+            @CLUSTER_FILE@
+            5
+            ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bindings/c/libfdb_c.so
+            )
+  endif()
 endif()
diff --git a/bindings/python/tests/fdbcli_tests.py b/bindings/python/tests/fdbcli_tests.py
index 0529443923..25511b7b33 100755
--- a/bindings/python/tests/fdbcli_tests.py
+++ b/bindings/python/tests/fdbcli_tests.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
+import os
 import subprocess
 import logging
 import functools
@@ -450,8 +451,14 @@ def wait_for_database_available(logger):
         time.sleep(1)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    # fdbcli_tests.py <path_to_fdbcli_binary> <path_to_fdb_cluster_file> <process_number>
-    assert len(sys.argv) == 4, "Please pass arguments: <path_to_fdbcli_binary> <path_to_fdb_cluster_file> <process_number>"
+    # fdbcli_tests.py <path_to_fdbcli_binary> <path_to_fdb_cluster_file> <process_number> [external_client_library_path]
+    assert len(sys.argv) == 4 or len(sys.argv) == 5, "Please pass arguments: <path_to_fdbcli_binary> <path_to_fdb_cluster_file> <process_number> [external_client_library_path]"
+    # set external client library
+    if len(sys.argv) == 5:
+        external_client_library_path = sys.argv[4]
+        # disable local client and use the external client library
+        os.environ['FDB_NETWORK_OPTION_DISABLE_LOCAL_CLIENT'] = ''
+        os.environ['FDB_NETWORK_OPTION_EXTERNAL_CLIENT_LIBRARY'] = external_client_library_path
     # shell command template
     command_template = [sys.argv[1], '-C', sys.argv[2], '--exec']
     # tests for fdbcli commands