diff --git a/tools/jenkins/run_c_cpp_test.sh b/tools/jenkins/run_c_cpp_test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..afa2e780f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/jenkins/run_c_cpp_test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Copyright 2017, Google Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+# met:
+#
+#     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+# copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+# in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+# distribution.
+#     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+# contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+# this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+# OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+# This script is invoked by a Jenkins pull request job and executes all
+# args passed to this script if the pull request affect C/C++ code
+set -ex
+
+# Enter the gRPC repo root
+cd $(dirname $0)/../..
+
+AFFECTS_C_CPP=`python -c 'import os; \
+               import sys; \
+               sys.path.insert(0, "tools/run_tests/python_utils"); \
+               import filter_pull_request_tests as filter; \
+               github_target_branch = os.environ.get("ghprbTargetBranch"); \
+               print(filter.affects_c_cpp("origin/%s" % github_target_branch))'`
+
+if [ $AFFECTS_C_CPP == "False" ] ; then
+  echo "This pull request does not affect C/C++. Tests do not need to be run."
+else
+  $@
+fi
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/python_utils/filter_pull_request_tests.py b/tools/run_tests/python_utils/filter_pull_request_tests.py
index e0133762959..958eb569e01 100644
--- a/tools/run_tests/python_utils/filter_pull_request_tests.py
+++ b/tools/run_tests/python_utils/filter_pull_request_tests.py
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ _WHITELIST_DICT = {
   'setup\.py$': [_PYTHON_TEST_SUITE]
 }
 
+# Regex that combines all keys in _WHITELIST_DICT
+_ALL_TRIGGERS = "(" + ")|(".join(_WHITELIST_DICT.keys()) + ")"
+
 # Add all triggers to their respective test suites
 for trigger, test_suites in six.iteritems(_WHITELIST_DICT):
   for test_suite in test_suites:
@@ -169,6 +172,21 @@ def _remove_irrelevant_tests(tests, skippable_labels):
           test.labels[2] not in skippable_labels]
 
 
+def affects_c_cpp(base_branch):
+  """
+  Determines if a pull request's changes affect C/C++. This function exists because
+  there are pull request tests that only test C/C++ code
+  :param base_branch: branch that a pull request is requesting to merge into
+  :return: boolean indicating whether C/C++ changes are made in pull request
+  """
+  changed_files = _get_changed_files(base_branch)
+  # Run all tests if any changed file is not in the whitelist dictionary
+  for changed_file in changed_files:
+    if not re.match(_ALL_TRIGGERS, changed_file):
+      return True
+  return not _can_skip_tests(changed_files, _CPP_TEST_SUITE.triggers + _CORE_TEST_SUITE.triggers)
+
+
 def filter_tests(tests, base_branch):
   """
   Filters out tests that are safe to ignore
@@ -181,11 +199,9 @@ def filter_tests(tests, base_branch):
     print('  %s' % changed_file)
   print('')
 
-  # Regex that combines all keys in _WHITELIST_DICT
-  all_triggers = "(" + ")|(".join(_WHITELIST_DICT.keys()) + ")"
-  # Check if all tests have to be run
+  # Run all tests if any changed file is not in the whitelist dictionary
   for changed_file in changed_files:
-    if not re.match(all_triggers, changed_file):
+    if not re.match(_ALL_TRIGGERS, changed_file):
       return(tests)
   # Figure out which language and platform tests to run
   skippable_labels = []
@@ -196,4 +212,3 @@ def filter_tests(tests, base_branch):
         skippable_labels.append(label)
   tests = _remove_irrelevant_tests(tests, skippable_labels)
   return tests
-
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_tests_matrix.py b/tools/run_tests/run_tests_matrix.py
index c3c785936aa..a8e1774059d 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/run_tests_matrix.py
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_tests_matrix.py
@@ -368,6 +368,9 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
   argp.add_argument('-n', '--runs_per_test', default=1, type=_runs_per_test_type,
                     help='How many times to run each tests. >1 runs implies ' +
                     'omitting passing test from the output & reports.')
+  argp.add_argument('--max_time', default=-1, type=int,
+                    help='Maximum amount of time to run tests for' +
+                         '(other tests will be skipped)')
   args = argp.parse_args()
 
   extra_args = []
@@ -379,6 +382,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     extra_args.append('-n')
     extra_args.append('%s' % args.runs_per_test)
     extra_args.append('--quiet_success')
+  if args.max_time > 0:
+    extra_args.extend(('--max_time', '%d' % args.max_time))
 
   all_jobs = _create_test_jobs(extra_args=extra_args, inner_jobs=args.inner_jobs) + \
              _create_portability_test_jobs(extra_args=extra_args, inner_jobs=args.inner_jobs)