diff --git a/.bazelrc b/.bazelrc
index 9e1354c3..c9ae3431 100644
--- a/.bazelrc
+++ b/.bazelrc
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ build --noenable_bzlmod
 # This is a mandatory flag.
 build --incompatible_default_to_explicit_init_py
 
+# Don't let local Python site packages leak into the build and cause problems
+common --action_env=PYTHONNOUSERSITE=1
+
 # All code will be compiled with C++17 flag.
 # Users can naturally override copts for cc_* targets.
 # NOTE: googletest >=v1.13.0 requires min C++14.
@@ -28,7 +31,7 @@ build --cxxopt=-std=c++17
 build --sandbox_default_allow_network=false
 # Don't let environment variables like $PATH sneak into the build,
 # which can cause massive cache misses when they change.
-build --incompatible_strict_action_env
+common --incompatible_strict_action_env
 # Helps debugging when Bazel runs out of memory
 build --heap_dump_on_oom
 # Speed up all builds by not checking if output files have been modified.
@@ -37,6 +40,9 @@ build --noexperimental_check_output_files
 # Don't bother building targets which aren't dependencies of the tests.
 test --build_tests_only
 
+# Show all the problems
+test --test_output=errors
+
 # To use a clang compiler, invoke Bazel with `--config=clang`.
 build:clang --repo_env=CC=clang
 build:clang --repo_env=CXX=clang++
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.bazelrc b/.github/workflows/ci.bazelrc
index 18e8f13b..03e869bb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.bazelrc
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.bazelrc
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 
 # Debug where options came from
 build --announce_rc
+
+# Show what build command was used if one fails
+build --verbose_failures
+
 # This directory is configured in GitHub actions to be persisted between runs.
 build --repository_cache=/github/home/.cache/bazel-repo
 
@@ -22,9 +26,7 @@ build:remote --noslim_profile
 
 # Don't spam CI logs.
 build --show_progress_rate_limit=60
+common --color=yes
 
-# Don't rely on test logs being easily accessible from the test runner,
-# though it makes the log noisier.
-test --test_output=errors
 # Allows tests to run bazelisk-in-bazel, since this is the cache folder used
 test --test_env=XDG_CACHE_HOME