diff --git a/src/common/github/__tests__/index.ts b/src/common/github/__tests__/index.ts
index 843483b5..10e8dd7c 100644
--- a/src/common/github/__tests__/index.ts
+++ b/src/common/github/__tests__/index.ts
@@ -498,6 +498,40 @@ describe('GitHub utils', () => {
       expect(env!.RUSTFLAGS).toEqual('-D unused_crate_dependencies')
     })
 
+    test('runs at root if no outdir is configured', () => {
+      const project = new TestProject()
+      new RustTestWorkflow(project.github!)
+      const snapshot = synthSnapshot(project)
+      const workflow = YAML.parse(snapshot[workflowPath])
+      const noArgsJobs = ['check', 'test']
+
+      noArgsJobs.forEach((job) => {
+        const {args} = workflow.jobs[job].steps.at(-1)!.with
+        expect(args).toBeUndefined()
+      })
+
+      const jobsWithArgs = ['clippy', 'format']
+
+      jobsWithArgs.forEach((job) => {
+        const {args} = workflow.jobs[job].steps.at(-1)!.with
+        expect(args).not.toContain(`--manifest-path`)
+      })
+    })
+
+    test('runs for a nested project if outdir is configured', () => {
+      const project = new TestProject()
+      const outdir = 'inner-project'
+      new RustTestWorkflow(project.github!, {rootdir: outdir})
+      const snapshot = synthSnapshot(project)
+      const workflow = YAML.parse(snapshot[workflowPath])
+      const jobs = ['clippy', 'check', 'format', 'test']
+
+      jobs.forEach((job) => {
+        const {args} = workflow.jobs[job].steps.at(-1)!.with
+        expect(args).toContain(`--manifest-path=${outdir}/Cargo.toml`)
+      })
+    })
+
     describe('addToProject', () => {
       test('does nothing by default', () => {
         const project = new TestProjectWithRustTestWorkflow({})
diff --git a/src/common/github/rust-test-workflow.ts b/src/common/github/rust-test-workflow.ts
index 3c30125c..dfac4b42 100644
--- a/src/common/github/rust-test-workflow.ts
+++ b/src/common/github/rust-test-workflow.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,15 @@ export interface RustTestWorkflowOptions extends GithubWorkflowOptions {
    */
   readonly name?: string
 
+  /**
+   * The root directory of the rust project.
+   *
+   * This directory is expected to contain the manifest file.
+   *
+   * @default "."
+   */
+  readonly rootdir?: string
+
   /**
    * A list of paths on pushes to which the workflow will run.
    * @default ['.']
@@ -76,6 +85,8 @@ export class RustTestWorkflow extends GithubWorkflow {
 
     const paths = options.triggerOnPaths
     const branches = options.triggerOnBranches ?? ['main']
+    const {rootdir} = options
+    const manifestPath = rootdir ? `--manifest-path=${rootdir}/Cargo.toml` : undefined
 
     this.on({
       pullRequest: {paths, types: ['opened', 'synchronize']},
@@ -114,7 +125,11 @@ export class RustTestWorkflow extends GithubWorkflow {
           {
             name: `Run ${command}`,
             uses: 'actions-rs/cargo@v1',
-            with: {command, args, toolchain},
+            with: {
+              command,
+              args: [manifestPath, args].filter(Boolean).join(' ') || undefined,
+              toolchain,
+            },
             env,
           },
         ],