diff --git a/automated_detection_testing/ci/detection_testing_batch/detection_testing_execution.py b/automated_detection_testing/ci/detection_testing_batch/detection_testing_execution.py
index d019d6660f..8fa5f8877a 100644
--- a/automated_detection_testing/ci/detection_testing_batch/detection_testing_execution.py
+++ b/automated_detection_testing/ci/detection_testing_batch/detection_testing_execution.py
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ def main(args):
     full_docker_hub_container_name = "splunk/splunk:%s"%args.container_tag
     interactive_failure = args.interactive_failure
 
+    persist_security_content = args.persist_security_content
 
     #Read in all of the tests that we will ignore because they already passed
     success_tests = []
@@ -297,12 +298,30 @@ def main(args):
 
     
 
+    if persist_security_content is True and os.path.exists("security_content"):
+        print("******You chose --persist_security_content and the security_content directory exists. We will not check out the repo again. Please be aware, this could cause issues if you're out of date.******")
+        github_service = GithubService(branch, existing_directory=persist_security_content)
 
-
-    if pr_number:
-        github_service = GithubService(branch, pr_number)
+    elif persist_security_content is True:
+        print("Error - you chose --persist_security_content but the security_content directory does not exist!\n\tQuitting...")
+        sys.exit(1)
     else:
-        github_service = GithubService(branch)
+        if os.path.exists("security_content/"):
+            print("Deleting the security_content directory")
+            try:
+                import shutil
+                shutil.rmtree("security_content/", ignore_errors=True)
+                print("Successfully removed security_content directory")
+            except Exception as e:
+                print("Error - could not remove the security_content directory: [%s].\n\tQuitting..."%(str(e)))
+                sys.exit(1)
+        
+        if pr_number:
+            github_service = GithubService(branch, pr_number)
+        else:
+            github_service = GithubService(branch)
+    
+    
     if args.mode == "all":
         test_files = github_service.get_all_tests_and_detections(folders=folders, 
                                                                  previously_successful_tests=success_tests)
@@ -318,7 +337,6 @@ def main(args):
         sys.exit(1)
     
     
-    
     new_test_files = []
 
 
diff --git a/automated_detection_testing/ci/detection_testing_batch/modules/github_service.py b/automated_detection_testing/ci/detection_testing_batch/modules/github_service.py
index 80b9c0043b..b2115b09d0 100644
--- a/automated_detection_testing/ci/detection_testing_batch/modules/github_service.py
+++ b/automated_detection_testing/ci/detection_testing_batch/modules/github_service.py
@@ -16,9 +16,14 @@ SECURITY_CONTENT_URL = "https://github.com/splunk/security_content"
 
 class GithubService:
 
-    def __init__(self, security_content_branch, PR_number = None):
+    def __init__(self, security_content_branch:str, PR_number:int = None, existing_directory:bool=False):
+        
         self.security_content_branch = security_content_branch
+        if existing_directory:
+            return
+        print("Checking out security_content!")
         self.security_content_repo_obj = self.clone_project(SECURITY_CONTENT_URL, f"security_content", f"develop")
+
         if PR_number:
             subprocess.call(["git", "-C", "security_content/", "fetch", "origin", "refs/pull/%d/head:%s"%(PR_number, security_content_branch)])