diff --git a/.changes/unreleased/Under the Hood-20240918-170325.yaml b/.changes/unreleased/Under the Hood-20240918-170325.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3f265a36eda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/unreleased/Under the Hood-20240918-170325.yaml	
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+kind: Under the Hood
+body: Standardize returning `ResourceTypeSelector` instances in `dbt list` and `dbt
+  build`
+time: 2024-09-18T17:03:25.639516-06:00
+custom:
+  Author: dbeatty10
+  Issue: "10739"
diff --git a/core/dbt/task/build.py b/core/dbt/task/build.py
index 832f7f0fe47..625a4498d6a 100644
--- a/core/dbt/task/build.py
+++ b/core/dbt/task/build.py
@@ -196,13 +196,6 @@ def get_node_selector(self, no_unit_tests=False) -> ResourceTypeSelector:
 
         resource_types = self.resource_types(no_unit_tests)
 
-        if resource_types == [NodeType.Test]:
-            return ResourceTypeSelector(
-                graph=self.graph,
-                manifest=self.manifest,
-                previous_state=self.previous_state,
-                resource_types=resource_types,
-            )
         return ResourceTypeSelector(
             graph=self.graph,
             manifest=self.manifest,
diff --git a/core/dbt/task/list.py b/core/dbt/task/list.py
index 180cfc71693..2638920976a 100644
--- a/core/dbt/task/list.py
+++ b/core/dbt/task/list.py
@@ -196,24 +196,16 @@ def selection_arg(self):
         else:
             return self.args.select
 
-    def get_node_selector(self):
+    def get_node_selector(self) -> ResourceTypeSelector:
         if self.manifest is None or self.graph is None:
             raise DbtInternalError("manifest and graph must be set to get perform node selection")
-        if self.resource_types == [NodeType.Test]:
-            return ResourceTypeSelector(
-                graph=self.graph,
-                manifest=self.manifest,
-                previous_state=self.previous_state,
-                resource_types=self.resource_types,
-            )
-        else:
-            return ResourceTypeSelector(
-                graph=self.graph,
-                manifest=self.manifest,
-                previous_state=self.previous_state,
-                resource_types=self.resource_types,
-                include_empty_nodes=True,
-            )
+        return ResourceTypeSelector(
+            graph=self.graph,
+            manifest=self.manifest,
+            previous_state=self.previous_state,
+            resource_types=self.resource_types,
+            include_empty_nodes=True,
+        )
 
     def interpret_results(self, results):
         # list command should always return 0 as exit code