diff --git a/examples/temp_sensor/project.yml b/examples/temp_sensor/project.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9377764
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/temp_sensor/project.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+# =========================================================================
+#   CMock - Automatic Mock Generation for C
+#   ThrowTheSwitch.org
+#   Copyright (c) 2007-26 Mike Karlesky, Mark VanderVoord, & Greg Williams
+#   SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+# =========================================================================
+
+:project:
+  :build_root: 'build/'
+  :colour: true
+
+:paths:
+  :source:
+    - 'src/'
+  :include:
+    - 'src/'
+    - '../../src/'
+    - '../../vendor/unity/src/'
+    - '../../vendor/unity/examples/example_3/helper/'
+    - 'build/mocks/'
+    - 'test/'
+  :test: 'test/'
+  :build: 'build/'
+  :mocks: 'build/mocks/'
+
+:extension:
+  :object: '.o'
+  :executable: '.exe'
+
+:defines:
+  :common:
+    - __monitor
+    - UNITY_SUPPORT_64
+
+:cmock:
+  # Core configuration
+  :plugins: []
+  :verbosity: 2
+  :when_no_prototypes: :warn
+
+  # File configuration
+  :mock_path: 'build/mocks'
+  :skeleton_path: ''
+  :mock_prefix: 'Mock'
+  :mock_suffix: ''
+
+  # Parser configuration
+  :strippables:
+    - '(?:__attribute__\s*\([ (]*.*?[ )]*\)+)'
+  :attributes:
+    - __ramfunc
+    - __irq
+    - __fiq
+    - register
+    - extern
+  :c_calling_conventions:
+    - __stdcall
+    - __cdecl
+    - __fastcall
+  :treat_externs: :exclude
+  :treat_inlines: :exclude
+
+  # Type handling configuration
+  :memcmp_if_unknown: true
+  :when_ptr: :compare_data
+
+  # Mock generation configuration
+  :weak: ''
+  :enforce_strict_ordering: false
+  :fail_on_unexpected_calls: true
+  :callback_include_count: true
+  :callback_after_arg_check: false
+  :includes:
+    - Types.h
+  :exclude_setjmp_h: false
diff --git a/examples/temp_sensor/rakefile_helper.rb b/examples/temp_sensor/rakefile_helper.rb
index ff55b8b..1870842 100644
--- a/examples/temp_sensor/rakefile_helper.rb
+++ b/examples/temp_sensor/rakefile_helper.rb
@@ -24,8 +24,26 @@ module RakefileHelpers
 
   def load_configuration(config_file)
     $cfg_file = config_file
-    $cfg = load_yaml(File.read("./targets/#{$cfg_file}"))
-    $colour_output = false unless $cfg['colour']
+    $cfg = load_yaml(File.read("../../test/targets/#{$cfg_file}"))
+    $proj = load_yaml(File.read('./project.yml'))
+
+    # Apply project-level paths, overriding the test-system paths in the target file
+    $cfg['compiler']['source_path']                 = $proj[:paths][:source].first
+    $cfg['compiler']['unit_tests_path']             = $proj[:paths][:test]
+    $cfg['compiler']['build_path']                  = $proj[:project][:build_root]
+    $cfg['compiler']['object_files']['destination'] = $proj[:project][:build_root]
+    $cfg['linker']['object_files']['path']          = $proj[:project][:build_root]
+    $cfg['linker']['bin_files']['destination']      = $proj[:project][:build_root]
+
+    # Merge includes: keep Array items from target (e.g., IAR tool paths), use project.yml for strings
+    tool_includes = $cfg['compiler']['includes']['items'].select { |i| i.is_a?(Array) }
+    $cfg['compiler']['includes']['items'] = tool_includes + $proj[:paths][:include]
+
+    # Merge defines: target-specific first, then project common defines
+    $cfg['compiler']['defines']['items'] ||= []
+    $cfg['compiler']['defines']['items'] |= $proj[:defines][:common]
+
+    $colour_output = $proj[:project][:colour]
   end
 
   def configure_clean
@@ -196,13 +214,13 @@ module RakefileHelpers
     # Build and execute each unit test
     test_files.each do |test|
       # Detect dependencies and build required required modules
-      header_list = (extract_headers(test) + ['cmock.h'] + [$cfg[:cmock][:unity_helper_path]]).compact.uniq
+      header_list = (extract_headers(test) + ['cmock.h'] + [($proj[:cmock] || {})[:unity_helper_path]]).compact.uniq
       header_list.each do |header|
         # create mocks if needed
         next unless header =~ /Mock/
 
         require '../../lib/cmock'
-        @cmock ||= CMock.new(".//targets//#{$cfg_file}")
+        @cmock ||= CMock.new($proj[:cmock])
         @cmock.setup_mocks([$cfg['compiler']['source_path'] + header.gsub('Mock', '')])
       end
 
@@ -221,7 +239,7 @@ module RakefileHelpers
       runner_name = "#{test_base}_Runner.c"
       if $cfg['compiler']['runner_path'].nil?
         runner_path = "#{$cfg['compiler']['build_path']}#{runner_name}"
-        test_gen = UnityTestRunnerGenerator.new(".//targets//#{$cfg_file}")
+        test_gen = UnityTestRunnerGenerator.new($cfg)
         test_gen.run(test, runner_path)
       else
         runner_path = $cfg['compiler']['runner_path'] + runner_name
@@ -258,7 +276,7 @@ module RakefileHelpers
     report 'Building application...'
 
     obj_list = []
-    load_configuration(".//targets//#{$cfg_file}")
+    load_configuration($cfg_file)
     main_path = $cfg['compiler']['source_path'] + main + C_EXTENSION
 
     # Detect dependencies and build required required modules
diff --git a/test/project.yml b/test/project.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83c3aa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/project.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# =========================================================================
+#   CMock - Automatic Mock Generation for C
+#   ThrowTheSwitch.org
+#   Copyright (c) 2007-26 Mike Karlesky, Mark VanderVoord, & Greg Williams
+#   SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+# =========================================================================
+
+:project:
+  :build_root: './system/build/'
+  :colour: true
+
+:paths:
+  :source:
+    - './system/generated/'
+  :include:
+    - './system/generated/'
+    - '../examples/test/'
+    - '../src/'
+    - '../vendor/unity/src/'
+    - '../vendor/c_exception/lib/'
+    - './system/test_compilation/'
+    - './'
+  :build: './system/build/'
+  :test_compilation: './system/test_compilation/'
+
+:extension:
+  :object: '.o'
+  :executable: '.exe'
+
+:defines:
+  :common:
+    - CMOCK
+    - UNITY_SUPPORT_64
+
diff --git a/test/rakefile_helper.rb b/test/rakefile_helper.rb
index de4b083..f76f542 100644
--- a/test/rakefile_helper.rb
+++ b/test/rakefile_helper.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,24 @@ module RakefileHelpers
   def load_configuration(config_file)
     $cfg_file = config_file
     $cfg = load_yaml('./targets/' + $cfg_file)
-    $colour_output = false unless $cfg['colour']
+    $proj = load_yaml('./project.yml')
+
+    # Apply project-level paths, overriding any hardcoded paths in the target file
+    $cfg['compiler']['source_path']                 = $proj[:paths][:source].first
+    $cfg['compiler']['build_path']                  = $proj[:project][:build_root]
+    $cfg['compiler']['object_files']['destination'] = $proj[:project][:build_root]
+    $cfg['linker']['object_files']['path']          = $proj[:project][:build_root]
+    $cfg['linker']['bin_files']['destination']      = $proj[:project][:build_root]
+
+    # Merge includes: keep Array items from target (e.g., IAR tool paths), use project.yml for strings
+    tool_includes = $cfg['compiler']['includes']['items'].select { |i| i.is_a?(Array) }
+    $cfg['compiler']['includes']['items'] = tool_includes + $proj[:paths][:include]
+
+    # Merge defines: target-specific first, then project common defines
+    $cfg['compiler']['defines']['items'] ||= []
+    $cfg['compiler']['defines']['items'] |= $proj[:defines][:common]
+
+    $colour_output = $proj[:project][:colour]
   end
 
   def configure_clean
diff --git a/test/system/test_interactions/doesnt_leave_details_behind.yml b/test/system/test_interactions/doesnt_leave_details_behind.yml
index a7bf2b1..03ba22d 100644
--- a/test/system/test_interactions/doesnt_leave_details_behind.yml
+++ b/test/system/test_interactions/doesnt_leave_details_behind.yml
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after an expect and return'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after an expect'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after throw expectation'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after a mock call'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after throw'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after ignore'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after ignored mock'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after callback setup'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after mock with callback'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after expect any args'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after mock which expected any args'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after ignored arg'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after mock which ignored an arg'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after mock which threw a CException'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 1 Was 2:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@
 
     - :pass: FALSE
       :should: 'not contain mock details in failed assertion after mock which used a return thru ptr'
-      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 3 Was 7. CustomFail'
+      :verify_error: 'FAIL: Expected 3 Was 7:CustomFail'
       :code: |
         test()
         {