diff --git a/src/gen_rules.ml b/src/gen_rules.ml
index 461bf931a01a..a6c388939794 100644
--- a/src/gen_rules.ml
+++ b/src/gen_rules.ml
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ module Gen(P : Install_rules.Params) = struct
       | _ -> ());
     Build_system.Alias.add_deps
       ~dyn_deps:(Build.paths_matching ~dir:ctx_dir ~loc:Loc.none (fun p ->
+        Dune_project.explicit_js_mode (Scope.project scope) ||
         not (List.exists js_targets ~f:(Path.equal p))))
       (Build_system.Alias.all ~dir:ctx_dir) Path.Set.empty;
     cctxs