diff --git a/src/bootstrap/README.md b/src/bootstrap/README.md
index 6ce4c6d62fa55..2965174b45bcc 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/README.md
+++ b/src/bootstrap/README.md
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ build/
       debuginfo/
       ...
 
-    # Bootstrap host tools (which are always compiled with the stage0 compiler)
+    # Host tools (which are always compiled with the stage0 compiler)
     # are stored here.
     bootstrap-tools/
 
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/check.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/check.rs
index 0497bae86a1c8..bdaf8917dd973 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/check.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/check.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ use crate::core::build_steps::compile::{
     add_to_sysroot, run_cargo, rustc_cargo, rustc_cargo_env, std_cargo, std_crates_for_run_make,
 };
 use crate::core::build_steps::tool;
-use crate::core::build_steps::tool::{COMPILETEST_ALLOW_FEATURES, SourceType, prepare_tool_cargo};
+use crate::core::build_steps::tool::{
+    COMPILETEST_ALLOW_FEATURES, SourceType, get_tool_target_compiler, prepare_tool_cargo,
+};
 use crate::core::builder::{
     self, Alias, Builder, Kind, RunConfig, ShouldRun, Step, StepMetadata, crate_description,
 };
@@ -247,8 +249,10 @@ fn prepare_compiler_for_check(
     mode: Mode,
 ) -> Compiler {
     let host = builder.host_target;
+
     match mode {
         Mode::ToolBootstrap => builder.compiler(0, host),
+        Mode::ToolTarget => get_tool_target_compiler(builder, target),
         Mode::ToolStd => {
             // These tools require the local standard library to be checked
             let build_compiler = builder.compiler(builder.top_stage, host);
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/compile.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/compile.rs
index 3e2bdc2d6b5ae..d9686950164ca 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/compile.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/compile.rs
@@ -2282,15 +2282,13 @@ impl Step for Assemble {
         }
 
         // In addition to `rust-lld` also install `wasm-component-ld` when
-        // LLD is enabled. This is a relatively small binary that primarily
-        // delegates to the `rust-lld` binary for linking and then runs
-        // logic to create the final binary. This is used by the
-        // `wasm32-wasip2` target of Rust.
+        // is enabled. This is used by the `wasm32-wasip2` target of Rust.
         if builder.tool_enabled("wasm-component-ld") {
-            let wasm_component = builder.ensure(crate::core::build_steps::tool::WasmComponentLd {
-                compiler: build_compiler,
-                target: target_compiler.host,
-            });
+            let wasm_component =
+                builder.ensure(crate::core::build_steps::tool::WasmComponentLd::for_target(
+                    builder,
+                    target_compiler.host,
+                ));
             builder.copy_link(
                 &wasm_component.tool_path,
                 &libdir_bin.join(wasm_component.tool_path.file_name().unwrap()),
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
index a5b7b22aba85f..02795991f3e40 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
@@ -2929,7 +2929,8 @@ impl Step for RemoteCopyLibs {
 
         builder.info(&format!("REMOTE copy libs to emulator ({target})"));
 
-        let remote_test_server = builder.ensure(tool::RemoteTestServer { compiler, target });
+        let remote_test_server =
+            builder.ensure(tool::RemoteTestServer { build_compiler: compiler, target });
 
         // Spawn the emulator and wait for it to come online
         let tool = builder.tool_exe(Tool::RemoteTestClient);
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/tool.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/tool.rs
index b05b34b9b2280..5ae05efd51d94 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/tool.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/tool.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ pub enum ToolArtifactKind {
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Hash, PartialEq, Eq)]
 struct ToolBuild {
-    compiler: Compiler,
+    /// Compiler that will build this tool.
+    build_compiler: Compiler,
     target: TargetSelection,
     tool: &'static str,
     path: &'static str,
@@ -111,28 +112,28 @@ impl Step for ToolBuild {
         let mut tool = self.tool;
         let path = self.path;
 
-        let target_compiler = self.compiler;
-        self.compiler = if self.mode == Mode::ToolRustc {
-            get_tool_rustc_compiler(builder, self.compiler)
+        let target_compiler = self.build_compiler;
+        self.build_compiler = if self.mode == Mode::ToolRustc {
+            get_tool_rustc_compiler(builder, self.build_compiler)
         } else {
-            self.compiler
+            self.build_compiler
         };
 
         match self.mode {
             Mode::ToolRustc => {
                 // If compiler was forced, its artifacts should have been prepared earlier.
-                if !self.compiler.is_forced_compiler() {
-                    builder.std(self.compiler, self.compiler.host);
-                    builder.ensure(compile::Rustc::new(self.compiler, target));
+                if !self.build_compiler.is_forced_compiler() {
+                    builder.std(self.build_compiler, self.build_compiler.host);
+                    builder.ensure(compile::Rustc::new(self.build_compiler, target));
                 }
             }
             Mode::ToolStd => {
                 // If compiler was forced, its artifacts should have been prepared earlier.
-                if !self.compiler.is_forced_compiler() {
-                    builder.std(self.compiler, target)
+                if !self.build_compiler.is_forced_compiler() {
+                    builder.std(self.build_compiler, target);
                 }
             }
-            Mode::ToolBootstrap => {} // uses downloaded stage0 compiler libs
+            Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolTarget => {} // uses downloaded stage0 compiler libs
             _ => panic!("unexpected Mode for tool build"),
         }
 
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ impl Step for ToolBuild {
 
         let mut cargo = prepare_tool_cargo(
             builder,
-            self.compiler,
+            self.build_compiler,
             self.mode,
             target,
             Kind::Build,
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ impl Step for ToolBuild {
 
         // Rustc tools (miri, clippy, cargo, rustfmt, rust-analyzer)
         // could use the additional optimizations.
-        if self.mode == Mode::ToolRustc && is_lto_stage(&self.compiler) {
+        if self.mode == Mode::ToolRustc && is_lto_stage(&self.build_compiler) {
             let lto = match builder.config.rust_lto {
                 RustcLto::Off => Some("off"),
                 RustcLto::Thin => Some("thin"),
@@ -195,8 +196,8 @@ impl Step for ToolBuild {
             Kind::Build,
             self.mode,
             self.tool,
-            self.compiler.stage,
-            &self.compiler.host,
+            self.build_compiler.stage + 1,
+            &self.build_compiler.host,
             &self.target,
         );
 
@@ -219,14 +220,14 @@ impl Step for ToolBuild {
             }
             let tool_path = match self.artifact_kind {
                 ToolArtifactKind::Binary => {
-                    copy_link_tool_bin(builder, self.compiler, self.target, self.mode, tool)
+                    copy_link_tool_bin(builder, self.build_compiler, self.target, self.mode, tool)
                 }
                 ToolArtifactKind::Library => builder
-                    .cargo_out(self.compiler, self.mode, self.target)
+                    .cargo_out(self.build_compiler, self.mode, self.target)
                     .join(format!("lib{tool}.rlib")),
             };
 
-            ToolBuildResult { tool_path, build_compiler: self.compiler, target_compiler }
+            ToolBuildResult { tool_path, build_compiler: self.build_compiler, target_compiler }
         }
     }
 }
@@ -364,6 +365,18 @@ pub(crate) fn get_tool_rustc_compiler(
     builder.compiler(target_compiler.stage.saturating_sub(1), builder.config.host_target)
 }
 
+/// Returns a compiler that is able to compile a `ToolTarget` tool for the given `target`.
+pub(crate) fn get_tool_target_compiler(builder: &Builder<'_>, target: TargetSelection) -> Compiler {
+    let compiler = if builder.host_target == target {
+        builder.compiler(0, builder.host_target)
+    } else {
+        // FIXME: should this be builder.top_stage to avoid rebuilds?
+        builder.compiler(1, builder.host_target)
+    };
+    builder.std(compiler, target);
+    compiler
+}
+
 /// Links a built tool binary with the given `name` from the build directory to the
 /// tools directory.
 fn copy_link_tool_bin(
@@ -450,7 +463,7 @@ macro_rules! bootstrap_tool {
                 let compiletest_wants_stage0 = $tool_name == "compiletest" && builder.config.compiletest_use_stage0_libtest;
 
                 builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-                    compiler: self.compiler,
+                    build_compiler: self.compiler,
                     target: self.target,
                     tool: $tool_name,
                     mode: if is_unstable && !compiletest_wants_stage0 {
@@ -521,7 +534,6 @@ bootstrap_tool!(
     // rustdoc-gui-test has a crate dependency on compiletest, so it needs the same unstable features.
     RustdocGUITest, "src/tools/rustdoc-gui-test", "rustdoc-gui-test", is_unstable_tool = true, allow_features = COMPILETEST_ALLOW_FEATURES;
     CoverageDump, "src/tools/coverage-dump", "coverage-dump";
-    WasmComponentLd, "src/tools/wasm-component-ld", "wasm-component-ld", is_unstable_tool = true, allow_features = "min_specialization";
     UnicodeTableGenerator, "src/tools/unicode-table-generator", "unicode-table-generator";
     FeaturesStatusDump, "src/tools/features-status-dump", "features-status-dump";
     OptimizedDist, "src/tools/opt-dist", "opt-dist", submodules = &["src/tools/rustc-perf"];
@@ -560,7 +572,7 @@ impl Step for RustcPerf {
         builder.require_submodule("src/tools/rustc-perf", None);
 
         let tool = ToolBuild {
-            compiler: self.compiler,
+            build_compiler: self.compiler,
             target: self.target,
             tool: "collector",
             mode: Mode::ToolBootstrap,
@@ -576,7 +588,7 @@ impl Step for RustcPerf {
         let res = builder.ensure(tool.clone());
         // We also need to symlink the `rustc-fake` binary to the corresponding directory,
         // because `collector` expects it in the same directory.
-        copy_link_tool_bin(builder, tool.compiler, tool.target, tool.mode, "rustc-fake");
+        copy_link_tool_bin(builder, tool.build_compiler, tool.target, tool.mode, "rustc-fake");
 
         res
     }
@@ -620,7 +632,7 @@ impl Step for ErrorIndex {
 
     fn run(self, builder: &Builder<'_>) -> ToolBuildResult {
         builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-            compiler: self.compiler,
+            build_compiler: self.compiler,
             target: self.compiler.host,
             tool: "error_index_generator",
             mode: Mode::ToolRustc,
@@ -636,7 +648,7 @@ impl Step for ErrorIndex {
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Hash, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct RemoteTestServer {
-    pub compiler: Compiler,
+    pub build_compiler: Compiler,
     pub target: TargetSelection,
 }
 
@@ -649,17 +661,17 @@ impl Step for RemoteTestServer {
 
     fn make_run(run: RunConfig<'_>) {
         run.builder.ensure(RemoteTestServer {
-            compiler: run.builder.compiler(run.builder.top_stage, run.builder.config.host_target),
+            build_compiler: get_tool_target_compiler(run.builder, run.target),
             target: run.target,
         });
     }
 
     fn run(self, builder: &Builder<'_>) -> ToolBuildResult {
         builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-            compiler: self.compiler,
+            build_compiler: self.build_compiler,
             target: self.target,
             tool: "remote-test-server",
-            mode: Mode::ToolStd,
+            mode: Mode::ToolTarget,
             path: "src/tools/remote-test-server",
             source_type: SourceType::InTree,
             extra_features: Vec::new(),
@@ -668,6 +680,10 @@ impl Step for RemoteTestServer {
             artifact_kind: ToolArtifactKind::Binary,
         })
     }
+
+    fn metadata(&self) -> Option<StepMetadata> {
+        Some(StepMetadata::build("remote-test-server", self.target).built_by(self.build_compiler))
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Hash, PartialEq, Eq, Ord, PartialOrd)]
@@ -757,7 +773,7 @@ impl Step for Rustdoc {
 
         let ToolBuildResult { tool_path, build_compiler, target_compiler } =
             builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-                compiler: target_compiler,
+                build_compiler: target_compiler,
                 target,
                 // Cargo adds a number of paths to the dylib search path on windows, which results in
                 // the wrong rustdoc being executed. To avoid the conflicting rustdocs, we name the "tool"
@@ -825,7 +841,7 @@ impl Step for Cargo {
         builder.build.require_submodule("src/tools/cargo", None);
 
         builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-            compiler: self.compiler,
+            build_compiler: self.compiler,
             target: self.target,
             tool: "cargo",
             mode: Mode::ToolRustc,
@@ -873,7 +889,7 @@ impl Step for LldWrapper {
         let target = self.target_compiler.host;
 
         let tool_result = builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-            compiler: self.build_compiler,
+            build_compiler: self.build_compiler,
             target,
             tool: "lld-wrapper",
             mode: Mode::ToolStd,
@@ -912,6 +928,63 @@ impl Step for LldWrapper {
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Hash, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct WasmComponentLd {
+    build_compiler: Compiler,
+    target: TargetSelection,
+}
+
+impl WasmComponentLd {
+    pub fn for_target(builder: &Builder<'_>, target: TargetSelection) -> Self {
+        Self { build_compiler: get_tool_target_compiler(builder, target), target }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Step for WasmComponentLd {
+    type Output = ToolBuildResult;
+
+    const ONLY_HOSTS: bool = true;
+
+    fn should_run(run: ShouldRun<'_>) -> ShouldRun<'_> {
+        run.path("src/tools/wasm-component-ld")
+    }
+
+    fn make_run(run: RunConfig<'_>) {
+        run.builder.ensure(WasmComponentLd {
+            build_compiler: get_tool_target_compiler(run.builder, run.target),
+            target: run.target,
+        });
+    }
+
+    #[cfg_attr(
+        feature = "tracing",
+        instrument(
+            level = "debug",
+            name = "WasmComponentLd::run",
+            skip_all,
+            fields(build_compiler = ?self.build_compiler),
+        ),
+    )]
+    fn run(self, builder: &Builder<'_>) -> ToolBuildResult {
+        builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
+            build_compiler: self.build_compiler,
+            target: self.target,
+            tool: "wasm-component-ld",
+            mode: Mode::ToolTarget,
+            path: "src/tools/wasm-component-ld",
+            source_type: SourceType::InTree,
+            extra_features: vec![],
+            allow_features: "min-specialization",
+            cargo_args: vec![],
+            artifact_kind: ToolArtifactKind::Binary,
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn metadata(&self) -> Option<StepMetadata> {
+        Some(StepMetadata::build("WasmComponentLd", self.target).built_by(self.build_compiler))
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Hash, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct RustAnalyzer {
     pub compiler: Compiler,
@@ -941,7 +1014,7 @@ impl Step for RustAnalyzer {
 
     fn run(self, builder: &Builder<'_>) -> ToolBuildResult {
         builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-            compiler: self.compiler,
+            build_compiler: self.compiler,
             target: self.target,
             tool: "rust-analyzer",
             mode: Mode::ToolRustc,
@@ -986,7 +1059,7 @@ impl Step for RustAnalyzerProcMacroSrv {
 
     fn run(self, builder: &Builder<'_>) -> Option<ToolBuildResult> {
         let tool_result = builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-            compiler: self.compiler,
+            build_compiler: self.compiler,
             target: self.target,
             tool: "rust-analyzer-proc-macro-srv",
             mode: Mode::ToolRustc,
@@ -1044,7 +1117,7 @@ impl Step for LlvmBitcodeLinker {
     )]
     fn run(self, builder: &Builder<'_>) -> ToolBuildResult {
         let tool_result = builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-            compiler: self.compiler,
+            build_compiler: self.compiler,
             target: self.target,
             tool: "llvm-bitcode-linker",
             mode: Mode::ToolRustc,
@@ -1241,7 +1314,7 @@ fn run_tool_build_step(
 
     let ToolBuildResult { tool_path, build_compiler, target_compiler } =
         builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-            compiler,
+            build_compiler: compiler,
             target,
             tool: tool_name,
             mode: Mode::ToolRustc,
@@ -1338,7 +1411,7 @@ impl Step for TestFloatParse {
         let compiler = builder.compiler(builder.top_stage, bootstrap_host);
 
         builder.ensure(ToolBuild {
-            compiler,
+            build_compiler: compiler,
             target: bootstrap_host,
             tool: "test-float-parse",
             mode: Mode::ToolStd,
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cargo.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cargo.rs
index deb7106f185c4..4c960c4893c6f 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cargo.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cargo.rs
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
             }
         }
 
-        let stage = if compiler.stage == 0 && self.local_rebuild {
+        let build_compiler_stage = if compiler.stage == 0 && self.local_rebuild {
             // Assume the local-rebuild rustc already has stage1 features.
             1
         } else {
@@ -540,15 +540,17 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
         };
 
         // We synthetically interpret a stage0 compiler used to build tools as a
-        // "raw" compiler in that it's the exact snapshot we download. Normally
-        // the stage0 build means it uses libraries build by the stage0
-        // compiler, but for tools we just use the precompiled libraries that
-        // we've downloaded
-        let use_snapshot = mode == Mode::ToolBootstrap;
-        assert!(!use_snapshot || stage == 0 || self.local_rebuild);
-
-        let maybe_sysroot = self.sysroot(compiler);
-        let sysroot = if use_snapshot { self.rustc_snapshot_sysroot() } else { &maybe_sysroot };
+        // "raw" compiler in that it's the exact snapshot we download. For things like
+        // ToolRustc, we would have to use the artificial stage0-sysroot compiler instead.
+        let use_snapshot =
+            mode == Mode::ToolBootstrap || (mode == Mode::ToolTarget && build_compiler_stage == 0);
+        assert!(!use_snapshot || build_compiler_stage == 0 || self.local_rebuild);
+
+        let sysroot = if use_snapshot {
+            self.rustc_snapshot_sysroot().to_path_buf()
+        } else {
+            self.sysroot(compiler)
+        };
         let libdir = self.rustc_libdir(compiler);
 
         let sysroot_str = sysroot.as_os_str().to_str().expect("sysroot should be UTF-8");
@@ -557,7 +559,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
         }
 
         let mut rustflags = Rustflags::new(target);
-        if stage != 0 {
+        if build_compiler_stage != 0 {
             if let Ok(s) = env::var("CARGOFLAGS_NOT_BOOTSTRAP") {
                 cargo.args(s.split_whitespace());
             }
@@ -599,7 +601,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
         // sysroot. Passing this cfg enables raw-dylib support instead, which makes the native
         // library unnecessary. This can be removed when windows-rs enables raw-dylib
         // unconditionally.
-        if let Mode::Rustc | Mode::ToolRustc | Mode::ToolBootstrap = mode {
+        if let Mode::Rustc | Mode::ToolRustc | Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolTarget = mode {
             rustflags.arg("--cfg=windows_raw_dylib");
         }
 
@@ -652,7 +654,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
         // FIXME(rust-lang/cargo#5754) we shouldn't be using special command arguments
         // to the host invocation here, but rather Cargo should know what flags to pass rustc
         // itself.
-        if stage == 0 {
+        if build_compiler_stage == 0 {
             hostflags.arg("--cfg=bootstrap");
         }
 
@@ -661,7 +663,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
         // #71458.
         let mut rustdocflags = rustflags.clone();
         rustdocflags.propagate_cargo_env("RUSTDOCFLAGS");
-        if stage == 0 {
+        if build_compiler_stage == 0 {
             rustdocflags.env("RUSTDOCFLAGS_BOOTSTRAP");
         } else {
             rustdocflags.env("RUSTDOCFLAGS_NOT_BOOTSTRAP");
@@ -672,7 +674,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
         }
 
         match mode {
-            Mode::Std | Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolStd => {}
+            Mode::Std | Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolStd | Mode::ToolTarget => {}
             Mode::Rustc | Mode::Codegen | Mode::ToolRustc => {
                 // Build proc macros both for the host and the target unless proc-macros are not
                 // supported by the target.
@@ -714,7 +716,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
         // feature on the rustc side.
         cargo.arg("-Zbinary-dep-depinfo");
         let allow_features = match mode {
-            Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolStd => {
+            Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolStd | Mode::ToolTarget => {
                 // Restrict the allowed features so we don't depend on nightly
                 // accidentally.
                 //
@@ -822,7 +824,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
         cargo
             .env("RUSTBUILD_NATIVE_DIR", self.native_dir(target))
             .env("RUSTC_REAL", self.rustc(compiler))
-            .env("RUSTC_STAGE", stage.to_string())
+            .env("RUSTC_STAGE", build_compiler_stage.to_string())
             .env("RUSTC_SYSROOT", sysroot)
             .env("RUSTC_LIBDIR", libdir)
             .env("RUSTDOC", self.bootstrap_out.join("rustdoc"))
@@ -867,7 +869,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
         let debuginfo_level = match mode {
             Mode::Rustc | Mode::Codegen => self.config.rust_debuginfo_level_rustc,
             Mode::Std => self.config.rust_debuginfo_level_std,
-            Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolStd | Mode::ToolRustc => {
+            Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolStd | Mode::ToolRustc | Mode::ToolTarget => {
                 self.config.rust_debuginfo_level_tools
             }
         };
@@ -879,11 +881,10 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
             profile_var("DEBUG_ASSERTIONS"),
             match mode {
                 Mode::Std => self.config.std_debug_assertions,
-                Mode::Rustc => self.config.rustc_debug_assertions,
-                Mode::Codegen => self.config.rustc_debug_assertions,
-                Mode::ToolBootstrap => self.config.tools_debug_assertions,
-                Mode::ToolStd => self.config.tools_debug_assertions,
-                Mode::ToolRustc => self.config.tools_debug_assertions,
+                Mode::Rustc | Mode::Codegen => self.config.rustc_debug_assertions,
+                Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolStd | Mode::ToolRustc | Mode::ToolTarget => {
+                    self.config.tools_debug_assertions
+                }
             }
             .to_string(),
         );
@@ -954,7 +955,11 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
                     cargo.env("CFG_VIRTUAL_RUSTC_DEV_SOURCE_BASE_DIR", map_to);
                 }
             }
-            Mode::Std | Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolRustc | Mode::ToolStd => {
+            Mode::Std
+            | Mode::ToolBootstrap
+            | Mode::ToolRustc
+            | Mode::ToolStd
+            | Mode::ToolTarget => {
                 if let Some(ref map_to) =
                     self.build.debuginfo_map_to(GitRepo::Rustc, RemapScheme::NonCompiler)
                 {
@@ -1269,7 +1274,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
             };
 
             if let Some(limit) = limit
-                && (stage == 0
+                && (build_compiler_stage == 0
                     || self.config.default_codegen_backend(target).unwrap_or_default() == "llvm")
             {
                 rustflags.arg(&format!("-Cllvm-args=-import-instr-limit={limit}"));
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/mod.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/mod.rs
index b96a988cde3ff..8bef58d3acbdb 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/mod.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/mod.rs
@@ -959,6 +959,7 @@ impl<'a> Builder<'a> {
                 tool::RemoteTestServer,
                 tool::RemoteTestClient,
                 tool::RustInstaller,
+                tool::FeaturesStatusDump,
                 tool::Cargo,
                 tool::RustAnalyzer,
                 tool::RustAnalyzerProcMacroSrv,
@@ -980,6 +981,7 @@ impl<'a> Builder<'a> {
                 tool::CoverageDump,
                 tool::LlvmBitcodeLinker,
                 tool::RustcPerf,
+                tool::WasmComponentLd
             ),
             Kind::Clippy => describe!(
                 clippy::Std,
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/tests.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/tests.rs
index 1d5690a819716..9781283b3e9c5 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/tests.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/tests.rs
@@ -1021,7 +1021,6 @@ mod snapshot {
         [build] rustc 0 <host> -> WasmComponentLd 1 <host>
         [build] rustc 1 <host> -> std 1 <host>
         [build] rustc 1 <host> -> rustc 2 <host>
-        [build] rustc 1 <host> -> WasmComponentLd 2 <host>
         [build] rustdoc 1 <host>
         [doc] std 2 <host>
         [build] rustc 2 <host> -> std 2 <host>
@@ -1205,7 +1204,6 @@ mod snapshot {
         [build] rustc 0 <host> -> WasmComponentLd 1 <host>
         [build] rustc 1 <host> -> std 1 <host>
         [build] rustc 1 <host> -> rustc 2 <host>
-        [build] rustc 1 <host> -> WasmComponentLd 2 <host>
         [build] rustdoc 1 <host>
         [doc] std 2 <target1>
         [build] rustc 2 <host> -> std 2 <host>
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/lib.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/lib.rs
index ef5c28272b8e1..f947a36ea2130 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/lib.rs
@@ -253,12 +253,32 @@ pub enum Mode {
     /// These tools are intended to be only executed on the host system that
     /// invokes bootstrap, and they thus cannot be cross-compiled.
     ///
-    /// They are always built using the stage0 compiler, and typically they
+    /// They are always built using the stage0 compiler, and they
     /// can be compiled with stable Rust.
     ///
     /// These tools also essentially do not participate in staging.
     ToolBootstrap,
 
+    /// Build a cross-compilable helper tool.
+    /// - If we compile it for the host, we use the stage0 compiler.
+    /// - If we compile it for another target, we use local compiler (because stage0 does not have
+    ///   stdlib for the tool available for other targets).
+    ///
+    /// This mode exists to avoid needless (re)builds of tools that can be compiled with
+    /// a stable/stage0 compiler. It essentially behaves as `ToolBootstrap` when not
+    /// cross-compiling, and as `ToolStd` when cross-compiling.
+    ///
+    /// It is used e.g. for linkers and linker tools invoked by rustc on its host target.
+    ///
+    /// These tools participate in staging only when required for cross-compilation.
+    ///
+    /// Note: since these tools are built with a different compiler when compiling for the host
+    /// vs when cross-compiling, such a situation will not produce the exactly identical binary.
+    /// The same will happen when using the `local_rebuild` feature (where stage0 is actually
+    /// an in-tree compiler). We considered this (<https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/143581>)
+    /// and determined that it should not be an issue in practice.
+    ToolTarget,
+
     /// Build a tool which uses the locally built std, placing output in the
     /// "stageN-tools" directory. Its usage is quite rare, mainly used by
     /// compiletest which needs libtest.
@@ -273,11 +293,21 @@ pub enum Mode {
 
 impl Mode {
     pub fn is_tool(&self) -> bool {
-        matches!(self, Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolRustc | Mode::ToolStd)
+        match self {
+            Mode::ToolBootstrap | Mode::ToolRustc | Mode::ToolStd | Mode::ToolTarget => true,
+            Mode::Std | Mode::Codegen | Mode::Rustc => false,
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn must_support_dlopen(&self) -> bool {
-        matches!(self, Mode::Std | Mode::Codegen)
+        match self {
+            Mode::Std | Mode::Codegen => true,
+            Mode::ToolBootstrap
+            | Mode::ToolRustc
+            | Mode::ToolStd
+            | Mode::ToolTarget
+            | Mode::Rustc => false,
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -804,17 +834,39 @@ impl Build {
     /// stage when running with a particular host compiler.
     ///
     /// The mode indicates what the root directory is for.
-    fn stage_out(&self, compiler: Compiler, mode: Mode) -> PathBuf {
-        let suffix = match mode {
-            Mode::Std => "-std",
-            Mode::Rustc => "-rustc",
-            Mode::Codegen => "-codegen",
-            Mode::ToolBootstrap => {
-                return self.out.join(compiler.host).join("bootstrap-tools");
+    fn stage_out(&self, build_compiler: Compiler, mode: Mode) -> PathBuf {
+        use std::fmt::Write;
+
+        fn bootstrap_tool() -> (Option<u32>, &'static str) {
+            (None, "bootstrap-tools")
+        }
+        fn staged_tool(build_compiler: Compiler) -> (Option<u32>, &'static str) {
+            (Some(build_compiler.stage), "tools")
+        }
+
+        let (stage, suffix) = match mode {
+            Mode::Std => (Some(build_compiler.stage), "std"),
+            Mode::Rustc => (Some(build_compiler.stage), "rustc"),
+            Mode::Codegen => (Some(build_compiler.stage), "codegen"),
+            Mode::ToolBootstrap => bootstrap_tool(),
+            Mode::ToolStd | Mode::ToolRustc => (Some(build_compiler.stage), "tools"),
+            Mode::ToolTarget => {
+                // If we're not cross-compiling (the common case), share the target directory with
+                // bootstrap tools to reuse the build cache.
+                if build_compiler.stage == 0 {
+                    bootstrap_tool()
+                } else {
+                    staged_tool(build_compiler)
+                }
             }
-            Mode::ToolStd | Mode::ToolRustc => "-tools",
         };
-        self.out.join(compiler.host).join(format!("stage{}{}", compiler.stage, suffix))
+        let path = self.out.join(build_compiler.host);
+        let mut dir_name = String::new();
+        if let Some(stage) = stage {
+            write!(dir_name, "stage{stage}-").unwrap();
+        }
+        dir_name.push_str(suffix);
+        path.join(dir_name)
     }
 
     /// Returns the root output directory for all Cargo output in a given stage,