diff --git a/BUILD.gn b/BUILD.gn
index 4084b3a182a..da38ee46a27 100644
--- a/BUILD.gn
+++ b/BUILD.gn
@@ -54,14 +54,11 @@ group("all") {
   testonly = true
   deps = [
     ":benchmarks",
+    ":cmds",
     ":fuzzers",
     ":libs",
     ":tests",
   ]
-
-  if (dawn_standalone) {
-    deps += [ ":cmds" ]
-  }
 }
 
 # This target is built when no specific target is specified on the command line.
diff --git a/build_overrides/tint.gni b/build_overrides/tint.gni
index 46355c84fca..48dc59c495d 100644
--- a/build_overrides/tint.gni
+++ b/build_overrides/tint.gni
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 # True if Tint can access build/, testing/ and other Chrome folders.
+tint_standalone = true
 tint_has_build = true
 
 tint_spirv_tools_dir = "//third_party/vulkan-deps/spirv-tools/src"
diff --git a/scripts/tint_overrides_with_defaults.gni b/scripts/tint_overrides_with_defaults.gni
index cebe887c514..54585bf93c2 100644
--- a/scripts/tint_overrides_with_defaults.gni
+++ b/scripts/tint_overrides_with_defaults.gni
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@ import("//build_overrides/tint.gni")
 
 # This file contains Tint-related build flags.
 
+if (!defined(tint_standalone)) {
+  if (defined(dawn_standalone)) {
+    tint_standalone = dawn_standalone
+  } else {
+    tint_standalone = false
+  }
+}
+
 if (!defined(tint_has_build)) {
   tint_has_build = true
 }
@@ -48,6 +56,10 @@ declare_args() {
     tint_spirv_headers_dir = "//third_party/vulkan-deps/spirv-headers/src"
   }
 
+  if (!defined(tint_build_cmds)) {
+    tint_build_cmds = tint_standalone
+  }
+
   # Build the SPIR-V input reader
   if (!defined(tint_build_spv_reader)) {
     tint_build_spv_reader = true
diff --git a/src/tint/BUILD.gn b/src/tint/BUILD.gn
index 8842398d5b7..7029878b327 100644
--- a/src/tint/BUILD.gn
+++ b/src/tint/BUILD.gn
@@ -240,9 +240,12 @@ group("libs") {
 }
 
 group("cmds") {
-  deps = [ "${tint_src_dir}/cmd/tint" ]
-  if (dawn_standalone) {
-    deps += [ "${tint_src_dir}/cmd/remote_compile" ]
+  deps = []
+  if (tint_build_cmds) {
+    deps += [
+      "${tint_src_dir}/cmd/remote_compile",
+      "${tint_src_dir}/cmd/tint",
+    ]
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tint/cmd/info/BUILD.gn b/src/tint/cmd/info/BUILD.gn
index e9d84ce8d6d..79018c2f55e 100644
--- a/src/tint/cmd/info/BUILD.gn
+++ b/src/tint/cmd/info/BUILD.gn
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import("../../../../scripts/tint_overrides_with_defaults.gni")
 
 import("${tint_src_dir}/tint.gni")
 
-executable("info") {
+tint_executable("info") {
   output_name = "tint_info"
   sources = [ "main.cc" ]
   deps = [
diff --git a/src/tint/cmd/loopy/BUILD.gn b/src/tint/cmd/loopy/BUILD.gn
index 954e5e6a48b..f8b76c935ae 100644
--- a/src/tint/cmd/loopy/BUILD.gn
+++ b/src/tint/cmd/loopy/BUILD.gn
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import("../../../../scripts/tint_overrides_with_defaults.gni")
 
 import("${tint_src_dir}/tint.gni")
 
-executable("loopy") {
+tint_executable("loopy") {
   output_name = "tint_loopy"
   sources = [ "main.cc" ]
   deps = [
diff --git a/src/tint/cmd/remote_compile/BUILD.gn b/src/tint/cmd/remote_compile/BUILD.gn
index 6d5be7dbb77..58dfd2ea2f6 100644
--- a/src/tint/cmd/remote_compile/BUILD.gn
+++ b/src/tint/cmd/remote_compile/BUILD.gn
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import("../../../../scripts/tint_overrides_with_defaults.gni")
 
 import("${tint_src_dir}/tint.gni")
 
-executable("remote_compile") {
+tint_executable("remote_compile") {
   output_name = "tint_remote_compile"
   sources = [ "main.cc" ]
   deps = [
diff --git a/src/tint/cmd/tint/BUILD.gn b/src/tint/cmd/tint/BUILD.gn
index 38599603095..b398ecaabe6 100644
--- a/src/tint/cmd/tint/BUILD.gn
+++ b/src/tint/cmd/tint/BUILD.gn
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import("../../../../scripts/tint_overrides_with_defaults.gni")
 
 import("${tint_src_dir}/tint.gni")
 
-executable("tint") {
+tint_executable("tint") {
   output_name = "tint"
   sources = [ "main.cc" ]
   deps = [
diff --git a/src/tint/tint.gni b/src/tint/tint.gni
index ba3fe747c81..a5b6a2d7054 100644
--- a/src/tint/tint.gni
+++ b/src/tint/tint.gni
@@ -44,7 +44,18 @@ template("libtint_source_set") {
 }
 
 ###############################################################################
-# Unit tests
+# Executables - only built when tint_build_cmds is enabled
+###############################################################################
+template("tint_executable") {
+  if (tint_build_cmds) {
+    source_set(target_name) {
+      forward_variables_from(invoker, "*")
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+###############################################################################
+# Unit tests - only built when tint_build_unittests is enabled
 ###############################################################################
 template("tint_unittests_source_set") {
   if (tint_build_unittests) {
@@ -74,7 +85,7 @@ template("tint_unittests_source_set") {
 }
 
 ###############################################################################
-# Fuzzers
+# Fuzzers - only built when tint_has_fuzzers is enabled
 ###############################################################################
 if (tint_has_fuzzers) {
   import("//testing/libfuzzer/fuzzer_test.gni")
diff --git a/tools/src/cmd/gen/build/BUILD.gn.tmpl b/tools/src/cmd/gen/build/BUILD.gn.tmpl
index 780855e48c2..fabe9530289 100644
--- a/tools/src/cmd/gen/build/BUILD.gn.tmpl
+++ b/tools/src/cmd/gen/build/BUILD.gn.tmpl
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ if({{$.Condition}}) {
 {{  if      $.Kind.IsLib -}}
 libtint_source_set("{{$.Directory.Name}}") {
 {{- else if $.Kind.IsCmd -}}
-executable("{{$.Directory.Name}}") {
+tint_executable("{{$.Directory.Name}}") {
 {{- else if $.Kind.IsTest -}}
 tint_unittests_source_set("unittests") {
 {{- else if $.Kind.IsBench -}}