diff --git a/project.cpp b/project.cpp
index fe78209..a057c5a 100644
--- a/project.cpp
+++ b/project.cpp
@@ -5,14 +5,28 @@ using namespace Crafter;
 
 extern "C" Configuration CrafterBuildProject(std::span<const std::string_view> args) {
     std::vector<std::string> depArgs(args.begin(), args.end());
-    Configuration* math = GitProject({
-        .source = { "https://forgejo.catcrafts.net/Catcrafts/Crafter.Math.git" },
-        .args = depArgs,
-    });
-    Configuration* asset = GitProject({
-        .source = { "https://forgejo.catcrafts.net/Catcrafts/Crafter.Asset.git" },
-        .args = depArgs,
-    });
+
+    // Local-mode resolution for the Crafter.Math/Crafter.Asset deps that the
+    // self-host pass links in (so `cfg.assets` calls CompressAsset → Crafter.Asset
+    // in-process). `--local` points at sibling working trees instead of git;
+    // useful during cross-repo development so edits in ../Crafter.Asset are
+    // picked up without commit-and-pull.
+    bool useLocal = false;
+    for (std::string_view a : args) {
+        if (a == "--local") { useLocal = true; break; }
+    }
+    auto resolveDep = [&](std::string_view name, std::string_view gitUrl) -> Configuration* {
+        if (useLocal) {
+            return LocalProject({
+                .projectFile = fs::path("../") / name / "project.cpp",
+                .args = depArgs,
+            });
+        }
+        return GitProject({
+            .source = { .url = std::string(gitUrl) },
+            .args = depArgs,
+        });
+    };
 
     static auto crafterBuildLib = std::make_unique<Configuration>();
     crafterBuildLib->path = "./";
@@ -25,7 +39,12 @@ extern "C" Configuration CrafterBuildProject(std::span<const std::string_view> a
     crafterBuildLib->type = (crafterBuildLib->target == "x86_64-w64-mingw32" || crafterBuildLib->target == "x86_64-pc-windows-msvc")
         ? ConfigurationType::LibraryDynamic
         : ConfigurationType::LibraryStatic;
-        
+    // Self-host pass links Crafter.Asset (and its Crafter.Math dep) into the
+    // crafter-build binary so cfg.assets can call CompressAsset in-process.
+    // The bootstrap (build.sh) defines no such dep — its impl unit takes the
+    // stub branch and cfg.assets errors at runtime until a self-host rebuild.
+    Configuration* math  = resolveDep("Crafter.Math",  "https://forgejo.catcrafts.net/Catcrafts/Crafter.Math.git");
+    Configuration* asset = resolveDep("Crafter.Asset", "https://forgejo.catcrafts.net/Catcrafts/Crafter.Asset.git");
     crafterBuildLib->dependencies = { math, asset };
     crafterBuildLib->defines.push_back({"CRAFTER_BUILD_HAS_ASSET", ""});
     {