diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 604cc32..817e5b5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,15 +56,17 @@ extern "C" Configuration CrafterBuildProject(std::span<const std::string_view> a
         if (arg != "--debug-api") depArgs.emplace_back(arg);
     }
     // ...give depArgs to every other dependency too...
-    Debug::Use(cfg, { .enabled = opts.Has("--debug-api"), .flag = "--debug-api",
-                      .define = "MYAPP_DEBUG_API", .args = depArgs });
-    // ...
+    const bool debugApi = Debug::Use(cfg, { .enabled = opts.Has("--debug-api"), .flag = "--debug-api",
+                                            .define = "MYAPP_DEBUG_API", .args = depArgs });
+    // ...your sources, plus the debug-only ones when debugApi...
 }
 ```
 
 **What `Use` does with the flag:**
-- **Flag on, native Linux target:** it adds the define and the library, from the checkout the pragma names, and writes `build/crafter-debug`.
-- **Otherwise:** it adds nothing, and release builds never link Crafter.Debug. Until a debug build has run, `build/crafter-debug` is a stub that says to build one.
+- **Flag on, native Linux target:** it adds the define and the library, from the checkout the pragma names, writes `build/crafter-debug`, and returns true.
+- **Otherwise:** it adds nothing and returns false, and release builds never link Crafter.Debug. Until a debug build has run, `build/crafter-debug` is a stub that says to build one.
+
+Add your debug-only sources when `Use` returns true, not when the flag is on: a non-Linux target with the flag gets neither the library nor the define.
 
 A dependency that two paths in the build graph share must get the **same arg list on both**. Otherwise crafter-build refuses the graph with "module … built twice". Build one `depArgs` and give it to every dependency, as above.
 
diff --git a/tooling/interfaces/Crafter.Debug.Build.cppm b/tooling/interfaces/Crafter.Debug.Build.cppm
index d2c773b..0c2aee6 100644
--- a/tooling/interfaces/Crafter.Debug.Build.cppm
+++ b/tooling/interfaces/Crafter.Debug.Build.cppm
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
 //     #pragma crafter dependency "https://forgejo.catcrafts.net/Catcrafts/Crafter.Debug.git" project "tooling/project.cpp"
 //     import Crafter.Debug.Build;
 //     ...
-//     Debug::Use(cfg, { .enabled = opts.Has("--debug-api"), .flag = "--debug-api",
-//                       .define = "MYAPP_DEBUG_API", .args = depArgs });
+//     const bool debugApi = Debug::Use(cfg, { .enabled = opts.Has("--debug-api"), .flag = "--debug-api",
+//                                             .define = "MYAPP_DEBUG_API", .args = depArgs });
+//     if (debugApi) { /* add the debug-only sources */ }
 //
 // crafter-build builds this module for the host and links it into the
 // consumer's project.so, the way Crafter.LintRules gets in, so Use runs each
@@ -164,9 +165,12 @@ export namespace Crafter::Debug {
     };
 
     // Adds Crafter.Debug to `cfg` when options.enabled, and writes the
-    // launcher; see the comment at the top. `at` defaults to the call site,
-    // which is how Use finds the consumer's directory.
-    void Use(Configuration& cfg, const UseOptions& options, std::source_location at = std::source_location::current()) {
+    // launcher; see the comment at the top. Returns whether it added the
+    // library and the define, which is when the consumer adds its debug-only
+    // sources: not for every build with the flag, since a target other than
+    // native Linux gets neither. `at` defaults to the call site, which is how
+    // Use finds the consumer's directory.
+    bool Use(Configuration& cfg, const UseOptions& options, std::source_location at = std::source_location::current()) {
         const fs::path launcher = fs::path(at.file_name()).parent_path() / "build" / "crafter-debug";
         // Only for the project crafter-build was pointed at: a consumer loaded
         // as someone else's dependency has no agent driving it from its own
@@ -174,17 +178,18 @@ export namespace Crafter::Debug {
         const bool topLevel = IsTopLevelProject();
         if (!options.enabled || !NativeLinux(cfg.target)) {
             if (topLevel && !fs::exists(launcher)) WriteIfChanged(launcher, StubText(options.flag));
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
         Configuration* library = LocalProject({ .projectFile = Checkout() / "project.cpp", .args = options.args });
         cfg.dependencies.push_back(library);
         if (!options.define.empty()) cfg.defines.push_back({ options.define, "" });
-        if (!topLevel) return;
+        if (!topLevel) return true;
         const auto client = std::ranges::find(library->dependencies, std::string_view("crafter.debug-cli"),
                                               [](const Configuration* dependency) { return std::string_view(dependency->name); });
         if (client == library->dependencies.end()) {
             throw std::runtime_error(std::format("Crafter.Debug: {} declares no crafter.debug-cli client", (Checkout() / "project.cpp").string()));
         }
         WriteIfChanged(launcher, LauncherText((*client)->BinDir() / (*client)->outputName, CurrentSandbox(), options.flag));
+        return true;
     }
 }