diff --git a/project.cpp b/project.cpp
index 6515374..8403d20 100644
--- a/project.cpp
+++ b/project.cpp
@@ -29,8 +29,11 @@ extern "C" Configuration CrafterBuildProject(std::span<const std::string_view> a
     // The rule test compiles the module as its own interface and links
     // crafter-build to run the linter in-process: from git by default, or
     // the sibling checkout with `crafter-build test --local`. Host only,
-    // like the rules themselves.
-    if (cfg.target == "x86_64-pc-linux-gnu") {
+    // like the rules themselves, and only when this is the project being
+    // built: crafter-build itself loads this file as a dependency, and the
+    // test's GitProject would then load crafter-build's project file again
+    // and recurse into the cycle guard.
+    if (IsTopLevelProject() && cfg.target == "x86_64-pc-linux-gnu") {
         Configuration* build = useLocal
             ? LocalProject({ .projectFile = "../Crafter.Build/project.cpp", .args = depArgs })
             : GitProject({ .source = { .url = "https://forgejo.catcrafts.net/Catcrafts/Crafter.Build.git" }, .args = depArgs });