diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 884837c..f4661a6 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -166,6 +166,17 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
         .expect_exit = 1,
         .stderr_match = "could not resolve named lazy path 'missing' from dependency 'dep_pkg'",
     });
+    addFixtureCommand(b, tls_test_fixtures, .{
+        .name = "dependency-explicit-args",
+        .cwd = "test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args",
+        // Use uncommon target queries for distinguishability on
+        // common host machines
+        .build_args = &.{ "-Dtarget=powerpc64-linux-none", "-Doptimize=ReleaseSafe" },
+        .stderr_match =
+        \\dep arch=powerpc64 os=linux abi=none optimize=ReleaseFast portable=true
+        \\dep arch=mips64 os=linux abi=none optimize=ReleaseFast portable=true
+        ,
+    });
     addFixtureCommand(b, tls_test_fixtures, .{
         .name = "root-module-string-options-module",
         .cwd = "test/fixtures/root_module_string_options_module",
@@ -190,6 +201,12 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
         .expect_exit = 2,
         .stderr_match = "presets 'dev.config': unknown option 'missing'",
     });
+    addFixtureCommand(b, tls_test_fixtures, .{
+        .name = "invalid-optimize",
+        .cwd = "test/fixtures/invalid_optimize",
+        .expect_exit = 2,
+        .stderr_match = "executables 'demo': invalid optimize '.Release'",
+    });
     addFixtureCommand(b, tls_test_fixtures, .{
         .name = "stdlib-passthrough-library",
         .cwd = "test/fixtures/stdlib_passthrough",
diff --git a/src/build_runner.zig b/src/build_runner.zig
index 3d6db83..abb3d63 100644
--- a/src/build_runner.zig
+++ b/src/build_runner.zig
@@ -58,14 +58,21 @@ pub fn configureBuild(b: *std.Build, comptime manifest: anytype, comptime opts:
     // unresolved symbols in the final link (and crashing at dlopen time
     // for shared libraries like Node NAPI `.node` files).
     //
-    // If the user supplies `.args`, they are passed through unchanged so
-    // the user can fully control dep build options (target, optimize, or
-    // dep-specific switches).
+    // If the user supplies `.args`, preserve them and only fill in missing
+    // target/optimize defaults. This keeps dep-specific switches intact while
+    // avoiding accidental host-target builds for cross-compiled dependencies.
     if (@hasField(@TypeOf(manifest), "dependencies")) {
         inline for (@typeInfo(@TypeOf(manifest.dependencies)).@"struct".fields) |field| {
             const decl = @field(manifest.dependencies, field.name);
             const dep = if (@hasField(@TypeOf(decl), "args"))
-                b.dependency(field.name, decl.args)
+                b.dependency(
+                    field.name,
+                    dependencyArgsWithDefaults(
+                        decl.args,
+                        runner.target,
+                        runner.optimize,
+                    ),
+                )
             else
                 b.dependency(field.name, .{
                     .target = runner.target,
@@ -545,6 +552,8 @@ fn validateModuleDefinition(
         validateLazyPathSyntax(manifest, mod.root_source_file, section, name, "root_source_file");
     if (@hasField(Mod, "target"))
         validateTargetString(section, name, mod.target);
+    if (@hasField(Mod, "optimize"))
+        validateOptimize(section, name, mod.optimize);
     if (@hasField(Mod, "include_paths")) {
         inline for (@typeInfo(@TypeOf(mod.include_paths)).@"struct".fields) |field| {
             validateLazyPathSyntax(manifest, @field(mod.include_paths, field.name), section, name, "include_paths");
@@ -820,6 +829,25 @@ fn validateTargetString(comptime section: []const u8, comptime name: []const u8,
     };
 }
 
+fn validateOptimize(comptime section: []const u8, comptime name: []const u8, comptime optimize: anytype) void {
+    const T = @TypeOf(optimize);
+    const modes = std.meta.tags(std.builtin.OptimizeMode);
+
+    comptime var expected: []const u8 = "";
+    inline for (modes, 0..) |mode, i| {
+        expected = expected ++ (if (i == 0) "." else ", .") ++ @tagName(mode);
+    }
+
+    if (@typeInfo(T) != .enum_literal and T != std.builtin.OptimizeMode) {
+        @compileError(section ++ " '" ++ name ++ "': invalid optimize type; expected one of std.builtin.OptimizeMode");
+    }
+
+    const tag = @tagName(optimize);
+    inline for (modes) |mode| if (comptime std.mem.eql(u8, @tagName(mode), tag)) return;
+
+    @compileError(section ++ " '" ++ name ++ "': invalid optimize '." ++ tag ++ "'; expected one of " ++ expected);
+}
+
 fn validateOptionsModules(comptime manifest: anytype) void {
     if (!@hasField(@TypeOf(manifest), "options_modules")) return;
 
@@ -2573,7 +2601,78 @@ const BuildRunner = struct {
     }
 };
 
-// --- Comptime helpers ---
+/// Create a new anonymous struct type for arguments we pass
+/// to the child dependency.
+///
+/// Prepares the 'target' and 'optimize' fields for forwarding
+/// from the parent's options if left empty.
+fn DependencyArgs(comptime Args: type) type {
+    const arg_fields = @typeInfo(Args).@"struct".fields;
+    const has_target = @hasField(Args, "target");
+    const has_optimize = @hasField(Args, "optimize");
+
+    const field_count =
+        arg_fields.len +
+        @intFromBool(!has_target) +
+        @intFromBool(!has_optimize);
+
+    var names: [field_count][]const u8 = undefined;
+    var types: [field_count]type = undefined;
+    var attrs: [field_count]std.builtin.Type.StructField.Attributes = undefined;
+
+    var i: usize = 0;
+    inline for (arg_fields) |f| {
+        names[i] = f.name;
+        types[i] = f.type;
+        attrs[i] = .{
+            .@"comptime" = f.is_comptime,
+            .@"align" = f.alignment,
+            .default_value_ptr = f.default_value_ptr,
+        };
+        i += 1;
+    }
+
+    // If the given args do not have 'target' and 'optimize' set,
+    // we need to forward the parent's, so we create empty fields
+    // for them.
+    if (!has_target) {
+        names[i] = "target";
+        types[i] = std.Build.ResolvedTarget;
+        attrs[i] = .{};
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    if (!has_optimize) {
+        names[i] = "optimize";
+        types[i] = std.builtin.OptimizeMode;
+        attrs[i] = .{};
+    }
+
+    return @Struct(.auto, null, &names, &types, &attrs);
+}
+
+fn dependencyArgsWithDefaults(
+    args: anytype,
+    target_parent: std.Build.ResolvedTarget,
+    optimize_parent: std.builtin.OptimizeMode,
+) DependencyArgs(@TypeOf(args)) {
+    const Args = @TypeOf(args);
+    const ForwardedArgs = DependencyArgs(Args);
+    var result: ForwardedArgs = undefined;
+
+    inline for (@typeInfo(Args).@"struct".fields) |field| {
+        @field(result, field.name) = @field(args, field.name);
+    }
+
+    if (@hasField(Args, "optimize")) {
+        _ = @as(std.builtin.OptimizeMode, @field(args, "optimize"));
+    } else {
+        result.optimize = optimize_parent;
+    }
+
+    if (!@hasField(Args, "target")) result.target = target_parent;
+
+    return result;
+}
 
 fn toStringSlice(comptime tuple: anytype) []const []const u8 {
     const fields = @typeInfo(@TypeOf(tuple)).@"struct".fields;
diff --git a/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/build.zig b/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/build.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4259c57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/build.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+const zbuild = @import("zbuild");
+
+pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
+    _ = zbuild.configureBuild(b, @import("build.zig.zon"), .{}) catch |err| {
+        std.log.err("zbuild: {}", .{err});
+        return;
+    };
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/build.zig.zon b/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/build.zig.zon
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a524955
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/build.zig.zon
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+.{
+    .name = .dep_args,
+    .version = "0.1.0",
+    .fingerprint = 0x6e33b60f1f722c30,
+    .minimum_zig_version = "0.16.0",
+    .paths = .{ "build.zig", "build.zig.zon", "dep" },
+    .dependencies = .{
+        .zbuild = .{ .path = "../../.." },
+        // No 'target' in args: the dependency inherits the parent's
+        // resolved target. The parent is pinned to powerpc64 for distinguishability.
+        .dep_inherit = .{
+            .path = "dep",
+            .args = .{
+                .optimize = .ReleaseFast,
+                .portable = true,
+            },
+        },
+        // Explicit string 'target' in args: the dependency preserves it,
+        // ignoring the parent's target. Pinned to a mips64
+        // so it is distinguishable on standard hosts.
+        .dep_explicit = .{
+            .path = "dep",
+            .args = .{
+                .target = "mips64-linux-none",
+                .optimize = .ReleaseFast,
+                .portable = true,
+            },
+        },
+    },
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/dep/build.zig b/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/dep/build.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7f8a54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/dep/build.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+
+pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
+    const target = b.standardTargetOptions(.{});
+    const optimize = b.standardOptimizeOption(.{});
+    const portable = b.option(bool, "portable", "portable mode") orelse false;
+
+    std.debug.print(
+        "dep arch={s} os={s} abi={s} optimize={s} portable={}\n",
+        .{
+            @tagName(target.result.cpu.arch),
+            @tagName(target.result.os.tag),
+            @tagName(target.result.abi),
+            @tagName(optimize),
+            portable,
+        },
+    );
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/dep/build.zig.zon b/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/dep/build.zig.zon
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..88fc45f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/dependency_explicit_args/dep/build.zig.zon
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+.{
+    .name = .dep_pkg,
+    .version = "0.1.0",
+    .fingerprint = 0xd13ef89d724c4dc4,
+    .minimum_zig_version = "0.16.0",
+    .paths = .{ "build.zig", "build.zig.zon" },
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/invalid_optimize/build.zig b/test/fixtures/invalid_optimize/build.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1af7267
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/invalid_optimize/build.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+const zbuild = @import("zbuild");
+
+pub fn build(b: *std.Build) !void {
+    _ = try zbuild.configureBuild(b, @import("build.zig.zon"), .{});
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/invalid_optimize/build.zig.zon b/test/fixtures/invalid_optimize/build.zig.zon
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2da0263
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/invalid_optimize/build.zig.zon
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+.{
+    .name = .invalid_optimize,
+    .version = "0.1.0",
+    .fingerprint = 0x92522e2699681d7c,
+    .minimum_zig_version = "0.16.0",
+    .paths = .{ "build.zig", "build.zig.zon", "src" },
+    .dependencies = .{
+        .zbuild = .{ .path = "../../.." },
+    },
+    .executables = .{
+        .demo = .{
+            .root_module = .{
+                .root_source_file = "src/main.zig",
+                // '.Release' is not a valid std.builtin.OptimizeMode;
+                // zbuild rejects this at configuration time.
+                .optimize = .Release,
+            },
+        },
+    },
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/invalid_optimize/src/main.zig b/test/fixtures/invalid_optimize/src/main.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..902b554
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/invalid_optimize/src/main.zig
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pub fn main() void {}