diff --git a/examples/rust/hello/Makefile b/examples/rust/hello/Makefile
index 2c638eb3c44..c5af986713a 100644
--- a/examples/rust/hello/Makefile
+++ b/examples/rust/hello/Makefile
@@ -27,9 +27,16 @@ PRIORITY  = $(CONFIG_EXAMPLES_HELLO_RUST_CARGO_PRIORITY)
 STACKSIZE = $(CONFIG_EXAMPLES_HELLO_RUST_CARGO_STACKSIZE)
 MODULE    = $(CONFIG_EXAMPLES_HELLO_RUST_CARGO)
 
-context::
+RUST_LIB  := $(call RUST_GET_BINDIR,hello,$(APPDIR)/examples/rust)
+RUST_SRCS := $(call RUST_CARGO_SRCS,hello,$(APPDIR)/examples/rust)
+
+$(RUST_LIB): $(RUST_SRCS)
 	$(call RUST_CARGO_BUILD,hello,$(APPDIR)/examples/rust)
 
+context:: $(RUST_LIB)
+
+all:: $(RUST_LIB)
+
 clean::
 	$(call RUST_CARGO_CLEAN,hello,$(APPDIR)/examples/rust)
 
diff --git a/examples/rust/slint/Makefile b/examples/rust/slint/Makefile
index 34b444e9d80..747f8960b86 100644
--- a/examples/rust/slint/Makefile
+++ b/examples/rust/slint/Makefile
@@ -25,9 +25,16 @@ PRIORITY  = $(CONFIG_EXAMPLES_RUST_SLINT_PRIORITY)
 STACKSIZE = $(CONFIG_EXAMPLES_RUST_SLINT_STACKSIZE)
 MODULE    = $(CONFIG_EXAMPLES_RUST_SLINT)
 
-context::
+RUST_LIB  := $(call RUST_GET_BINDIR,slint,$(APPDIR)/examples/rust)
+RUST_SRCS := $(call RUST_CARGO_SRCS,slint,$(APPDIR)/examples/rust)
+
+$(RUST_LIB): $(RUST_SRCS)
 	$(call RUST_CARGO_BUILD,slint,$(APPDIR)/examples/rust)
 
+context:: $(RUST_LIB)
+
+all:: $(RUST_LIB)
+
 clean::
 	$(call RUST_CARGO_CLEAN,slint,$(APPDIR)/examples/rust)
 
diff --git a/tools/Rust.mk b/tools/Rust.mk
index 90f3615a201..80abe29704c 100644
--- a/tools/Rust.mk
+++ b/tools/Rust.mk
@@ -144,3 +144,18 @@ $(2)/$(1)/target/$(strip $(if $(findstring .json,$(call RUST_TARGET_TRIPLE)), \
 	$(basename $(notdir $(call RUST_TARGET_TRIPLE))), \
 	$(call RUST_TARGET_TRIPLE)))/$(if $(CONFIG_DEBUG_FULLOPT),release,debug)/lib$(1).a
 endef
+
+# Collect crate input files for a crate
+#
+# Usage:   $(call RUST_CARGO_SRCS,cratename,prefix)
+#
+# Inputs:
+#   cratename - Name of the Rust crate (e.g. hello)
+#   prefix    - Path prefix to the crate (e.g. path/to/project)
+#
+# Output:
+#   List of crate input files (excluding the cargo target directory)
+
+define RUST_CARGO_SRCS
+$(shell find $(2)/$(1) -type f -not -path '$(2)/$(1)/target/*' 2>/dev/null)
+endef