diff --git a/src/bin/cargo/commands/build.rs b/src/bin/cargo/commands/build.rs
index 238d0864808..63d593c7fa7 100644
--- a/src/bin/cargo/commands/build.rs
+++ b/src/bin/cargo/commands/build.rs
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ pub fn cli() -> App {
             .value_name("PATH"),
         )
         .arg_manifest_path()
+        .arg_crate_type()
         .arg_ignore_rust_version()
         .arg_message_format()
         .arg_build_plan()
diff --git a/src/bin/cargo/commands/check.rs b/src/bin/cargo/commands/check.rs
index fec00ad8b7e..14bd1cbe219 100644
--- a/src/bin/cargo/commands/check.rs
+++ b/src/bin/cargo/commands/check.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ pub fn cli() -> App {
         .arg_target_triple("Check for the target triple")
         .arg_target_dir()
         .arg_manifest_path()
+        .arg_crate_type()
         .arg_ignore_rust_version()
         .arg_message_format()
         .arg_unit_graph()
diff --git a/src/cargo/util/command_prelude.rs b/src/cargo/util/command_prelude.rs
index 4f56ab242f4..0c9513a375e 100644
--- a/src/cargo/util/command_prelude.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/util/command_prelude.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-use crate::core::compiler::{BuildConfig, MessageFormat};
-use crate::core::Workspace;
+use crate::core::compiler::{BuildConfig, CrateType, MessageFormat};
+use crate::core::{TargetKind, Workspace};
 use crate::ops::{CompileFilter, CompileOptions, NewOptions, Packages, VersionControl};
 use crate::sources::CRATES_IO_REGISTRY;
 use crate::util::important_paths::find_root_manifest_for_wd;
@@ -157,6 +157,12 @@ pub trait AppExt: Sized {
         self._arg(opt("manifest-path", "Path to Cargo.toml").value_name("PATH"))
     }
 
+    fn arg_crate_type(self) -> Self {
+        self._arg(
+            opt("crate-type", "Override crate type for all libraries").value_name("CRATE-TYPE"),
+        )
+    }
+
     fn arg_message_format(self) -> Self {
         self._arg(multi_opt("message-format", "FMT", "Error format"))
     }
@@ -317,6 +323,16 @@ pub trait ArgMatchesExt {
         if config.cli_unstable().avoid_dev_deps {
             ws.set_require_optional_deps(false);
         }
+        if let Some(crate_type) = self._value_of("crate-type") {
+            if let Ok(current) = ws.current_mut() {
+                for target in current.manifest_mut().targets_mut() {
+                    if let TargetKind::Lib(_) = target.kind() {
+                        let crate_type = CrateType::from(&crate_type.to_owned());
+                        target.set_kind(TargetKind::Lib(vec![crate_type]));
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
         Ok(ws)
     }