diff --git a/docs/source/get_started/config.md b/docs/source/get_started/config.md
index 50db0b2..b162c9c 100644
--- a/docs/source/get_started/config.md
+++ b/docs/source/get_started/config.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ Or with all options given:
     ensured-targets = ["foo/generated.txt"]
     skip-if-exists = ["foo/generated.txt"]
     install-pre-commit-hook = true
+    optional-editable-build = true
 
     [tool.hatch.build.hooks.jupyter-builder.build-kwargs]
     build_cmd = "build:src"
@@ -67,6 +68,12 @@ You can also use `editable-build-kwargs` if the parameters should differ
 in editable mode. If only the build command is different, you can use
 `editable_build_cmd` in `build-kwargs` instead.
 
+### optional-editable-build
+
+The optional `optional-editable-build` parameter can be set to `true` to
+show a warning instead of erroring if the build fails in editable mode.
+This can be used when build artifacts are optional for local development.
+
 ### install-pre-commit-hook
 
 The optional `install-pre-commit-hook` boolean causes a `pre-commit` hook to be installed during an editable install.
diff --git a/hatch_jupyter_builder/plugin.py b/hatch_jupyter_builder/plugin.py
index 173f903..1a900d7 100644
--- a/hatch_jupyter_builder/plugin.py
+++ b/hatch_jupyter_builder/plugin.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import os
 import typing as t
+import warnings
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field, fields
 
 from hatchling.builders.hooks.plugin.interface import BuildHookInterface
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ class JupyterBuildConfig:
     editable_build_kwargs: t.Mapping[str, str] = field(default_factory=dict)
     ensured_targets: t.List[str] = field(default_factory=list)
     skip_if_exists: t.List[str] = field(default_factory=list)
+    optional_editable_build: str = ""
 
 
 class JupyterBuildHook(BuildHookInterface):
@@ -72,7 +74,13 @@ def initialize(self, version, build_data):
             build_kwargs = normalize_kwargs(build_kwargs)
             log.info(f"Building with {config.build_function}")
             log.info(f"With kwargs: {build_kwargs}")
-            build_func(self.target_name, version, **build_kwargs)
+            try:
+                build_func(self.target_name, version, **build_kwargs)
+            except Exception as e:
+                if version == "editable" and config.optional_editable_build.lower() == "true":
+                    warnings.warn(f"Encountered build error:\n{e}")
+                else:
+                    raise e
         else:
             log.info("Skipping build")
 
diff --git a/tests/test_plugin.py b/tests/test_plugin.py
index f0c1d20..aa3c8e8 100644
--- a/tests/test_plugin.py
+++ b/tests/test_plugin.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import os
 import platform
 import subprocess
+import sys
 import venv
+import warnings
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ def foo(target_name, version, foo_bar=None, fizz_buzz=None):
 
     config["skip-if-exists"] = ["foo", "bar"]
     assert hook.initialize("standard", {})
+    del config["skip-if-exists"]
 
     config["editable-build-kwargs"] = {"foo-bar": "2", "fizz_buzz": "3"}
     assert hook.initialize("editable", {})
@@ -48,9 +51,29 @@ def foo(target_name, version, foo_bar=None, fizz_buzz=None):
     hook = JupyterBuildHook(tmp_path, config, {}, {}, tmp_path, "foo")
     assert not hook.initialize("standard", {})
 
-    os.environ["SKIP_JUPYTER_BUILD"] = "1"
+    text = """
+def foo(target_name, version, foo_bar=None, fizz_buzz=None):
+    raise RuntimeError('trigger error')
+"""
+    test.write_text(text, encoding="utf-8")
+    # Force a re-import
+    del sys.modules["test"]
+
+    hook = JupyterBuildHook(tmp_path, config, {}, {}, tmp_path, "wheel")
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        hook.initialize("editable", {})
+
+    os.environ["SKIP_JUPYTER_BUILDER"] = "1"
     assert not hook.initialize("standard", {})
-    del os.environ["SKIP_JUPYTER_BUILD"]
+    del os.environ["SKIP_JUPYTER_BUILDER"]
+
+    config["optional-editable-build"] = "true"
+    hook = JupyterBuildHook(tmp_path, config, {}, {}, tmp_path, "wheel")
+    with warnings.catch_warnings():
+        warnings.simplefilter("ignore")
+        assert hook.initialize("editable", {})
+
+    del sys.modules["test"]
 
 
 HERE = Path(__file__).parent
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index dbbd5af..39983fd 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ def test_get_build_func(tmp_path):
     with pytest.raises(AttributeError):
         utils.get_build_func("test.bar")
 
+    del sys.modules["test"]
+
 
 def test_should_skip(tmp_path):
     assert not utils.should_skip("a")