diff --git a/packages/core/src/build/app.js b/packages/core/src/build/app.js
index 6ee8271d..a2935c1a 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/build/app.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/build/app.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export default async (root, config) => {
     postbuild: [],
     bindings: {},
     roots: [],
-    targets: { web },
+    targets: { web: { target: web } },
     importmaps: {},
     assets: [],
     path,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/build/hook/build.js b/packages/core/src/build/hook/build.js
index 745fa840..2fdfd5dd 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/build/hook/build.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/build/hook/build.js
@@ -14,11 +14,15 @@ import $router from "./router.js";
 const html = /^.*.html$/u;
 
 const pre = async (app, mode, target) => {
-  if (app.targets[target] === undefined) {
+  let target$ = target;
+  if (app.targets[target$] === undefined) {
     throw new Error(`target ${dim(target)} does not exist`);
   }
-  app.build_target = target;
-  log.system(`starting ${dim(target)} build in ${dim(mode)} mode`);
+  if (app.targets[target$].forward) {
+    target$ = app.targets[target$].forward;
+  }
+  app.build_target = target$;
+  log.system(`starting ${dim(target$)} build in ${dim(mode)} mode`);
 
   app.build = new Build({
     ...exclude(app.get("build"), ["includes", "index"]),
@@ -147,7 +151,7 @@ const post = async (app, mode, target) => {
   await app.build.start();
 
   // a target needs to create an `assets.js` that exports assets
-  await app.targets[target](app);
+  await app.targets[app.build_target].target(app);
 
   const build_number = crypto.randomUUID().slice(0, 8);
   const build_directory = app.path.build.join(build_number);
diff --git a/packages/native/src/desktop.js b/packages/native/src/desktop.js
index 77d0c824..46aa0134 100644
--- a/packages/native/src/desktop.js
+++ b/packages/native/src/desktop.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export default async app => {
       return Webview;
     }
   };
-  const target = "desktop";
+  const target = "${app.build_target}";
 
   export { assets, loader, target };
 `;
diff --git a/packages/native/src/index.js b/packages/native/src/index.js
index 045b77ae..be37b226 100644
--- a/packages/native/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/native/src/index.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import dim from "@rcompat/cli/color/dim";
 import execute from "@rcompat/stdio/execute";
-import desktop from "./desktop.js";
 import targets from "./targets.js";
 import log from "@primate/core/log";
 
+const target_keys = Object.keys(targets);
 const command = "bun build build/serve.js --conditions=runtime --compile --minify";
 
 export default ({
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ export default ({
   return {
     name: "primate:native",
     init(app, next) {
-      Object.keys(targets).forEach(target => app.target(target, desktop));
+      target_keys.forEach(target => app.target(target, targets[target]));
       return next(app);
     },
     build(app, next) {
-      if (app.build_target === "linux-x64") {
+      if (target_keys.includes(app.build_target)) {
         app.done(async () => {
           const { flags, exe } = targets[app.build_target];
           const executable_path = dim(`${app.path.build}/${exe}`);
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ export default ({
       return next(app);
     },
     async serve(app, next) {
-      if (app.build_target === "desktop") {
+      if (target_keys.includes(app.build_target)) {
         const Webview = app.loader.webview();
         const webview = new Webview();
         const { host, port } = app.get("http");
diff --git a/packages/native/src/targets.js b/packages/native/src/targets.js
index 57dc416b..9232c25a 100644
--- a/packages/native/src/targets.js
+++ b/packages/native/src/targets.js
@@ -1,25 +1,31 @@
+import target from "./desktop.js";
+
 const desktop = {
-  flags: "",
+  forward: `${process.platform}-${process.arch}`,
 };
 
 const linux_x64 = {
   flags: "--target=bun-linux-x64",
   exe: "app",
+  target,
 };
 
 const windows_x64 = {
   flags: "--target=bun-windows-x64",
   exe: "app.exe",
+  target,
 };
 
 const darwin_x64 = {
   flags: "--target=bun-darwin-x64",
   exe: "app",
+  target,
 };
 
 const darwin_arm64 = {
   flags: "--target=bun-darwin-arm64",
   exe: "app",
+  target,
 };
 
 export default {