diff --git a/pyoxidizer/src/project_building.rs b/pyoxidizer/src/project_building.rs
index 57a04fb6c..59bdd1ef1 100644
--- a/pyoxidizer/src/project_building.rs
+++ b/pyoxidizer/src/project_building.rs
@@ -427,6 +427,27 @@ pub fn build_python_executable<'a>(
         .context("resolving Rust toolchain")?
         .cargo_exe;
 
+        build_python_executable_temp(
+            env,
+            bin_name,
+            exe, 
+            target_triple,
+            opt_level,
+            release,
+            cargo_exe,
+        )
+    
+}
+
+fn build_python_executable_temp<'a>(
+    env: &Environment,
+    bin_name: &str,
+    exe: &'a (dyn PythonBinaryBuilder + 'a),
+    target_triple: &str,
+    opt_level: &str,
+    release: bool,
+    cargo_exe: PathBuf,
+)->Result<BuiltExecutable<'a>>{
     let temp_dir = env.temporary_directory("pyoxidizer")?;
 
     // Directory needs to have name of project.
@@ -467,8 +488,66 @@ pub fn build_python_executable<'a>(
     build.exe_path = None;
 
     temp_dir.close().context("closing temporary directory")?;
+    Ok(build)    
+}
+/// Build a Python executable with local or init Rust project.
+///
+/// Returns the binary data constituting the built executable.
+pub fn build_python_executable_local<'a>(
+    env: &Environment,
+    bin_name: &str,
+    exe: &'a (dyn PythonBinaryBuilder + 'a),
+    target_triple: &str,
+    opt_level: &str,
+    release: bool,
+    cwd: PathBuf,
+) -> Result<BuiltExecutable<'a>> {
+    let cargo_exe = env
+        .ensure_rust_toolchain(Some(target_triple))
+        .context("resolving Rust toolchain")?
+        .cargo_exe;
 
-    Ok(build)
+    let toml = cwd.join("Cargo.toml");
+    
+    if toml.exists() {
+        let project_path = cwd.clone();
+        let build_path = cwd.join("build");
+        let artifacts_path = cwd.join("artifacts");
+        let mut build = build_executable_with_rust_project(
+            env,
+            &project_path,
+            bin_name,
+            exe,
+            &build_path,
+            &artifacts_path,
+            target_triple,
+            opt_level,
+            release,
+            // Always build with locked because we crated a Cargo.lock with the
+            // Rust project we just created.
+            true,
+            // Don't include license for self because the Rust project is temporary and its
+            // licensing isn't material.
+            false,
+        )
+        .context("building executable with Rust project")?;
+    
+        // Blank out the path since it is in the temporary directory.
+        build.exe_path = None;
+    
+        Ok(build) 
+    } else {
+        build_python_executable_temp(
+            env,
+            bin_name,
+            exe, 
+            target_triple,
+            opt_level,
+            release,
+            cargo_exe,
+        )
+    }
+    
 }
 
 /// Build artifacts needed by the pyembed crate.
diff --git a/pyoxidizer/src/starlark/file_resource.rs b/pyoxidizer/src/starlark/file_resource.rs
index 9da0cf32e..21e2a1aba 100644
--- a/pyoxidizer/src/starlark/file_resource.rs
+++ b/pyoxidizer/src/starlark/file_resource.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use {
         python_package_resource::PythonPackageResourceValue,
     },
     crate::{
-        project_building::build_python_executable,
+        project_building::build_python_executable_local,
         py_packaging::{binary::PythonBinaryBuilder, resource::AddToFileManifest},
     },
     anyhow::{anyhow, Context, Result},
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ use {
             starlark_signature_extraction, starlark_signatures,
         },
     },
-    std::{ops::DerefMut, path::Path},
+    std::{ops::DerefMut, path::{Path,PathBuf}},
     tugger::starlark::file_manifest::FileManifestValue,
 };
 
@@ -42,10 +42,11 @@ pub fn file_manifest_add_python_executable(
     target: &str,
     release: bool,
     opt_level: &str,
+    cwd: PathBuf,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     const LABEL: &str = "FileManifest.add_python_executable()";
 
-    let build = build_python_executable(env, &exe.name(), exe, target, opt_level, release)
+    let build = build_python_executable_local(env, &exe.name(), exe, target, opt_level, release,cwd)
         .context("building Python executable")?;
 
     let content = FileEntry::new_from_data(build.exe_data.clone(), true);
diff --git a/pyoxidizer/src/starlark/python_executable.rs b/pyoxidizer/src/starlark/python_executable.rs
index b68bbdf35..8e2dfcc3f 100644
--- a/pyoxidizer/src/starlark/python_executable.rs
+++ b/pyoxidizer/src/starlark/python_executable.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use {
     },
     crate::{
         licensing::licenses_from_cargo_manifest,
-        project_building::build_python_executable,
+        project_building::build_python_executable_local,
         py_packaging::binary::PythonBinaryBuilder,
         py_packaging::binary::{PackedResourcesLoadMode, WindowsRuntimeDllsMode},
     },
@@ -82,15 +82,16 @@ pub fn build_internal(
     target: &str,
     context: &PyOxidizerEnvironmentContext,
 ) -> Result<(ResolvedTarget, PathBuf)> {
-    // Build an executable by writing out a temporary Rust project
-    // and building it.
-    let build = build_python_executable(
+    // Build an executable if can't find local toml file  
+    // will writing out a temporary Rust project and building it.
+    let build = build_python_executable_local(
         context.env(),
         &exe.name(),
         &**exe,
         &context.build_target_triple,
         &context.build_opt_level,
         context.build_release,
+        context.cwd.clone(),
     )
     .context("building Python executable")?;
 
@@ -827,7 +828,7 @@ impl PythonExecutableValue {
     /// PythonExecutable.to_file_manifest(prefix)
     pub fn to_file_manifest(&self, type_values: &TypeValues, prefix: String) -> ValueResult {
         const LABEL: &str = "PythonExecutable.to_file_manifest()";
-
+        
         let pyoxidizer_context_value = get_context(type_values)?;
         let pyoxidizer_context = pyoxidizer_context_value
             .downcast_ref::<PyOxidizerEnvironmentContext>()
@@ -850,6 +851,7 @@ impl PythonExecutableValue {
                 &pyoxidizer_context.build_target_triple,
                 pyoxidizer_context.build_release,
                 &pyoxidizer_context.build_opt_level,
+                pyoxidizer_context.cwd.clone(),
             )
             .context("adding PythonExecutable to FileManifest")
         })?;