diff --git a/build_with_bazel.py b/build_with_bazel.py
index 3fb8c59437b1..0855167752aa 100755
--- a/build_with_bazel.py
+++ b/build_with_bazel.py
@@ -9,11 +9,23 @@ import sys
 from subprocess import Popen
 
 BAZEL_BIN = "./tools/bazel"
+CPU = "aarch64"
+HOST_CROSSTOOL = "@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:toolchain"
 
 
-def bazel(bazel_subcommand, targets, extra_options=[]):
+def get_cross_cli_opts(toolchain):
+    return [
+        "--cpu={}".format(CPU),
+        "--crosstool_top={}".format(toolchain),
+        "--host_crosstool_top={}".format(HOST_CROSSTOOL),
+    ]
+
+
+def bazel(bazel_subcommand, targets, extra_options=[], us_cross_toolchain=None):
     cmdline = [BAZEL_BIN, bazel_subcommand]
     cmdline.extend(extra_options)
+    if us_cross_toolchain:
+        cmdline.extend(get_cross_cli_opts(us_cross_toolchain))
     cmdline.extend(targets)
     cmdline_str = " ".join(cmdline)
     try:
@@ -27,19 +39,22 @@ def bazel(bazel_subcommand, targets, extra_options=[]):
         sys.exit(1)
 
 
-def build_targets(targets, user_opts=[]):
-    bazel("build", targets, user_opts)
+def build_targets(targets, user_opts=[], us_cross_toolchain=None):
+    if not targets:
+        logging.warning("no targets to build")
+    bazel("build", targets, user_opts, us_cross_toolchain)
 
 
-def run_targets(targets, user_opts=[]):
+def run_targets(targets, user_opts=[], us_cross_toolchain=None):
     # bazel cannot _run_ multiple targets at once, so run them in serial
     for target in targets:
-        bazel("run", [target], user_opts)
+        bazel("run", [target], user_opts, us_cross_toolchain)
 
 
 def build(
     target_list,
     user_opts=[],
+    us_cross_toolchain=None,
     extra_targets=[],
     skip_kernel=False,
     skip_abl=False,
@@ -49,9 +64,12 @@ def build(
     msm_targets = ["//msm-kernel:{}_{}".format(t, v) for t, v in target_list]
     extra_msm_targets = []
     for extra in extra_targets:
-        extra_msm_targets.extend(["//msm-kernel:{}_{}_{}".format(t, v, extra) for t, v in target_list])
+        extra_msm_targets.extend(
+            ["//msm-kernel:{}_{}_{}".format(t, v, extra) for t, v in target_list]
+        )
 
     targets_to_build = []
+    host_targets_to_build = []
     for t in msm_targets:
         logging.info(
             "skipping kernel build"
@@ -61,7 +79,7 @@ def build(
         )
         logging.info(
             "skipping host tools build"
-        ) if skip_host_tools else targets_to_build.append(t + "_dtc")
+        ) if skip_host_tools else host_targets_to_build.append(t + "_dtc")
 
     targets_to_build += extra_msm_targets
 
@@ -69,8 +87,13 @@ def build(
         logging.error("no targets to build")
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    build_targets(targets_to_build, user_opts)
-    run_targets([t + "_dist" for t in targets_to_build], user_opts)
+    logging.info("Building {} targets...".format(CPU))
+    build_targets(targets_to_build, user_opts, us_cross_toolchain)
+    run_targets([t + "_dist" for t in targets_to_build], user_opts, us_cross_toolchain)
+
+    logging.info("Building host targets...")
+    build_targets(host_targets_to_build, user_opts)
+    run_targets([t + "_dist" for t in host_targets_to_build], user_opts)
 
 
 def main():
@@ -85,6 +108,25 @@ def main():
         required=True,
         help="Target and variant to build (e.g. -t kalama gki). May be passed multiple times.",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-u",
+        "--userspace_cross_toolchain",
+        default=None,
+        metavar="TOOLCHAIN",
+        help="Set a Bazel toolchain for cross-compiled userspace programs",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-e",
+        "--extra_build_target",
+        metavar="BUILD_TARGET",
+        action="append",
+        default=[],
+        help="""
+           Additional Bazel target to build and run dist. For example, "-t kalama gki --extra_target foo"
+           would run "bazel build //msm-kernel:kalama_gki_foo && bazel run //msms-kernel:kalama_gki_foo_dist".
+           May be passed multiple times.
+        """,
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--skip_kernel",
         action="store_true",
@@ -100,17 +142,6 @@ def main():
         action="store_true",
         help="Skip building host tools (DTC, etc.)",
     )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--extra_build_target",
-        metavar="BUILD_TARGET",
-        action="append",
-        default=[],
-        help="""
-           Additional Bazel target to build and run dist. For example, "-t kalama gki --extra_target foo"
-           would run "bazel build //msm-kernel:kalama_gki_foo && bazel run //msms-kernel:kalama_gki_foo_dist".
-           May be passed multiple times.
-        """
-    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--log",
         help="Log level (debug, info, warning, error)",
@@ -127,7 +158,13 @@ def main():
 
     extra_targets = list(args.extra_build_target)
 
-    build(args.target, user_opts, extra_targets, **vars(args))
+    build(
+        args.target,
+        user_opts,
+        args.userspace_cross_toolchain,
+        extra_targets,
+        **vars(args)
+    )
 
     logging.info("Build completed successfully!")