diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint-rs.yml b/.github/workflows/lint-rs.yml
index 19e9879..55f50ac 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint-rs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint-rs.yml
@@ -115,8 +115,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build donut-proxy sidecar
         shell: bash
         working-directory: ./src-tauri
-        env:
-          TARGET: ${{ steps.host_target.outputs.target }}
         run: cargo build --bin donut-proxy
 
       - name: Copy donut-proxy binary to Tauri binaries
@@ -139,14 +137,10 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: src-tauri
 
       - name: Run clippy check and deny warnings
-        env:
-          TARGET: ${{ steps.host_target.outputs.target }}
         run: cargo clippy --all-targets --all-features -- -D warnings -D clippy::all
         working-directory: src-tauri
 
       - name: Run Rust tests
-        env:
-          TARGET: ${{ steps.host_target.outputs.target }}
         run: cargo test
         working-directory: src-tauri
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 3b87998..03c1469 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -160,8 +160,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build donut-proxy sidecar
         shell: bash
         working-directory: ./src-tauri
-        run: |
-          cargo build --bin donut-proxy --target ${{ matrix.target }} --release
+        run: cargo build --bin donut-proxy --target ${{ matrix.target }} --release
 
       - name: Copy donut-proxy binary to Tauri binaries
         shell: bash
@@ -171,14 +170,6 @@ jobs:
             cp src-tauri/target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/donut-proxy.exe src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }}.exe
           else
             cp src-tauri/target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/donut-proxy src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }}
-          fi
-          # Verify binary was copied
-          ls -la src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }}*
-          # Ensure binary exists and is executable
-          if [[ "${{ matrix.platform }}" == "windows-latest" ]]; then
-            test -f src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }}.exe || exit 1
-          else
-            test -f src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }} || exit 1
             chmod +x src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }}
           fi
 
@@ -187,9 +178,6 @@ jobs:
       #   continue-on-error: true
 
       - name: Build frontend
-        env:
-          TARGET: ${{ matrix.target }}
-          PROFILE: release
         run: pnpm build
 
       - name: Build Tauri app
diff --git a/.github/workflows/rolling-release.yml b/.github/workflows/rolling-release.yml
index 30825c5..11364f9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rolling-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rolling-release.yml
@@ -159,8 +159,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build donut-proxy sidecar
         shell: bash
         working-directory: ./src-tauri
-        run: |
-          cargo build --bin donut-proxy --target ${{ matrix.target }} --release
+        run: cargo build --bin donut-proxy --target ${{ matrix.target }} --release
 
       - name: Copy donut-proxy binary to Tauri binaries
         shell: bash
@@ -170,14 +169,6 @@ jobs:
             cp src-tauri/target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/donut-proxy.exe src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }}.exe
           else
             cp src-tauri/target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/donut-proxy src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }}
-          fi
-          # Verify binary was copied
-          ls -la src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }}*
-          # Ensure binary exists and is executable
-          if [[ "${{ matrix.platform }}" == "windows-latest" ]]; then
-            test -f src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }}.exe || exit 1
-          else
-            test -f src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }} || exit 1
             chmod +x src-tauri/binaries/donut-proxy-${{ matrix.target }}
           fi
 
@@ -186,9 +177,6 @@ jobs:
       #   continue-on-error: true
 
       - name: Build frontend
-        env:
-          TARGET: ${{ matrix.target }}
-          PROFILE: release
         run: pnpm build
 
       - name: Generate nightly timestamp
diff --git a/src-tauri/build.rs b/src-tauri/build.rs
index e05212c..598dde0 100644
--- a/src-tauri/build.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/build.rs
@@ -40,57 +40,46 @@ fn main() {
   println!("cargo:rerun-if-changed=src/proxy_runner.rs");
   println!("cargo:rerun-if-changed=src/proxy_storage.rs");
 
-  // Ensure the proxy binary exists before Tauri checks for it
-  // Tauri looks for binaries in the binaries/ directory relative to the manifest
-  ensure_proxy_binary_exists();
-
-  tauri_build::build()
+  // Only run tauri_build if all external binaries exist
+  // This allows building donut-proxy sidecar without the other binaries present
+  if external_binaries_exist() {
+    tauri_build::build()
+  } else {
+    println!("cargo:warning=Skipping tauri_build: external binaries not found. This is expected when building sidecar binaries.");
+  }
 }
 
-fn ensure_proxy_binary_exists() {
+fn external_binaries_exist() -> bool {
   use std::env;
   use std::path::PathBuf;
 
   let manifest_dir = match env::var("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR") {
     Ok(dir) => dir,
-    Err(_) => return,
+    Err(_) => return false,
   };
 
   let target = match env::var("TARGET") {
     Ok(t) => t,
-    Err(_) => return,
+    Err(_) => return false,
   };
 
   let binaries_dir = PathBuf::from(&manifest_dir).join("binaries");
-  let binary_name = format!("donut-proxy-{}", target);
-  let binary_path = binaries_dir.join(&binary_name);
 
-  // If binary doesn't exist, try to copy it from target directory
-  if !binary_path.exists() {
-    let profile = env::var("PROFILE").unwrap_or_else(|_| "debug".to_string());
-    let source_binary_name = if target.contains("windows") {
-      "donut-proxy.exe"
-    } else {
-      "donut-proxy"
-    };
+  // Check for both required external binaries
+  let nodecar_name = if target.contains("windows") {
+    format!("nodecar-{}.exe", target)
+  } else {
+    format!("nodecar-{}", target)
+  };
 
-    let source_dir = if target == env::var("HOST").unwrap_or_default() {
-      format!("{manifest_dir}/target/{}", profile)
-    } else {
-      format!("{manifest_dir}/target/{target}/{}", profile)
-    };
+  let donut_proxy_name = if target.contains("windows") {
+    format!("donut-proxy-{}.exe", target)
+  } else {
+    format!("donut-proxy-{}", target)
+  };
 
-    let source = PathBuf::from(&source_dir).join(source_binary_name);
-    if source.exists() {
-      if let Err(e) = std::fs::create_dir_all(&binaries_dir) {
-        eprintln!("cargo:warning=Failed to create binaries directory: {}", e);
-        return;
-      }
-      if let Err(e) = std::fs::copy(&source, &binary_path) {
-        eprintln!("cargo:warning=Failed to copy proxy binary: {}", e);
-      }
-    } else {
-      eprintln!("cargo:warning=Proxy binary not found at {} and source {} doesn't exist. Run 'pnpm copy-proxy-binary' first.", binary_path.display(), source.display());
-    }
-  }
+  let nodecar_exists = binaries_dir.join(&nodecar_name).exists();
+  let donut_proxy_exists = binaries_dir.join(&donut_proxy_name).exists();
+
+  nodecar_exists && donut_proxy_exists
 }