diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/sd/sd/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/sd/sd/package.nix
index 4fa27641f1f0..e81eb4a00c00 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/sd/sd/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/sd/sd/package.nix
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ rustPlatform.buildRustPackage (finalAttrs: {
 
   cargoHash = "sha256-iOCIX7hq8RqRihVQrVoU2qCTSziuJePxsexkDSCZS9c=";
 
+  # Only build the CLI; the workspace also has a build-only `xtask` helper.
+  cargoBuildFlags = [ "--package=sd-cli" ];
+  cargoTestFlags = [ "--package=sd-cli" ];
+
   nativeBuildInputs = [ installShellFiles ];
 
   postInstall = ''