diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 361ab5e..058253a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 - Bump upstream Vize crates 0.109 → 0.112.
 - Fix CSS AST print round-trip for `image-set(...)`.
+- Automatically build NIF from source on targets without precompiled artifacts.
 
 ## 0.11.0
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5614899..98e3576 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,7 +26,33 @@ def deps do
 end
 ```
 
-Requires a Rust toolchain (`rustup` recommended). The NIF compiles automatically on `mix compile`.
+Vize uses precompiled NIFs on supported targets. On targets without a
+precompiled artifact, Vize automatically builds the NIF from source, if
+required tools are available.
+
+Source builds require a Rust toolchain (`rustup` recommended) and Rustler
+in your app's deps:
+
+```elixir
+def deps do
+  [
+    {:vize, "~> 0.11.0"},
+    {:rustler, "~> 0.37", optional: true}
+  ]
+end
+```
+
+To force a source build on any target:
+
+```sh
+VIZE_EX_BUILD=1 mix deps.compile vize --force
+```
+
+You can also make source builds permanent with compile-time config:
+
+```elixir
+config :rustler_precompiled, :force_build, vize: true
+```
 
 ## Usage
 
diff --git a/lib/vize/native.ex b/lib/vize/native.ex
index 4ce2aa2..e447507 100644
--- a/lib/vize/native.ex
+++ b/lib/vize/native.ex
@@ -1,18 +1,72 @@
+defmodule Vize.Native.Build do
+  @moduledoc false
+
+  @targets ~w(
+    aarch64-apple-darwin
+    aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu
+    x86_64-apple-darwin
+    x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
+    x86_64-unknown-linux-musl
+  )
+
+  def targets, do: @targets
+
+  def force_build?(env_value, config_value, target \\ current_target()) do
+    env_value in ["1", "true"] or config_value == true or target not in @targets
+  end
+
+  def ensure_rustler_available!(force_build?, rustler_loaded? \\ Code.ensure_loaded?(Rustler))
+  def ensure_rustler_available!(false, _rustler_loaded?), do: :ok
+
+  def ensure_rustler_available!(true, rustler_loaded?) do
+    unless rustler_loaded? do
+      raise """
+      Vize needs to compile its Rust NIF from source, but Rustler is not available.
+
+      Add Rustler to your application's dependencies:
+
+          {:rustler, "~> 0.37", optional: true}
+
+      Then run:
+
+          mix deps.get
+          mix deps.compile vize --force
+      """
+    end
+
+    :ok
+  end
+
+  defp current_target do
+    case RustlerPrecompiled.target() do
+      {:ok, "nif-" <> target} ->
+        target
+        |> String.split("-", parts: 2)
+        |> List.last()
+
+      {:error, _reason} ->
+        nil
+    end
+  end
+end
+
 defmodule Vize.Native do
   version = Mix.Project.config()[:version]
 
+  force_build? =
+    Vize.Native.Build.force_build?(
+      System.get_env("VIZE_EX_BUILD"),
+      Application.compile_env(:rustler_precompiled, [:force_build, :vize], false)
+    )
+
+  Vize.Native.Build.ensure_rustler_available!(force_build?)
+
   use RustlerPrecompiled,
     otp_app: :vize,
     crate: "vize_ex_nif",
     base_url: "https://github.com/elixir-volt/vize_ex/releases/download/v#{version}",
-    force_build: System.get_env("VIZE_EX_BUILD") in ["1", "true"],
-    targets: ~w(
-      aarch64-apple-darwin
-      aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu
-      x86_64-apple-darwin
-      x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
-      x86_64-unknown-linux-musl
-    ),
+    force_build: force_build?,
+    targets: Vize.Native.Build.targets(),
     version: version
 
   @spec parse_sfc_nif(String.t()) :: {:ok, map()} | {:error, String.t()}
diff --git a/test/vize_test.exs b/test/vize_test.exs
index f1e219e..6498647 100644
--- a/test/vize_test.exs
+++ b/test/vize_test.exs
@@ -38,6 +38,26 @@ defmodule VizeTest do
   defp rewrite_css_url(%{"url" => from} = node, from, to), do: %{node | "url" => to}
   defp rewrite_css_url(node, _from, _to), do: node
 
+  describe "native build config" do
+    test "honors explicit source build settings" do
+      assert Vize.Native.Build.force_build?("1", false, "x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu")
+      assert Vize.Native.Build.force_build?("true", false, "x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu")
+      assert Vize.Native.Build.force_build?(nil, true, "x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu")
+      refute Vize.Native.Build.force_build?(nil, false, "x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu")
+    end
+
+    test "source builds when no precompiled target is available" do
+      assert Vize.Native.Build.force_build?(nil, false, "x86_64-unknown-freebsd")
+      refute Vize.Native.Build.force_build?(nil, false, "x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu")
+    end
+
+    test "raises a clear error when source build needs Rustler" do
+      assert_raise RuntimeError, ~r/Rustler is not available/, fn ->
+        Vize.Native.Build.ensure_rustler_available!(true, false)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "parse_sfc/1" do
     test "parses template block" do
       {:ok, descriptor} = Vize.parse_sfc(@simple_sfc)