diff --git a/xtask/src/builder.rs b/xtask/src/builder.rs
index 8fbb9ddc8..6614ef95f 100644
--- a/xtask/src/builder.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/builder.rs
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ pub(crate) struct Builder {
     run_svd2repl: bool,
     locale_override: Option<String>,
     locale_stash: String,
+    /// when set to true, hosted mode builds but does not run
+    dry_run: bool,
 }
 
 impl Builder {
@@ -119,6 +121,7 @@ impl Builder {
             run_svd2repl: false,
             locale_override: None,
             locale_stash: String::new(),
+            dry_run: false,
         }
     }
     /// Specify an alternate loader key, as a String that can encode a file name
@@ -260,6 +263,11 @@ impl Builder {
         self.kernel_features.push(feature.into());
         self
     }
+    /// only build a hosted target. don't run it. Used exclusively to confirm that hosted mode builds in CI.
+    pub fn hosted_build_only<'a>(&'a mut self) -> &'a mut Builder {
+        self.dry_run = true;
+        self
+    }
 
     /// The builder sets up all the cargo arguments to build a set of packages with features for a respective
     /// target and stream. It also runs the build as well. It's meant to be called only by the `build()`
@@ -484,7 +492,11 @@ impl Builder {
                     service.push_str(".exe")
                 }
             }
-            let mut hosted_args = vec!["run"];
+            let mut hosted_args = if self.dry_run {
+                vec!["build"]
+            } else {
+                vec!["run"]
+            };
             match self.stream {
                 BuildStream::Release => hosted_args.push("--release"),
                 _ => {}
diff --git a/xtask/src/main.rs b/xtask/src/main.rs
index c4833707b..3101483e4 100644
--- a/xtask/src/main.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/main.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
         "susres",     // suspend/resume manager
     ].to_vec();
     // minimal set of packages to do bare-iron graphical I/O
-    let gfx_dev_pkgs = [
+    let gfx_base_pkgs = [
         &base_pkgs[..],
         &[
             "graphics-server",  // raw (unprotected) frame buffer primitives
@@ -48,8 +48,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     ].concat();
     // packages in the user image
     let user_pkgs = [
-        &base_pkgs[..],
-        &gfx_dev_pkgs[..],
+        &gfx_base_pkgs[..],
         &[
             // net services
             "com",
@@ -190,10 +189,16 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
         }
         Some("gfx-dev") => {
             builder.target_hosted()
-                   .add_services(&gfx_dev_pkgs.into_iter().map(String::from).collect())
+                   .add_services(&gfx_base_pkgs.into_iter().map(String::from).collect())
                    .add_services(&get_cratespecs())
                    .add_feature("graphics-server/testing");
         },
+        Some("hosted-ci") => {
+            builder.target_hosted()
+                   .add_services(&user_pkgs.into_iter().map(String::from).collect())
+                   .hosted_build_only()
+                   .add_apps(&get_cratespecs());
+        }
 
         // ------ Precursor hardware image configs ------
         Some("app-image") => {
@@ -232,13 +237,13 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
         }
         Some("usbdev") => {
             builder.target_precursor(PRECURSOR_SOC_VERSION)
-                   .add_services(&gfx_dev_pkgs.into_iter().map(String::from).collect())
+                   .add_services(&gfx_base_pkgs.into_iter().map(String::from).collect())
                    .add_services(&get_cratespecs());
             builder.add_service("usb-test");
         }
         Some("ffi-test") => {
             builder.target_precursor(PRECURSOR_SOC_VERSION)
-                   .add_services(&gfx_dev_pkgs.into_iter().map(String::from).collect())
+                   .add_services(&gfx_base_pkgs.into_iter().map(String::from).collect())
                    .add_services(&get_cratespecs());
             builder.add_service("ffi-test");
             builder.add_loader_feature("renode-bypass");