diff --git a/extensions/prost/private/prost.bzl b/extensions/prost/private/prost.bzl
index 4eecf85a06..59408bca8f 100644
--- a/extensions/prost/private/prost.bzl
+++ b/extensions/prost/private/prost.bzl
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ def _compile_rust(
             extension = ".rmeta",
         )
         rmeta = ctx.actions.declare_file(rmeta_name)
-        rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, rmeta)
+        rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, rmeta)
         metadata_supports_pipelining = can_use_metadata_for_pipelining(toolchain, "rlib")
 
     providers = rustc_compile_action(
diff --git a/extensions/protobuf/proto.bzl b/extensions/protobuf/proto.bzl
index 8c67a39ecb..3956487b07 100644
--- a/extensions/protobuf/proto.bzl
+++ b/extensions/protobuf/proto.bzl
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ def _rust_proto_compile(protos, descriptor_sets, imports, crate_name, ctx, is_gr
             crate_name,
             output_hash,
         ))
-        rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, rust_metadata)
+        rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, rust_metadata)
         metadata_supports_pipelining = can_use_metadata_for_pipelining(toolchain, "rlib")
 
     # Gather all dependencies for compilation
diff --git a/extensions/wasm_bindgen/private/wasm_bindgen_test.bzl b/extensions/wasm_bindgen/private/wasm_bindgen_test.bzl
index 8a2dcb5738..2abf61f624 100644
--- a/extensions/wasm_bindgen/private/wasm_bindgen_test.bzl
+++ b/extensions/wasm_bindgen/private/wasm_bindgen_test.bzl
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ def _rust_wasm_bindgen_test_impl(ctx):
         proc_macro_deps = depset(proc_macro_deps, transitive = [crate.proc_macro_deps]).to_list(),
         aliases = {},
         output = output,
-        rustc_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, output),
+        rustc_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, output),
         edition = crate.edition,
         rustc_env = rustc_env,
         rustc_env_files = rustc_env_files,
diff --git a/rust/private/BUILD.bazel b/rust/private/BUILD.bazel
index d18e895493..09b8a6535c 100644
--- a/rust/private/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/rust/private/BUILD.bazel
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 load("@bazel_skylib//:bzl_library.bzl", "bzl_library")
+load("@bazel_skylib//rules:common_settings.bzl", "bool_setting")
 load("//rust/private:rust_analyzer.bzl", "rust_analyzer_detect_sysroot")
 load("//rust/private:rustc.bzl", "is_proc_macro_dep", "is_proc_macro_dep_enabled")
 load("//rust/private:stamp.bzl", "stamp_build_setting")
@@ -57,3 +58,26 @@ rust_analyzer_detect_sysroot(
     name = "rust_analyzer_detect_sysroot",
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
+
+# This setting lets us configure a bootstrap toolchain to build the process_wrapper
+# and a "full" toolchain (that uses process_wrapper) to build user code.
+bool_setting(
+    name = "bootstrap_setting",
+    build_setting_default = False,
+)
+
+config_setting(
+    name = "bootstrapped",
+    flag_values = {
+        ":bootstrap_setting": "0",
+    },
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
+
+config_setting(
+    name = "bootstrapping",
+    flag_values = {
+        ":bootstrap_setting": "1",
+    },
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/rust/private/repository_utils.bzl b/rust/private/repository_utils.bzl
index 05b741947d..0d3c385f08 100644
--- a/rust/private/repository_utils.bzl
+++ b/rust/private/repository_utils.bzl
@@ -348,6 +348,39 @@ rust_toolchain(
     strip_level = {strip_level},
     tags = ["rust_version={version}"],
 )
+
+rust_toolchain(
+    name = "{toolchain_name}_bootstrap",
+    bootstrapping = True,
+    rust_doc = "//:rustdoc",
+    rust_std = "//:rust_std-{target_triple}",
+    rustc = "//:rustc",
+    linker = {linker_label},
+    linker_type = {linker_type},
+    rustfmt = {rustfmt_label},
+    cargo = "//:cargo",
+    clippy_driver = "//:clippy_driver_bin",
+    cargo_clippy = "//:cargo_clippy_bin",
+    llvm_cov = {llvm_cov_label},
+    llvm_profdata = {llvm_profdata_label},
+    llvm_lib = {llvm_lib_label},
+    rustc_lib = "//:rustc_lib",
+    allocator_library = {allocator_library},
+    global_allocator_library = {global_allocator_library},
+    binary_ext = "{binary_ext}",
+    staticlib_ext = "{staticlib_ext}",
+    dylib_ext = "{dylib_ext}",
+    stdlib_linkflags = [{stdlib_linkflags}],
+    default_edition = "{default_edition}",
+    exec_triple = "{exec_triple}",
+    target_triple = "{target_triple}",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+    extra_rustc_flags = {extra_rustc_flags},
+    extra_exec_rustc_flags = {extra_exec_rustc_flags},
+    opt_level = {opt_level},
+    strip_level = {strip_level},
+    tags = ["rust_version={version}"],
+)
 """
 
 def BUILD_for_rust_toolchain(
@@ -449,7 +482,20 @@ toolchain(
     target_compatible_with = {target_constraint_sets_serialized},
     toolchain = "{toolchain}",
     toolchain_type = "{toolchain_type}",
-    {target_settings}
+    target_settings = [
+        "@rules_rust//rust/private:bootstrapped",{target_settings}
+    ],
+)
+
+toolchain(
+    name = "{name}_bootstrap",
+    exec_compatible_with = {exec_constraint_sets_serialized},
+    target_compatible_with = {target_constraint_sets_serialized},
+    toolchain = "{toolchain}_bootstrap",
+    toolchain_type = "{toolchain_type}",
+    target_settings = [
+        "@rules_rust//rust/private:bootstrapping",{target_settings}
+    ],
 )
 """
 
@@ -460,7 +506,7 @@ def BUILD_for_toolchain(
         target_settings,
         target_compatible_with,
         exec_compatible_with):
-    target_settings_value = "target_settings = {},".format(json.encode(target_settings)) if target_settings else "# target_settings = []"
+    target_settings_value = ",\n        ".join([repr(setting) for setting in target_settings])
 
     return _build_file_for_toolchain_template.format(
         name = name,
diff --git a/rust/private/rust.bzl b/rust/private/rust.bzl
index 6ba4c361e1..a94b91efdf 100644
--- a/rust/private/rust.bzl
+++ b/rust/private/rust.bzl
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ def _rust_library_common(ctx, crate_type):
             paths.replace_extension(rust_lib_name, ".rmeta"),
             sibling = rust_lib,
         )
-        rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, rust_metadata)
+        rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, rust_metadata)
         metadata_supports_pipelining = (
             can_use_metadata_for_pipelining(toolchain, crate_type) and
             not ctx.attr.disable_pipelining
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ def _rust_library_common(ctx, crate_type):
             proc_macro_deps = proc_macro_deps,
             aliases = ctx.attr.aliases,
             output = rust_lib,
-            rustc_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, rust_lib),
+            rustc_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, rust_lib),
             metadata = rust_metadata,
             metadata_supports_pipelining = metadata_supports_pipelining,
             rustc_rmeta_output = rustc_rmeta_output,
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ def _rust_binary_impl(ctx):
             paths.replace_extension("lib" + crate_name, ".rmeta"),
             sibling = output,
         )
-        rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, rust_metadata)
+        rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, rust_metadata)
 
     providers = rustc_compile_action(
         ctx = ctx,
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ def _rust_binary_impl(ctx):
             proc_macro_deps = proc_macro_deps,
             aliases = ctx.attr.aliases,
             output = output,
-            rustc_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, output),
+            rustc_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, output),
             metadata = rust_metadata,
             rustc_rmeta_output = rustc_rmeta_output,
             edition = get_edition(ctx.attr, toolchain, ctx.label),
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ def _rust_test_impl(ctx):
                 paths.replace_extension("lib" + crate_name, ".rmeta"),
                 sibling = output,
             )
-            rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, rust_metadata)
+            rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, rust_metadata)
 
         # Need to consider all src files together when transforming
         srcs = depset(ctx.files.srcs, transitive = [crate.srcs]).to_list()
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ def _rust_test_impl(ctx):
             proc_macro_deps = depset(proc_macro_deps, transitive = [crate.proc_macro_deps]).to_list(),
             aliases = aliases,
             output = output,
-            rustc_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, output),
+            rustc_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, output),
             metadata = rust_metadata,
             rustc_rmeta_output = rustc_rmeta_output,
             edition = crate.edition,
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ def _rust_test_impl(ctx):
                 paths.replace_extension("lib" + crate_name, ".rmeta"),
                 sibling = output,
             )
-            rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, rust_metadata)
+            rustc_rmeta_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, rust_metadata)
 
         if ctx.attr.rustc_env:
             rustc_env = expand_dict_value_locations(
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ def _rust_test_impl(ctx):
             proc_macro_deps = proc_macro_deps,
             aliases = ctx.attr.aliases,
             output = output,
-            rustc_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, output),
+            rustc_output = generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, output),
             metadata = rust_metadata,
             rustc_rmeta_output = rustc_rmeta_output,
             edition = get_edition(ctx.attr, toolchain, ctx.label),
@@ -645,13 +645,6 @@ RUSTC_ATTRS = {
     "_per_crate_rustc_flag": attr.label(
         default = Label("//rust/settings:experimental_per_crate_rustc_flag"),
     ),
-    "_process_wrapper": attr.label(
-        doc = "A process wrapper for running rustc on all platforms.",
-        default = Label("//util/process_wrapper"),
-        executable = True,
-        allow_single_file = True,
-        cfg = "exec",
-    ),
     "_rustc_output_diagnostics": attr.label(
         default = Label("//rust/settings:rustc_output_diagnostics"),
     ),
@@ -1318,21 +1311,6 @@ rust_binary = rule(
 def _common_attrs_for_binary_without_process_wrapper(attrs):
     new_attr = dict(attrs)
 
-    # use a fake process wrapper
-    new_attr["_process_wrapper"] = attr.label(
-        default = None,
-        executable = True,
-        allow_single_file = True,
-        cfg = "exec",
-    )
-
-    new_attr["_bootstrap_process_wrapper"] = attr.label(
-        default = Label("//util/process_wrapper:bootstrap_process_wrapper"),
-        executable = True,
-        allow_single_file = True,
-        cfg = "exec",
-    )
-
     # fix stamp = 0
     new_attr["stamp"] = attr.int(
         doc = dedent("""\
@@ -1350,20 +1328,31 @@ _RustBuiltWithoutProcessWrapperInfo = provider(
     fields = {},
 )
 
+def _bootstrap_process_wrapper_transition_impl(_settings, _attr):
+    return {str(Label("//rust/private:bootstrap_setting")): True}
+
+_bootstrap_process_wrapper_transition = transition(
+    implementation = _bootstrap_process_wrapper_transition_impl,
+    inputs = [],
+    outputs = [str(Label("//rust/private:bootstrap_setting"))],
+)
+
 def _rust_binary_without_process_wrapper_impl(ctx):
     providers = _rust_binary_impl(ctx)
     return providers + [_RustBuiltWithoutProcessWrapperInfo()]
 
-# Provides an internal rust_{binary,library} to use that we can use to build the process
-# wrapper, this breaks the dependency of rust_* on the process wrapper by
-# setting it to None, which the functions in rustc detect and build accordingly.
 rust_binary_without_process_wrapper = rule(
     implementation = _rust_binary_without_process_wrapper_impl,
     doc = "A variant of `rust_binary` that uses a minimal process wrapper for `Rustc` actions.",
     provides = COMMON_PROVIDERS + [_RustBuiltWithoutProcessWrapperInfo],
-    attrs = _common_attrs_for_binary_without_process_wrapper(_common_attrs | _rust_binary_attrs),
+    attrs = _common_attrs_for_binary_without_process_wrapper(_common_attrs | _rust_binary_attrs) | {
+        "_allowlist_function_transition": attr.label(
+            default = Label("//tools/allowlists/function_transition_allowlist"),
+        ),
+    },
     executable = True,
     fragments = ["cpp"],
+    cfg = _bootstrap_process_wrapper_transition,
     toolchains = [
         str(Label("//rust:toolchain_type")),
         config_common.toolchain_type("@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:toolchain_type", mandatory = False),
diff --git a/rust/private/rustc.bzl b/rust/private/rustc.bzl
index a28ad50b78..ebc53b96f8 100644
--- a/rust/private/rustc.bzl
+++ b/rust/private/rustc.bzl
@@ -1502,10 +1502,12 @@ def rustc_compile_action(
             dsym_folder = ctx.actions.declare_directory(crate_info.output.basename + ".dSYM", sibling = crate_info.output)
             action_outputs.append(dsym_folder)
 
-    if ctx.executable._process_wrapper:
+    process_wrapper = toolchain.process_wrapper
+
+    if process_wrapper:
         # Run as normal
         ctx.actions.run(
-            executable = ctx.executable._process_wrapper,
+            executable = process_wrapper,
             inputs = compile_inputs,
             outputs = action_outputs,
             env = env,
@@ -1523,7 +1525,7 @@ def rustc_compile_action(
         )
         if args_metadata:
             ctx.actions.run(
-                executable = ctx.executable._process_wrapper,
+                executable = process_wrapper,
                 inputs = compile_inputs,
                 outputs = [build_metadata] + [x for x in [rustc_rmeta_output] if x],
                 env = env,
@@ -1538,12 +1540,12 @@ def rustc_compile_action(
                 ),
                 toolchain = "@rules_rust//rust:toolchain_type",
             )
-    elif hasattr(ctx.executable, "_bootstrap_process_wrapper"):
+    else:
         # Run without process_wrapper
         if build_env_files or build_flags_files or stamp or build_metadata:
             fail("build_env_files, build_flags_files, stamp, build_metadata are not supported when building without process_wrapper")
         ctx.actions.run(
-            executable = ctx.executable._bootstrap_process_wrapper,
+            executable = toolchain.bootstrap_process_wrapper,
             inputs = compile_inputs,
             outputs = action_outputs,
             env = env,
@@ -1559,8 +1561,6 @@ def rustc_compile_action(
             toolchain = "@rules_rust//rust:toolchain_type",
             resource_set = get_rustc_resource_set(toolchain),
         )
-    else:
-        fail("No process wrapper was defined for {}".format(ctx.label))
 
     if experimental_use_cc_common_link:
         # Wrap the main `.o` file into a compilation output suitable for
diff --git a/rust/private/unpretty.bzl b/rust/private/unpretty.bzl
index be111c83a3..7edb363f6d 100644
--- a/rust/private/unpretty.bzl
+++ b/rust/private/unpretty.bzl
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ def _rust_unpretty_aspect_impl(target, ctx):
         args.rustc_flags.add("-Zunpretty={}".format(mode))
 
         ctx.actions.run(
-            executable = ctx.executable._process_wrapper,
+            executable = toolchain.process_wrapper,
             inputs = compile_inputs,
             outputs = [unpretty_out],
             env = env,
diff --git a/rust/private/utils.bzl b/rust/private/utils.bzl
index 8a82126d53..f835cf224f 100644
--- a/rust/private/utils.bzl
+++ b/rust/private/utils.bzl
@@ -736,7 +736,7 @@ def can_build_metadata(toolchain, ctx, crate_type, *, disable_pipelining = False
     # 2) either:
     #   * always_enable_metadata_output_groups is set
     #   * this target can use metadata for pipelined compilation
-    return bool(ctx.attr._process_wrapper) and (
+    return bool(toolchain.process_wrapper) and (
         ctx.attr._always_enable_metadata_output_groups[AlwaysEnableMetadataOutputGroupsInfo].always_enable_metadata_output_groups or
         (not disable_pipelining and
          can_use_metadata_for_pipelining(toolchain, crate_type))
@@ -943,11 +943,12 @@ def _symlink_for_non_generated_source(ctx, src_file, package_root):
     else:
         return src_file
 
-def generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, sibling, require_process_wrapper = True):
+def generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, toolchain, sibling, require_process_wrapper = True):
     """Generates a .rustc-output file if it's required.
 
     Args:
         ctx: (ctx): The current rule's context object
+        toolchain: (Rust toolchain): The current rust toolchain
         sibling: (File): The file to generate the diagnostics for.
         require_process_wrapper: (bool): Whether to require the process wrapper
           in order to generate the .rustc-output file.
@@ -958,7 +959,7 @@ def generate_output_diagnostics(ctx, sibling, require_process_wrapper = True):
     # Since this feature requires error_format=json, we usually need
     # process_wrapper, since it can write the json here, then convert it to the
     # regular error format so the user can see the error properly.
-    if require_process_wrapper and not ctx.attr._process_wrapper:
+    if require_process_wrapper and not toolchain.process_wrapper:
         return None
     provider = ctx.attr._rustc_output_diagnostics[RustcOutputDiagnosticsInfo]
     if not provider.rustc_output_diagnostics:
diff --git a/rust/toolchain.bzl b/rust/toolchain.bzl
index 91e3032166..90e962a50d 100644
--- a/rust/toolchain.bzl
+++ b/rust/toolchain.bzl
@@ -367,6 +367,12 @@ def _expand_flags(ctx, attr_name, targets, make_variables):
         expanded_flags.append(flag)
     return expanded_flags
 
+def _process_wrapper_default(bootstrapping):
+    return None if bootstrapping else Label("@rules_rust//util/process_wrapper")
+
+def _bootstrap_process_wrapper_default(bootstrapping):
+    return Label("@rules_rust//util/process_wrapper:bootstrap_process_wrapper") if bootstrapping else None
+
 def _rust_toolchain_impl(ctx):
     """The rust_toolchain implementation
 
@@ -598,6 +604,8 @@ def _rust_toolchain_impl(ctx):
         extra_rustc_flags = expanded_extra_rustc_flags,
         extra_rustc_flags_for_crate_types = ctx.attr.extra_rustc_flags_for_crate_types,
         extra_exec_rustc_flags = expanded_extra_exec_rustc_flags,
+        process_wrapper = ctx.executable._process_wrapper if ctx.attr._process_wrapper else None,
+        bootstrap_process_wrapper = ctx.executable._bootstrap_process_wrapper if ctx.attr._bootstrap_process_wrapper else None,
         per_crate_rustc_flags = ctx.attr.per_crate_rustc_flags,
         sysroot = sysroot_path,
         sysroot_short_path = sysroot_short_path,
@@ -642,6 +650,9 @@ rust_toolchain = rule(
             doc = "The extension for binaries created from rustc.",
             mandatory = True,
         ),
+        "bootstrapping": attr.bool(
+            doc = "Internal attribute, set when bootstrapping process_wrapper. Do not use.",
+        ),
         "cargo": attr.label(
             doc = "The location of the `cargo` binary. Can be a direct source or a filegroup containing one item.",
             allow_single_file = True,
@@ -833,6 +844,13 @@ rust_toolchain = rule(
                 "For more details see: https://docs.bazel.build/versions/master/skylark/rules.html#configurations"
             ),
         ),
+        "_bootstrap_process_wrapper": attr.label(
+            doc = "A bootstrap process wrapper for building the process wrapper",
+            default = _bootstrap_process_wrapper_default,
+            executable = True,
+            allow_single_file = True,
+            cfg = "exec",
+        ),
         "_codegen_units": attr.label(
             default = Label("//rust/settings:codegen_units"),
         ),
@@ -870,6 +888,13 @@ rust_toolchain = rule(
         "_pipelined_compilation": attr.label(
             default = Label("//rust/settings:pipelined_compilation"),
         ),
+        "_process_wrapper": attr.label(
+            doc = "A process wrapper for running rustc on all platforms.",
+            default = _process_wrapper_default,
+            executable = True,
+            allow_single_file = True,
+            cfg = "exec",
+        ),
         "_rename_first_party_crates": attr.label(
             default = Label("//rust/settings:rename_first_party_crates"),
         ),
diff --git a/test/toolchain/toolchain_test.bzl b/test/toolchain/toolchain_test.bzl
index 3140064b32..31e468f0ee 100644
--- a/test/toolchain/toolchain_test.bzl
+++ b/test/toolchain/toolchain_test.bzl
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ def _define_targets():
         name = "extra_flags_toolchain",
         toolchain = ":rust_extra_flags_toolchain",
         toolchain_type = "@rules_rust//rust:toolchain",
+        target_settings = ["@rules_rust//rust/private:bootstrapped"],
     )
 
     extra_toolchain_wrapper(
diff --git a/util/process_wrapper/BUILD.bazel b/util/process_wrapper/BUILD.bazel
index af56264e4c..1f160480c0 100644
--- a/util/process_wrapper/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/util/process_wrapper/BUILD.bazel
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ rust_binary_without_process_wrapper(
         ":opt_macos": ["-Cstrip=debuginfo"],
         "//conditions:default": [],
     }),
+    target_compatible_with = select({
+        "@rules_rust//rust/private:bootstrapping": [],
+        "//conditions:default": ["@platforms//:incompatible"],
+    }),
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
     deps = [
         "@rules_rust_tinyjson//:tinyjson",