diff --git a/src/bin/repo_builder.rs b/src/bin/repo_builder.rs
index 7bd2bf46a2..becbdf41ea 100644
--- a/src/bin/repo_builder.rs
+++ b/src/bin/repo_builder.rs
@@ -75,10 +75,11 @@ fn publish_packages(config: &CliConfig) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         return Ok(());
     }
 
-    // TODO: publish cross target builds?
-    if std::env::var("COOKBOOK_CROSS_TARGET").is_ok_and(|x| !x.is_empty()) {
-        return Ok(());
-    }
+    // We always publish — the COOKBOOK_CROSS_TARGET guard previously here
+    // caused every cross-target build to skip publishing, leaving repo/
+    // empty and forcing re-cooks on every build. Target key is provided
+    // via TARGET env var (resolved through redoxer::target()) and matches
+    // the per-target subdirectory layout cook_build.rs looks up.
 
     // Runtime dependencies include both `[package.dependencies]` and dynamically
     // linked packages discovered by auto_deps.