diff --git a/crate_universe/src/metadata/cargo_tree_resolver.rs b/crate_universe/src/metadata/cargo_tree_resolver.rs
index bf95edf038..1c78394cf0 100644
--- a/crate_universe/src/metadata/cargo_tree_resolver.rs
+++ b/crate_universe/src/metadata/cargo_tree_resolver.rs
@@ -138,6 +138,24 @@ impl TreeResolver {
             .map(|n| n.get())
             .unwrap_or(4);
 
+        // Without any host triples, no `cargo tree` invocations would run and
+        // the resulting BUILD files would silently be missing `crate_features`
+        // and optional dependencies. Bail with an actionable message instead.
+        if cargo_host_triples.is_empty() {
+            bail!(
+                "`supported_platform_triples` contains no platforms with host tools, so \
+                 `cargo tree` cannot be invoked and feature resolution cannot be performed. \
+                 Bazel's execution platform triple typically should be included in \
+                 `supported_platform_triples` (e.g. `x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu`). \
+                 target_triples=[{}]",
+                cargo_target_triples
+                    .keys()
+                    .cloned()
+                    .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+                    .join(", "),
+            );
+        }
+
         // Prepare all unique jobs: (cargo_host, cargo_target)
         let mut jobs = Vec::<(String, String)>::new();
         for cargo_host in cargo_host_triples.keys() {
@@ -146,6 +164,10 @@ impl TreeResolver {
             }
         }
 
+        if jobs.is_empty() {
+            bail!("No `cargo tree` invocations to run: no target triples were provided.");
+        }
+
         // Spawn workers up to the cap; join one whenever the cap is reached.
         let mut in_flight =
             Vec::<thread::JoinHandle<anyhow::Result<(String, String, Output)>>>::new();
@@ -1722,6 +1744,44 @@ mod test {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn execute_cargo_tree_errors_when_no_host_triples() {
+        let (_, tempdir) =
+            crate::test::test_tempdir("execute_cargo_tree_errors_when_no_host_triples");
+
+        let resolver = TreeResolver::new(Cargo::new(
+            tempdir.join("nonexistent-cargo"),
+            tempdir.join("nonexistent-rustc"),
+        ));
+
+        let target_triples: BTreeSet<TargetTriple> =
+            BTreeSet::from([TargetTriple::from_bazel("thumbv6m-none-eabi".to_owned())]);
+        let host_triples: BTreeSet<TargetTriple> = BTreeSet::new();
+
+        let err = resolver
+            .execute_cargo_tree(
+                &tempdir.join("Cargo.toml"),
+                &host_triples,
+                &target_triples,
+                &tempdir.join("rustc_wrapper"),
+            )
+            .expect_err("expected an error when no host triples are supplied");
+
+        let msg = err.to_string();
+        assert!(
+            msg.contains("supported_platform_triples"),
+            "error message should mention `supported_platform_triples`, got: {msg}",
+        );
+        assert!(
+            msg.contains("host tools"),
+            "error message should mention host tools, got: {msg}",
+        );
+        assert!(
+            msg.contains("thumbv6m-none-eabi"),
+            "error message should list the configured target triples, got: {msg}",
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parse_cargo_tree_output_same_level_host_deps() {
         let autocfg_id = CrateId {