diff --git a/.appveyor.yml b/.appveyor.yml
index 100b1a82b6..e6e4c64b50 100644
--- a/.appveyor.yml
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -8,9 +8,8 @@ clone_depth: 1
 
 environment:
   APPVEYOR_BUILD_WORKER_IMAGE: Visual Studio 2017
-  CARGO_TARGET_DIR: $(APPVEYOR_BUILD_FOLDER)\target
   DENO_BUILD_MODE: release
-  DENO_BUILD_PATH: $(APPVEYOR_BUILD_FOLDER)\out\release
+  DENO_BUILD_PATH: $(APPVEYOR_BUILD_FOLDER)\target\release
   DENO_THIRD_PARTY_PATH: $(APPVEYOR_BUILD_FOLDER)\third_party
   MTIME_CACHE_DB: $(APPVEYOR_BUILD_FOLDER)\mtime_cache.xml
   RELEASE_ARTIFACT: deno_win_x64.zip
@@ -239,7 +238,6 @@ cache:
   # Cache file mtimes in the main git repo, also to enable incremental builds.
   - $(MTIME_CACHE_DB)
   # Build incrementally.
-  - $(CARGO_TARGET_DIR)
   - $(DENO_BUILD_PATH)
 
 init:
@@ -328,7 +326,6 @@ install:
 before_build:
   # Mark all files in the build dir 'not needed' until proven otherwise.
   # TODO: also track files in third_party that aren't checked into the repo.
-  # TODO: also track files in $CARGO_TARGET_DIR.
   - ps: Start-TraceFilesNeeded $env:DENO_BUILD_PATH -Recurse
 
   # Download clang and gn, generate ninja files.
@@ -346,7 +343,7 @@ before_build:
 build_script:
   - python tools\build.py
   - ps: Set-FilesNeeded -Auto -Reason "Build finished"
-  - cargo check --release
+  - cargo build -vv --release
   - ps: Set-FilesNeeded -Auto -Reason "Cargo check finished"
 
 test_script:
diff --git a/.gn b/.gn
index 72cd84f47e..e40f610e68 100644
--- a/.gn
+++ b/.gn
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ default_args = {
   # for now. See http://clang.llvm.org/docs/ControlFlowIntegrity.html
   is_cfi = false
 
-  # Disabled due to CRT linking problems in Windows when using prebuilt V8.
-  # Works in other configurations.
+  # TODO(ry) Remove this so debug builds can link faster. Currently removing
+  # this breaks cargo build in debug mode in OSX.
   is_component_build = false
 
   # Enable Jumbo build for a faster build.
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 45b5e3ede0..beb6c98b56 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ script:
 
 - |-
   # Cargo check
-  cargo check -j2 --release --locked
+  cargo build --release -vv -j2
 
 before_deploy:
 - gzip -c target/release/deno > target/release/deno_${TRAVIS_OS_NAME}_x64.gz
diff --git a/BUILD.gn b/BUILD.gn
index 1f6298ae4f..bf87fc61a4 100644
--- a/BUILD.gn
+++ b/BUILD.gn
@@ -17,13 +17,6 @@ group("default") {
   ]
 }
 
-# Set of targets that need to be built for `cargo check` to succeed.
-group("cargo_check_deps") {
-  deps = [
-    ":msg_rs",
-  ]
-}
-
 main_extern = [
   "$rust_build:atty",
   "$rust_build:dirs",
@@ -112,6 +105,8 @@ ts_sources = [
   "third_party/yarn.lock",
 ]
 
+# When Cargo is driving the build, GN/Ninja are used to produce these non-Rust
+# targets. Cargo handles all Rust source files and the final linking step.
 group("deno_deps") {
   deps = [
     ":msg_rs",
diff --git a/build.rs b/build.rs
index f96d39e9e1..9e94079e0d 100644
--- a/build.rs
+++ b/build.rs
@@ -9,38 +9,23 @@ use std::path::{self, Path, PathBuf};
 use std::process::Command;
 
 fn main() {
-  // Cargo sets PROFILE to either "debug" or "release", which conveniently
-  // matches the build modes we support.
-  let mode = env::var("PROFILE").unwrap();
-
-  let out_dir = env::var_os("OUT_DIR").unwrap();
-  let out_dir = env::current_dir().unwrap().join(out_dir);
-
-  // Normally we configure GN+Ninja to build into Cargo's OUT_DIR.
-  // However, when DENO_BUILD_PATH is set, perform the ninja build in that dir
-  // instead. This is used by CI to avoid building V8 etc twice.
-  let gn_out_dir = match env::var_os("DENO_BUILD_PATH") {
-    None => {
-      // out_dir looks like: "target/debug/build/deno-26d2b5325de0f0cf/out"
-      // The gn build is "target/debug"
-      // So we go up two directories. Blame cargo for these hacks.
-      let d = out_dir.parent().unwrap();
-      let d = d.parent().unwrap();
-      let d = d.parent().unwrap();
-      PathBuf::from(d)
-    }
-    Some(deno_build_path) => PathBuf::from(deno_build_path),
+  let gn_mode = if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
+    // On Windows, we need to link with a release build of libdeno, because
+    // rust always uses the release CRT.
+    // TODO(piscisaureus): make linking with debug libdeno possible.
+    String::from("release")
+  } else {
+    // Cargo sets PROFILE to either "debug" or "release", which conveniently
+    // matches the build modes we support.
+    env::var("PROFILE").unwrap()
   };
 
-  // Give cargo some instructions. We do this first so the `rerun-if-*-changed`
-  // directives can take effect even if something the build itself fails.
-  println!("cargo:rustc-env=GN_OUT_DIR={}", normalize_path(&gn_out_dir));
-  println!(
-    "cargo:rustc-link-search=native={}/obj",
-    normalize_path(&gn_out_dir)
-  );
-  println!("cargo:rustc-link-lib=static=deno_deps");
+  let gn_out_dir = env::current_dir().unwrap();
+  let gn_out_dir = gn_out_dir.join(format!("target/{}", gn_mode));
+  let gn_out_dir = normalize_path(gn_out_dir);
 
+  // Tell Cargo when to re-run this file. We do this first, so these directives
+  // can take effect even if something goes wrong later in the build process.
   println!("cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=DENO_BUILD_PATH");
   // TODO: this is obviously not appropriate here.
   println!("cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=APPVEYOR_REPO_COMMIT");
@@ -55,21 +40,45 @@ fn main() {
     .map(|s| s.starts_with("rls"))
     .unwrap_or(false);
 
-  // If we're being invoked by the RLS, build only the targets that are needed
-  // for `cargo check` to succeed.
-  let gn_target = if check_only {
-    "cargo_check_deps"
-  } else {
-    "deno_deps"
-  };
+  // This helps Rust source files locate the snapshot, source map etc.
+  println!("cargo:rustc-env=GN_OUT_DIR={}", gn_out_dir);
+
+  let gn_target;
 
   if check_only {
+    // When RLS is running "cargo check" to analyze the source code, we're not
+    // trying to build a working executable, rather we're just compiling all
+    // rust code. Therefore, make ninja build only 'msg_generated.rs'.
+    gn_target = "msg_rs";
+
+    // Enable the 'check_only' feature, which enables some workarounds in the
+    // rust source code to compile successfully without a bundle and snapshot
     println!("cargo:rustc-cfg=feature=\"check-only\"");
+  } else {
+    // "Full" (non-RLS) build.
+    gn_target = "deno_deps";
+
+    // Link with libdeno.a/.lib, which includes V8.
+    println!("cargo:rustc-link-search=native={}/obj/libdeno", gn_out_dir);
+    if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
+      println!("cargo:rustc-link-lib=static=libdeno");
+    } else {
+      println!("cargo:rustc-link-lib=static=deno");
+    }
+
+    // Link the system libraries that libdeno and V8 depend on.
+    if cfg!(any(target_os = "macos", target_os = "freebsd")) {
+      println!("cargo:rustc-link-lib=dylib=c++");
+    } else if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
+      for lib in vec!["dbghelp", "shlwapi", "winmm", "ws2_32"] {
+        println!("cargo:rustc-link-lib={}", lib);
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   let status = Command::new("python")
     .env("DENO_BUILD_PATH", &gn_out_dir)
-    .env("DENO_BUILD_MODE", &mode)
+    .env("DENO_BUILD_MODE", &gn_mode)
     .arg("./tools/setup.py")
     .status()
     .expect("setup.py failed");
@@ -77,7 +86,7 @@ fn main() {
 
   let status = Command::new("python")
     .env("DENO_BUILD_PATH", &gn_out_dir)
-    .env("DENO_BUILD_MODE", &mode)
+    .env("DENO_BUILD_MODE", &gn_mode)
     .arg("./tools/build.py")
     .arg(gn_target)
     .arg("-v")
@@ -88,8 +97,9 @@ fn main() {
 
 // Utility function to make a path absolute, normalizing it to use forward
 // slashes only. The returned value is an owned String, otherwise panics.
-fn normalize_path(path: &Path) -> String {
+fn normalize_path<T: AsRef<Path>>(path: T) -> String {
   path
+    .as_ref()
     .to_str()
     .unwrap()
     .to_owned()
diff --git a/libdeno/BUILD.gn b/libdeno/BUILD.gn
index c9471e5bde..16006fa923 100644
--- a/libdeno/BUILD.gn
+++ b/libdeno/BUILD.gn
@@ -16,23 +16,37 @@ config("deno_config") {
   }
 }
 
-v8_static_library("v8") {
-  public_deps = [
-    "//build/win:default_exe_manifest",
+# The `/Zl` ("omit default library name") flag makes the compiler produce object
+# files that can link with both static and dynamic libc.
+config("win_crt_agnostic") {
+  if (is_win) {
+    cflags = [ "/Zl" ]
+  }
+}
+
+v8_source_set("v8") {
+  configs = [
+    ":deno_config",
+    ":win_crt_agnostic",
+  ]
+  deps = [
     "//third_party/v8:v8",
     "//third_party/v8:v8_libbase",
     "//third_party/v8:v8_libplatform",
     "//third_party/v8:v8_libsampler",
   ]
-  configs = [ ":deno_config" ]
 }
 
 # Only functionality needed for libdeno_test and snapshot_creator
 # In particular no flatbuffers, no assets, no rust, no msg handlers.
 # Because snapshots are slow, it's important that snapshot_creator's
 # dependencies are minimal.
+# The cargo-driven build links with libdeno to pull in all non-rust code.
 v8_static_library("libdeno") {
-  configs = [ ":deno_config" ]
+  configs = [
+    ":deno_config",
+    ":win_crt_agnostic",
+  ]
   sources = [
     "api.cc",
     "binding.cc",
@@ -41,8 +55,9 @@ v8_static_library("libdeno") {
     "file_util.h",
     "internal.h",
   ]
-  public_deps = [
+  deps = [
     ":v8",
+    "//build/config:shared_library_deps",
   ]
 }