diff --git a/ci/test.sh b/ci/test.sh
index 27319cc6e..e41f5ab15 100755
--- a/ci/test.sh
+++ b/ci/test.sh
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ main() {
         rustup toolchain add nightly
         CROSS_FLAGS="${CROSS_FLAGS} -Zbuild-std"
         CROSS+=("+nightly")
+        if [[ "${TARGET}" == *"mips"* ]]; then
+            # workaround for https://github.com/cross-rs/cross/issues/1322 & https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/108835
+            [[ ! "$RUSTFLAGS" =~ opt-level ]] && export RUSTFLAGS="${RUSTFLAGS:+$RUSTFLAGS }-C opt-level=1"
+        fi
     elif ! (( ${STD:-0} )); then
         # don't use xargo: should have native support just from rustc
         rustup toolchain add nightly
@@ -204,7 +208,7 @@ main() {
         pushd "${td}"
         cargo init --bin --name hello .
         retry cargo fetch
-        RUSTFLAGS="-C target-feature=-crt-static" \
+        RUSTFLAGS="$RUSTFLAGS -C target-feature=-crt-static" \
             cross_build --target "${TARGET}"
         popd
 
diff --git a/targets.toml b/targets.toml
index 78bb9c7cf..117845e22 100644
--- a/targets.toml
+++ b/targets.toml
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ dylib = true
 std = true
 run = true
 runners = "qemu-user"
+build-std = true
 
 [[target]]
 target = "mipsel-unknown-linux-gnu"
@@ -131,6 +132,7 @@ dylib = true
 std = true
 run = true
 runners = "qemu-user qemu-system"
+build-std = true
 
 [[target]]
 target = "mips64-unknown-linux-gnuabi64"
@@ -139,6 +141,7 @@ cpp = true
 dylib = true
 std = true
 run = true
+build-std = true
 
 [[target]]
 target = "mips64el-unknown-linux-gnuabi64"
@@ -148,6 +151,7 @@ dylib = true
 std = true
 run = true
 runners = "qemu-user qemu-system"
+build-std = true
 
 [[target]]
 target = "mips64-unknown-linux-muslabi64"
@@ -156,6 +160,7 @@ cpp = true
 dylib = true
 std = true
 run = true
+build-std = true
 
 [[target]]
 target = "mips64el-unknown-linux-muslabi64"
@@ -164,6 +169,7 @@ os = "ubuntu-latest"
 cpp = true
 std = true
 run = true
+build-std = true
 
 [[target]]
 target = "powerpc-unknown-linux-gnu"