diff --git a/MODULE.bazel.lock b/MODULE.bazel.lock
index 7edb4d6..1654b63 100644
--- a/MODULE.bazel.lock
+++ b/MODULE.bazel.lock
@@ -2177,7 +2177,7 @@
   "moduleExtensions": {
     "//:extensions.bzl%graalvm": {
       "general": {
-        "bzlTransitiveDigest": "9NmT+hwMGsPsF9XQCI9vso59c+pVtfnC2OZh0+CUbMI=",
+        "bzlTransitiveDigest": "EAWeNOx/cefzvx+Wf0BZfIy319PSyXN+ldla18CoDsE=",
         "accumulatedFileDigests": {},
         "envVariables": {},
         "generatedRepoSpecs": {
diff --git a/internal/native_image/builder.bzl b/internal/native_image/builder.bzl
index 69e28c0..fc3225b 100644
--- a/internal/native_image/builder.bzl
+++ b/internal/native_image/builder.bzl
@@ -262,4 +262,13 @@ def assemble_native_build_options(
 
     # append extra arguments last
     for arg in ctx.attr.extra_args:
-        args.add(arg)
+        # Expand locations of targets in 'data' and make variables provided by 'toolchains'.
+        expanded_arg = ctx.expand_make_variables(
+            "extra_args",
+            ctx.expand_location(arg, ctx.attr.data),
+            {},
+        )
+
+        # Skip over args that become empty after expansion but weren't before.
+        if expanded_arg or not arg:
+            args.add(expanded_arg)