diff --git a/fbt_options.py b/fbt_options.py
index 6707a2ef6..5c6d523bc 100644
--- a/fbt_options.py
+++ b/fbt_options.py
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ if not os.environ.get("DIST_SUFFIX"):
     commit_sha = git("rev-parse", "HEAD")[:8]
     DIST_SUFFIX = "mntm-" + branch_name.replace("/", "_") + "-" + commit_sha
 
+# Skip external apps by default
+SKIP_EXTERNAL = False
+
 # Coprocessor firmware
 COPRO_OB_DATA = "scripts/ob.data"
 
diff --git a/scripts/fbt/appmanifest.py b/scripts/fbt/appmanifest.py
index be76a69e4..469248127 100644
--- a/scripts/fbt/appmanifest.py
+++ b/scripts/fbt/appmanifest.py
@@ -228,12 +228,14 @@ class AppManager:
         applist: List[str],
         ext_applist: List[str],
         hw_target: str,
+        skip_external: bool = False,
     ):
         return AppBuildset(
             self,
             hw_target=hw_target,
             appnames=applist,
             extra_ext_appnames=ext_applist,
+            skip_external=skip_external,
         )
 
 
@@ -278,12 +280,14 @@ class AppBuildset:
         appnames: List[str],
         *,
         extra_ext_appnames: List[str],
+        skip_external: bool = False,
         message_writer: Callable | None = None,
     ):
         self.appmgr = appmgr
         self.appnames = set(appnames)
         self.incompatible_extapps, self.extapps = [], []
         self._extra_ext_appnames = extra_ext_appnames
+        self._skip_external = skip_external
         self._orig_appnames = appnames
         self.hw_target = hw_target
         self._writer = message_writer if message_writer else self.print_writer
@@ -340,7 +344,11 @@ class AppBuildset:
         extapps = [
             app
             for (apptype, global_lookup) in self.EXTERNAL_APP_TYPES_MAP.items()
-            for app in self.get_apps_of_type(apptype, global_lookup)
+            for app in self.get_apps_of_type(
+                apptype,
+                global_lookup
+                and not (self._skip_external and apptype is FlipperAppType.EXTERNAL),
+            )
         ]
         extapps.extend(map(self.appmgr.get, self._extra_ext_appnames))
 
@@ -409,7 +417,10 @@ class AppBuildset:
                     if (
                         parent_app.apptype in self.BUILTIN_APP_TYPES
                         and parent_app_id in self.appnames
-                    ) or parent_app.apptype not in self.BUILTIN_APP_TYPES:
+                    ) or (
+                        parent_app.apptype not in self.BUILTIN_APP_TYPES
+                        and parent_app in self.extapps
+                    ):
                         keep_app |= True
 
                 except FlipperManifestException:
diff --git a/scripts/fbt_tools/fbt_apps.py b/scripts/fbt_tools/fbt_apps.py
index c122733b4..dbf5fdbf4 100644
--- a/scripts/fbt_tools/fbt_apps.py
+++ b/scripts/fbt_tools/fbt_apps.py
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ def PrepareApplicationsBuild(env):
             applist=env["APPS"],
             ext_applist=env["EXTRA_EXT_APPS"],
             hw_target=env.subst("f${TARGET_HW}"),
+            skip_external=env.subst("$SKIP_EXTERNAL"),
         )
     except Exception as e:
         raise StopError(e)
diff --git a/site_scons/commandline.scons b/site_scons/commandline.scons
index 4b1c2bc23..67e161caf 100644
--- a/site_scons/commandline.scons
+++ b/site_scons/commandline.scons
@@ -222,6 +222,11 @@ vars.AddVariables(
         "Application set to use from FIRMWARE_APPS",
         "default",
     ),
+    BoolVariable(
+        "SKIP_EXTERNAL",
+        help="Skip external apps unless explicitly selected",
+        default=False,
+    ),
     (
         "APPSRC",
         "Application source directory for app to build & upload",