diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/.cargo/config.toml b/desktop/src-tauri/.cargo/config.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dd1e15abc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/.cargo/config.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[env]
+# Workaround for mesh-llm prepare-llama.sh `git -C` directory-escape bug.
+# The script's git commands walk upward into the enclosing Sprout repo when
+# .deps/llama.cpp/.git is missing. Disabling auto-build prevents the script
+# from running. Remove once mesh-llm-sdk is bumped past Mesh-LLM/mesh-llm#780.
+SKIPPY_LLAMA_AUTO_BUILD = "0"