diff --git a/esbuild/private/esbuild.bzl b/esbuild/private/esbuild.bzl
index 9dfd390..c9785aa 100644
--- a/esbuild/private/esbuild.bzl
+++ b/esbuild/private/esbuild.bzl
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ load("@aspect_bazel_lib//lib:expand_make_vars.bzl", "expand_variables")
 load("@aspect_bazel_lib//lib:copy_to_bin.bzl", "copy_file_to_bin_action", "copy_files_to_bin_actions")
 load("@aspect_rules_js//js:libs.bzl", "js_lib_helpers")
 load("@aspect_rules_js//js:providers.bzl", "JsInfo", "js_info")
-load(":helpers.bzl", "desugar_entry_point_names", "filter_files", "write_args_file")
+load(":helpers.bzl", "desugar_entry_point_names", "write_args_file")
 
 _ATTRS = {
     "args_file": attr.label(
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ def _esbuild_impl(ctx):
 
     env = {
         "BAZEL_BINDIR": ctx.bin_dir.path,
-        "ESBUILD_BINARY_PATH": "../../../" + esbuild_toolinfo.target_tool_path,
+        "ESBUILD_BINARY_PATH": esbuild_toolinfo.target_tool_path,  #"../../../" + esbuild_toolinfo.target_tool_path,
     }
 
     if ctx.attr.max_threads > 0:
diff --git a/esbuild/private/launcher.js b/esbuild/private/launcher.js
index c49e2d0..2b4158a 100755
--- a/esbuild/private/launcher.js
+++ b/esbuild/private/launcher.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const { readFileSync, writeFileSync } = require('fs')
 const { pathToFileURL } = require('url')
 const { join } = require('path')
+const fs = require("fs");
 const esbuild = require('esbuild')
 
 function getFlag(flag, required = true) {
@@ -101,6 +102,9 @@ if (!process.env.ESBUILD_BINARY_PATH) {
   console.error('Expected environment variable ESBUILD_BINARY_PATH to be set')
   process.exit(1)
 }
+if (!fs.existsSync(process.env.ESBUILD_BINARY_PATH)) {
+  throw new Error(`[esbuild] Bad configuration: ESBUILD_BINARY_PATH=${process.env.ESBUILD_BINARY_PATH} does not exist; likely bug in rules_esbuild or bad toolchain configuration.\n\n working directory = ${process.cwd()}`);
+}
 
 async function runOneBuild(args, userArgsFilePath, configFilePath) {
   if (userArgsFilePath) {
diff --git a/esbuild/private/versions.bzl b/esbuild/private/versions.bzl
index 1971516..c0dede3 100644
--- a/esbuild/private/versions.bzl
+++ b/esbuild/private/versions.bzl
@@ -59,4 +59,12 @@ TOOL_VERSIONS = {
         "linux-arm64": "sha512-2wv0xYDskk2+MzIm/AEprDip39a23Chptc4mL7hsHg26P0gD8RUhzmDu0KCH2vMThUI1sChXXoK9uH0KYQKaDg==",
         "win32-x64": "sha512-QaQ8IH0JLacfGf5cf0HCCPnQuCTd/dAI257vXBgb/cccKGbH/6pVtI1gwhdAQ0Y48QSpTIFrh9etVyNdZY+zzw==",
     },
+    "0.17.5": {
+        "npm": "sha512-Bu6WLCc9NMsNoMJUjGl3yBzTjVLXdysMltxQWiLAypP+/vQrf+3L1Xe8fCXzxaECus2cEJ9M7pk4yKatEwQMqQ==",
+        "darwin-x64": "sha512-ha7QCJh1fuSwwCgoegfdaljowwWozwTDjBgjD3++WAy/qwee5uUi1gvOg2WENJC6EUyHBOkcd3YmLDYSZ2TPPA==",
+        "darwin-arm64": "sha512-EAvaoyIySV6Iif3NQCglUNpnMfHSUgC5ugt2efl3+QDntucJe5spn0udNZjTgNi6tKVqSceOw9tQ32liNZc1Xw==",
+        "linux-x64": "sha512-vnxuhh9e4pbtABNLbT2ANW4uwQ/zvcHRCm1JxaYkzSehugoFd5iXyC4ci1nhXU13mxEwCnrnTIiiSGwa/uAF1g==",
+        "linux-arm64": "sha512-8a0bqSwu3OlLCfu2FBbDNgQyBYdPJh1B9PvNX7jMaKGC9/KopgHs37t+pQqeMLzcyRqG6z55IGNQAMSlCpBuqg==",
+        "win32-x64": "sha512-XgA9qWRqby7xdYXuF6KALsn37QGBMHsdhmnpjfZtYxKxbTOwfnDM6MYi2WuUku5poNaX2n9XGVr20zgT/2QwCw==",
+    },
 }
diff --git a/esbuild/repositories.bzl b/esbuild/repositories.bzl
index 7a74123..b45310d 100644
--- a/esbuild/repositories.bzl
+++ b/esbuild/repositories.bzl
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ _ATTRS = {
     "platform": attr.string(mandatory = True),
     # The default doesn't appear here because the value depends on the version being used.
     "url": attr.string(),
+    "target_tool": attr.label(
+        doc = "If specified, the esbuild executable to use instead of a downloaded version.",
+        default = None,
+        executable = True,
+        cfg = "target",
+    ),
 }
 
 def _esbuild_repo_impl(repository_ctx):
@@ -39,6 +45,15 @@ def _esbuild_repo_impl(repository_ctx):
         Label("@aspect_rules_esbuild//esbuild/private:launcher.js"),
         "launcher.js",
     )
+    target_tool = """select({{
+        "@bazel_tools//src/conditions:host_windows": "package/esbuild.exe",
+        "//conditions:default": "package/bin/esbuild",
+    }})"""
+    extra_data = ""
+    if repository_ctx.attr.target_tool != None:
+        target_tool = "\"{}\"".format(str(repository_ctx.attr.target_tool))
+        extra_data = ", \"{}\"".format(str(repository_ctx.attr.target_tool))
+
     build_content = """#Generated by esbuild/repositories.bzl
 load("@aspect_rules_esbuild//esbuild:toolchain.bzl", "esbuild_toolchain")
 load("@aspect_rules_js//js:defs.bzl", "js_binary")
@@ -52,18 +67,19 @@ npm_link_package(
 js_binary(
     name = "launcher",
     entry_point = "launcher.js",
-    data = [":node_modules/esbuild"],
+    data = [":node_modules/esbuild"{extra_data}],
 )
 
 esbuild_toolchain(
     name = "esbuild_toolchain",
     launcher = ":launcher",
-    target_tool = select({{
-        "@bazel_tools//src/conditions:host_windows": "package/esbuild.exe",
-        "//conditions:default": "package/bin/esbuild",
-    }}),
+    target_tool = {target_tool},
 )
-""".format(version = repository_ctx.attr.esbuild_version)
+""".format(
+        version = repository_ctx.attr.esbuild_version,
+        target_tool = target_tool,
+        extra_data = extra_data,
+    )
 
     # Base BUILD file for this repository
     repository_ctx.file("BUILD.bazel", build_content)
@@ -75,7 +91,7 @@ esbuild_repositories = repository_rule(
 )
 
 # Wrapper macro around everything above, this is the primary API
-def esbuild_register_toolchains(name, esbuild_version, register = True, **kwargs):
+def esbuild_register_toolchains(name, esbuild_version, target_tool = None, register = True, **kwargs):
     """Convenience macro for users which does typical setup.
 
     - create a repository for each built-in platform like "esbuild_linux-64" -
@@ -89,6 +105,8 @@ def esbuild_register_toolchains(name, esbuild_version, register = True, **kwargs
         esbuild_version: a supported version like "0.14.36"
         register: whether to call through to native.register_toolchains.
             Should be True for WORKSPACE users, but false when used under bzlmod extension
+        target_tool: If specified, the label of the esbuild binary to use instead of
+            a downloaded version.
         **kwargs: passed to each node_repositories call
     """
     if esbuild_version not in TOOL_VERSIONS.keys():
@@ -102,6 +120,7 @@ If you need custom versions, please file an issue.""".format(esbuild_version, TO
             name = name + "_" + platform,
             esbuild_version = esbuild_version,
             platform = platform,
+            target_tool = target_tool,
             **kwargs
         )
         if register: