diff --git a/guppylang/src/guppylang/emulator/builder.py b/guppylang/src/guppylang/emulator/builder.py
index 6581c9328..b6cc5841b 100644
--- a/guppylang/src/guppylang/emulator/builder.py
+++ b/guppylang/src/guppylang/emulator/builder.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from dataclasses import dataclass, replace
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
 import selene_sim
 from typing_extensions import Self
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class EmulatorBuilder:
     _progress_bar: bool = False
     _strict: bool = False
     _save_planner: bool = False
+    _custom_args: dict[str, Any] | None = None
 
     @property
     def name(self) -> str | None:
@@ -56,6 +57,11 @@ def verbose(self) -> bool:
         """Whether to print verbose output during the build process."""
         return self._verbose
 
+    @property
+    def custom_args(self) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
+        """Custom build arguments passed to selene_sim.build."""
+        return dict(self._custom_args) if self._custom_args is not None else None
+
     def with_name(self, value: str | None) -> Self:
         """Set the name for the emulator instance."""
         return replace(self, _name=value)
@@ -69,6 +75,31 @@ def with_verbose(self, value: bool) -> Self:
         """Set whether to print verbose output during the build process."""
         return replace(self, _verbose=value)
 
+    def with_build_arg(self, key: str, value: Any) -> Self:
+        """Selene builds may support additional customisable arguments,
+        e.g. to override the choice of compilation route. This is passed
+        to selene_sim.build as kwargs.
+
+        For example:
+
+        .. code-block:: python
+
+            .with_build_arg("build_method", "via-llvm_ir")
+
+        is equivalent to
+
+        .. code-block:: python
+
+            selene_sim.build(..., build_method="via-llvm_ir")
+
+        which saves LLVM IR into the build directory rather than
+        saving bitcode.
+        """
+        if self._custom_args is None:
+            return replace(self, _custom_args={key: value})
+        else:
+            return replace(self, _custom_args=self._custom_args | {key: value})
+
     def build(self, package: Package, n_qubits: int) -> EmulatorInstance:
         """Build an EmulatorInstance from a compiled package.
 
@@ -91,6 +122,7 @@ def build(self, package: Package, n_qubits: int) -> EmulatorInstance:
             progress_bar=self._progress_bar,
             strict=self._strict,
             save_planner=self._save_planner,
+            **self._custom_args or {},
         )
 
         return EmulatorInstance(_instance=instance, _n_qubits=n_qubits)
diff --git a/tests/emulator/test_builder.py b/tests/emulator/test_builder.py
index 3140c6eba..0368dc3f1 100644
--- a/tests/emulator/test_builder.py
+++ b/tests/emulator/test_builder.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ def test_emulator_builder_default_initialization():
     assert builder._progress_bar is False
     assert builder._strict is False
     assert builder._save_planner is False
+    assert builder._custom_args is None
 
 
 @patch("guppylang.emulator.builder.selene_sim")
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ def test_emulator_builder_build_with_custom_parameters(
         .with_name("custom_emulator")
         .with_build_dir(build_dir)
         .with_verbose(True)
+        .with_build_arg("build_method", "via-llvm-ir")
     )
 
     n_qubits = 10
@@ -104,6 +106,7 @@ def test_emulator_builder_build_with_custom_parameters(
         progress_bar=False,
         strict=False,
         save_planner=False,
+        build_method="via-llvm-ir",
     )
 
     # Check that EmulatorInstance was created correctly
@@ -138,18 +141,22 @@ def test_emulator_builder_immutability():
     new_builder1 = builder.with_name("test1")
     new_builder2 = builder.with_build_dir(Path("./build"))
     new_builder3 = builder.with_verbose(True)
+    new_builder4 = builder.with_build_arg("custom_arg", 42)
 
     # All should be different objects
     assert new_builder1 is not builder
     assert new_builder2 is not builder
     assert new_builder3 is not builder
+    assert new_builder4 is not builder
     assert new_builder1 is not new_builder2
     assert new_builder2 is not new_builder3
+    assert new_builder3 is not new_builder4
 
     # Original should be unchanged
     assert builder.name is None
     assert builder.build_dir is None
     assert builder.verbose is False
+    assert builder.custom_args is None
 
 
 def test_emulator_builder_reuse():