diff --git a/.github/workflows/bazel-build.yml b/.github/workflows/bazel-build.yml
index d42cf4c986b9..13bdbc13e898 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bazel-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bazel-build.yml
@@ -54,12 +54,16 @@ jobs:
     runs-on:
       - ubuntu-latest
     steps:
+      - name: Install native image dependencies
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get update
+          sudo apt-get install build-essential zlib1g-dev
       - uses: bazel-contrib/setup-bazel@0.13.0
         with:
           bazelisk-cache: true
           bazelrc: build --remote_cache=grpcs://${{ vars.ENSO_BAZEL_CACHE_URI }} --remote_cache_header="authorization=Basic ${{ secrets.ENSO_BAZEL_CACHE_TOKEN }}"
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - run: bazel build //:sbt_build_engine_distribution
+      - run: bazel build --verbose_failures //:sbt_build_native_engine_distribution
       - name: Get Engine build output location
         id: get_bazel_output
         run: |
diff --git a/BUILD.bazel b/BUILD.bazel
index 8a6383a95a44..2f90f5728889 100644
--- a/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/BUILD.bazel
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ load("@aspect_bazel_lib//lib:write_source_files.bzl", "write_source_files")
 load("@aspect_rules_ts//ts:defs.bzl", "ts_config")
 load("@buildifier_prebuilt//:rules.bzl", "buildifier")
 load("@npm//:defs.bzl", "npm_link_all_packages")
-load("//:bazel_scripts/run_engine_distribution.bzl", "run_enso")
+load("//:bazel_scripts/run_engine_distribution.bzl", "run_enso", "ensure_native_enso")
 load("//:bazel_scripts/stdlibs.bzl", "stdlib_source_patterns")
 load("//toolchains/sbt:run_sbt.bzl", "run_sbt")
 
@@ -213,6 +213,14 @@ ENV = {
     "SBT_SERVER_FORCESTART": "1",
 }
 
+NATIVE_IMAGE_ENV = {
+    "JAVA_HOME": "$(JAVABASE)",
+    "PATH": "$(FLATC_PATH):$(JAVABASE)/bin:$$PATH",
+    "LC_ALL": "C.UTF-8",
+    "SBT_SERVER_FORCESTART": "1",
+    "ENSO_LAUNCHER": "native,fast,-ls"
+}
+
 run_sbt(
     name = "sbt_build_engine_distribution",
     srcs = SRCS,
@@ -225,12 +233,31 @@ run_sbt(
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
 
+run_sbt(
+    name = "sbt_build_native_engine_distribution",
+    srcs = SRCS,
+    args = [
+        "buildEngineDistribution"
+    ],
+    env = NATIVE_IMAGE_ENV,
+    out_dir = "built-distribution-native",
+    system_props = SBT_SYSTEM_PROPS + EXTRA_SYSTEM_PROPS,
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
+
 # This is just a sanity check that runs equivalent of `enso --run test/Base_Tests/**/Maybe_Spec.enso`.
 run_enso(
     name = "run_enso_test",
     src = "//test/Base_Tests:maybe_spec",
-    distribution = ":sbt_build_engine_distribution",
+    distribution = ":sbt_build_native_engine_distribution",
     run_args = [
         "--no-ir-caches",
     ],
 )
+
+# Sanity check that ensure that the distribution was built with native image.
+ensure_native_enso(
+    name = "ensure_native_enso",
+    distribution = ":sbt_build_native_engine_distribution",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/bazel_scripts/run_engine_distribution.bzl b/bazel_scripts/run_engine_distribution.bzl
index 60546553e786..a0dd3c6ec9e0 100644
--- a/bazel_scripts/run_engine_distribution.bzl
+++ b/bazel_scripts/run_engine_distribution.bzl
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ Simple rule that runs Enso distribution via a shell script.
 def _run_enso_impl(ctx):
     distribution = ctx.attr.distribution[DefaultInfo].files
     binary = ctx.actions.declare_file(ctx.label.name + ".sh")
-    dist_dir = distribution.to_list()[0].path
+    dist_dir = distribution.to_list()[0].basename
     src_file = ctx.file.src.path
     java_toolchain_type = ctx.toolchains["@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:runtime_toolchain_type"]
     java_home = java_toolchain_type.java_runtime.java_home_runfiles_path
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def _run_enso_impl(ctx):
         content = """#!/bin/bash
         export JAVA_HOME="{java_home}"
         export PATH="$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH"
-        binary_path=built-distribution/enso-engine-*/enso-*/bin/enso
+        binary_path={dist}/enso-engine-*/enso-*/bin/enso
         if [ ! -f $binary_path ]; then
             echo "Error: Could not find enso binary in {dist}"
             exit 1
@@ -42,6 +42,53 @@ def _run_enso_impl(ctx):
         runfiles = all_runfiles,
     )]
 
+
+def _ensure_native_enso_impl(ctx):
+    """ Runs enso executable with `--version` argument to ensure it was built with native image """
+    distribution = ctx.attr.distribution[DefaultInfo].files
+    binary = ctx.actions.declare_file(ctx.label.name + ".sh")
+    dist_dir = distribution.to_list()[0].basename
+    ctx.actions.write(
+        output = binary,
+        content = """#!/bin/bash
+        binary_path={dist}/enso-engine-*/enso-*/bin/enso
+        if [ ! -f $binary_path ]; then
+            echo "Error: Could not find enso binary in {dist}"
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        $PWD/$binary_path --version
+        $PWD/$binary_path --version | grep Substrate > /dev/null
+        if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+            echo "Error: enso binary is not a native image build"
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        """.format(
+            dist = dist_dir
+        ),
+        is_executable = True,
+    )
+
+    all_runfiles = ctx.runfiles(
+        files = distribution.to_list()
+    )
+
+    return [DefaultInfo(
+        executable = binary,
+        runfiles = all_runfiles,
+    )]
+
+
+ensure_native_enso = rule(
+    implementation = _ensure_native_enso_impl,
+    attrs = {
+        "distribution": attr.label(
+            mandatory = True,
+            allow_files = True
+        )
+    },
+    executable = True
+)
+
 run_enso = rule(
     implementation = _run_enso_impl,
     toolchains = [
diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index f649aa48b41b..f0bec7490e29 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -4047,6 +4047,13 @@ lazy val `engine-runner` = project
               "-Dnic=nic"
             )
           else Seq()
+        val cCompilerOpts = if ((Bazel / wasStartedFromBazel).value) {
+          Seq(
+            "-H:CCompilerPath=" + (Bazel / cCompilerPath).value.getAbsolutePath
+          )
+        } else {
+          Seq()
+        }
         val mp = (Runtime / modulePath).value.map(_.getAbsolutePath)
         NativeImage
           .buildNativeImage(
@@ -4077,7 +4084,7 @@ lazy val `engine-runner` = project
               "--add-opens=org.graalvm.nativeimage.builder/com.oracle.svm.core.jdk=ALL-UNNAMED",
               // Snowflake uses Apache Arrow (equivalent of #9664 in native-image setup)
               "--add-opens=java.base/java.nio=ALL-UNNAMED"
-            ) ++ enableHeapDumpOpts ++ debugOpts,
+            ) ++ enableHeapDumpOpts ++ debugOpts ++ cCompilerOpts,
             mainModule = Some("org.enso.runner"),
             mainClass  = Some("org.enso.runner.Main"),
             initializeAtRuntime = Seq(
diff --git a/project/BazelSupport.scala b/project/BazelSupport.scala
index 9991df44a38e..e2a4d5a371ff 100644
--- a/project/BazelSupport.scala
+++ b/project/BazelSupport.scala
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ object BazelSupport extends AutoPlugin {
   val EXTRACTED_PYTHON_RESOURCES_PROP = "enso.BazelSupport.python.resourceDir"
   val YDOC_SERVER_POLYGLOT_MAIN_JS =
     "enso.BazelSupport.ydocServer.polyglotMainJs"
+  val C_COMPILER_PATH                 = "enso.BazelSupport.CCompilerPath"
 
   object autoImport {
     lazy val wasStartedFromBazel = settingKey[Boolean](
@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ object BazelSupport extends AutoPlugin {
     lazy val extractedPythonResourceDir = taskKey[File](
       "Directory containing extracted Python resources"
     )
+    lazy val cCompilerPath = taskKey[File](
+      "Path to the C Compiler. Will be passed to native-image via `-H:CCompilerPath`."
+    )
     lazy val ydocServerPolyglotMainJs = taskKey[File](
       "Path to the ydoc-server polyglot main JS file."
     )
@@ -170,6 +174,23 @@ object BazelSupport extends AutoPlugin {
           )
         }
         jsFile
+      },
+      Bazel / cCompilerPath := {
+        val logger = streams.value.log
+        val prop   = System.getProperty(C_COMPILER_PATH)
+        if (prop == null) {
+          logger.error(
+            s"C Compiler path not set in ${C_COMPILER_PATH} property."
+          )
+        }
+        val compiler = new File(prop)
+        if (!compiler.exists()) {
+          logger.warn(
+            s"C Compiler not found at $compiler. " +
+            "Make sure to provide a valid C Compiler."
+          )
+        }
+        compiler
       }
     )
   }
diff --git a/toolchains/sbt/run_sbt.bzl b/toolchains/sbt/run_sbt.bzl
index cc97f0128211..b815019e81ea 100644
--- a/toolchains/sbt/run_sbt.bzl
+++ b/toolchains/sbt/run_sbt.bzl
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ def _run_sbt_impl(ctx):
     sbt_bin = ctx.toolchains["@//toolchains/sbt:toolchain_type"].sbt_info.sbt_bin
     java_runtime = ctx.attr._java_runtime
     java_executable_path = java_runtime[java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo].java_executable_exec_path
+    cc_toolchain = ctx.toolchains["@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:toolchain_type"]
+    cc_path = cc_toolchain.cc.compiler_executable
+    cc_deps = cc_toolchain.cc.all_files
 
     out_dir = ctx.actions.declare_directory(ctx.attr.out_dir)
     outputs = [out_dir]
@@ -22,9 +25,10 @@ def _run_sbt_impl(ctx):
     for k, v in ctx.attr.env.items():
         envs[k] = expand_variables(ctx, ctx.expand_location(v, targets = ctx.attr.srcs), outs = outputs, attribute_name = "env")
 
-    inputs = depset(ctx.files.srcs, transitive = [java_runtime.files])
+    inputs = depset(ctx.files.srcs, transitive = [java_runtime.files, cc_deps])
     system_props = [
         "-Denso.BazelSupport.outDir=" + out_dir.path,
+        "-Denso.BazelSupport.CCompilerPath=" + cc_path,
     ]
     for p in ctx.attr.system_props:
         system_props = system_props + split_args(expand_variables(ctx, ctx.expand_location(p, targets = ctx.attr.srcs), outs = outputs))
@@ -48,6 +52,7 @@ run_sbt = rule(
         "@//toolchains/sbt:toolchain_type",
         "@//toolchains/flatc:toolchain_type",
         "@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:runtime_toolchain_type",
+        "@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:toolchain_type"
     ],
     attrs = {
         "args": attr.string_list(