diff --git a/cc/toolchains/capabilities/BUILD b/cc/toolchains/capabilities/BUILD
index 8c55804..645ab00 100644
--- a/cc/toolchains/capabilities/BUILD
+++ b/cc/toolchains/capabilities/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+load("//cc/toolchains:target_capability.bzl", "cc_target_capability")
 load("//cc/toolchains:tool_capability.bzl", "cc_tool_capability")
 
 package(default_visibility = ["//visibility:public"])
@@ -10,10 +11,10 @@ cc_tool_capability(
     name = "supports_interface_shared_libraries",
 )
 
-cc_tool_capability(
+cc_target_capability(
     name = "supports_dynamic_linker",
 )
 
-cc_tool_capability(
+cc_target_capability(
     name = "supports_pic",
 )
diff --git a/cc/toolchains/cc_toolchain_info.bzl b/cc/toolchains/cc_toolchain_info.bzl
index 17881a8..2359c83 100644
--- a/cc/toolchains/cc_toolchain_info.bzl
+++ b/cc/toolchains/cc_toolchain_info.bzl
@@ -119,6 +119,11 @@ FeatureInfo = provider(
         "allowlist_include_directories": "(depset[DirectoryInfo]) Include directories implied by this feature that should be allowlisted in Bazel's include checker",
     },
 )
+
+FeatureImplyabilityInfo = provider(
+    doc = "Provider used to constrain which kinds of features can be implied",
+)
+
 FeatureSetInfo = provider(
     doc = "A set of features",
     # @unsorted-dict-items
@@ -161,7 +166,16 @@ ToolInfo = provider(
 )
 
 ToolCapabilityInfo = provider(
-    doc = "A capability associated with a tool (eg. supports_pic).",
+    doc = "A capability associated with a tool (eg. supports_start_end_lib).",
+    # @unsorted-dict-items
+    fields = {
+        "label": "(Label) The label defining this provider. Place in error messages to simplify debugging",
+        "feature": "(FeatureInfo) The feature this capability defines",
+    },
+)
+
+TargetCapabilityInfo = provider(
+    doc = "A capability associated with a target (eg. supports_pic).",
     # @unsorted-dict-items
     fields = {
         "label": "(Label) The label defining this provider. Place in error messages to simplify debugging",
diff --git a/cc/toolchains/feature.bzl b/cc/toolchains/feature.bzl
index f0acbfe..95dbd14 100644
--- a/cc/toolchains/feature.bzl
+++ b/cc/toolchains/feature.bzl
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ load(
     ":cc_toolchain_info.bzl",
     "ArgsListInfo",
     "FeatureConstraintInfo",
+    "FeatureImplyabilityInfo",
     "FeatureInfo",
     "FeatureSetInfo",
     "MutuallyExclusiveCategoryInfo",
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ def _cc_feature_impl(ctx):
 
     return [
         feature,
+        FeatureImplyabilityInfo(),
         FeatureSetInfo(label = ctx.label, features = depset([feature])),
         FeatureConstraintInfo(
             label = ctx.label,
@@ -144,7 +146,7 @@ be enabled.
             providers = [FeatureSetInfo],
         ),
         "implies": attr.label_list(
-            providers = [FeatureSetInfo],
+            providers = [FeatureSetInfo, FeatureImplyabilityInfo],
             doc = """List of features enabled along with this feature.
 
 Warning: If any of the features cannot be enabled, this feature is
@@ -186,6 +188,7 @@ cc_feature(
         ),
     },
     provides = [
+        FeatureImplyabilityInfo,
         FeatureInfo,
         FeatureSetInfo,
         FeatureConstraintInfo,
diff --git a/cc/toolchains/impl/documented_api.bzl b/cc/toolchains/impl/documented_api.bzl
index e6cfa99..2e624ab 100644
--- a/cc/toolchains/impl/documented_api.bzl
+++ b/cc/toolchains/impl/documented_api.bzl
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ load("//cc/toolchains:feature_constraint.bzl", _cc_feature_constraint = "cc_feat
 load("//cc/toolchains:feature_set.bzl", _cc_feature_set = "cc_feature_set")
 load("//cc/toolchains:mutually_exclusive_category.bzl", _cc_mutually_exclusive_category = "cc_mutually_exclusive_category")
 load("//cc/toolchains:nested_args.bzl", _cc_nested_args = "cc_nested_args")
+load("//cc/toolchains:target_capability.bzl", _cc_target_capability = "cc_target_capability")
 load("//cc/toolchains:tool.bzl", _cc_tool = "cc_tool")
 load("//cc/toolchains:tool_capability.bzl", _cc_tool_capability = "cc_tool_capability")
 load("//cc/toolchains:tool_map.bzl", _cc_tool_map = "cc_tool_map")
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ load("//cc/toolchains:toolchain.bzl", _cc_toolchain = "cc_toolchain")
 load("//cc/toolchains/impl:external_feature.bzl", _cc_external_feature = "cc_external_feature")
 load("//cc/toolchains/impl:variables.bzl", _cc_variable = "cc_variable")
 
+cc_target_capability = _cc_target_capability
 cc_tool_map = _cc_tool_map
 cc_tool = _cc_tool
 cc_tool_capability = _cc_tool_capability
@@ -48,6 +50,7 @@ cc_toolchain = _cc_toolchain
 # links in the generated documentation so that maintainers don't need to manually
 # ensure every reference to a rule is properly linked.
 DOCUMENTED_TOOLCHAIN_RULES = [
+    "cc_target_capability",
     "cc_tool_map",
     "cc_tool",
     "cc_tool_capability",
diff --git a/cc/toolchains/target_capability.bzl b/cc/toolchains/target_capability.bzl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9a1f576
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cc/toolchains/target_capability.bzl
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+# Copyright 2024 The Bazel Authors. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Implementation of the cc_target_capability rule."""
+
+load(
+    ":cc_toolchain_info.bzl",
+    "ArgsListInfo",
+    "FeatureConstraintInfo",
+    "FeatureInfo",
+    "FeatureSetInfo",
+    "TargetCapabilityInfo",
+)
+
+def _cc_target_capability_impl(ctx):
+    ft = FeatureInfo(
+        name = ctx.attr.feature_name or ctx.label.name,
+        label = ctx.label,
+        enabled = False,
+        args = ArgsListInfo(
+            label = ctx.label,
+            args = (),
+            files = depset(),
+            by_action = (),
+            allowlist_include_directories = depset(),
+        ),
+        implies = depset(),
+        requires_any_of = (),
+        mutually_exclusive = (),
+        external = False,
+        overridable = True,
+        overrides = None,
+        allowlist_include_directories = depset(),
+    )
+
+    # Intentionally does not provide FeatureImplyabilityInfo to prevent
+    # features from implying these kinds of rules.
+    return [
+        ft,
+        FeatureSetInfo(label = ctx.label, features = depset([ft])),
+        TargetCapabilityInfo(label = ctx.label, feature = ft),
+        FeatureConstraintInfo(label = ctx.label, all_of = depset([ft])),
+    ]
+
+cc_target_capability = rule(
+    implementation = _cc_target_capability_impl,
+    provides = [TargetCapabilityInfo, FeatureSetInfo, FeatureConstraintInfo],
+    doc = """A target capability is an optional feature that a target platform supports.
+
+For example, not all target platforms have dynamic loaders (e.g. microcontroller
+firmware), so a toolchain may conditionally enable the capabilty to communicate
+the capability to C/C++ rule implementations.
+
+```
+load("//cc/toolchains:toolchain.bzl", "cc_toolchain")
+
+cc_toolchain(
+    name = "universal_cc_toolchain",
+    # Assume no operating system means no dynamic loader support.
+    enabled_features = select({
+        "@platforms//os:none": [],
+        "//conditions:default": [
+            "//cc/toolchains/capabilities:supports_dynamic_linker",
+        ],
+    }),
+    # ...
+)
+```
+
+`cc_target_capability` rules cannot be listed in a
+[`cc_feature.implies`](#cc_feature-implies) list.
+
+Note: User-defined capabilities should prefer traditional
+[user-defined build settings](https://bazel.build/extending/config#user-defined-build-settings).
+This construct exists to communicate these features to preexisting C/C++ rule
+implementations that expect these options to be exposed as
+[features](https://bazel.build/docs/cc-toolchain-config-reference#features).
+""",
+    attrs = {
+        "feature_name": attr.string(doc = "The name of the feature to generate for this capability"),
+    },
+)
diff --git a/cc/toolchains/tool_capability.bzl b/cc/toolchains/tool_capability.bzl
index 60b0f59..1e7e8ea 100644
--- a/cc/toolchains/tool_capability.bzl
+++ b/cc/toolchains/tool_capability.bzl
@@ -44,10 +44,11 @@ def _cc_tool_capability_impl(ctx):
         overrides = None,
         allowlist_include_directories = depset(),
     )
+
+    # Intentionally does not provide FeatureImplyabilityInfo to prevent
+    # features from implying these kinds of rules.
     return [
         ToolCapabilityInfo(label = ctx.label, feature = ft),
-        # Only give it a feature constraint info and not a feature info.
-        # This way you can't imply it - you can only require it.
         FeatureConstraintInfo(label = ctx.label, all_of = depset([ft])),
     ]
 
@@ -56,28 +57,41 @@ cc_tool_capability = rule(
     provides = [ToolCapabilityInfo, FeatureConstraintInfo],
     doc = """A capability is an optional feature that a tool supports.
 
-For example, not all compilers support PIC, so to handle this, we write:
+For example, not all linkers support --start-lib, so to handle this, we write:
 
 ```
+load("//cc/toolchains:args.bzl", "cc_args")
+load("//cc/toolchains:tool.bzl", "cc_tool")
+
 cc_tool(
     name = "clang",
     src = "@host_tools/bin/clang",
     capabilities = [
-        "//cc/toolchains/capabilities:supports_pic",
+        "//cc/toolchains/capabilities:supports_start_end_lib",
     ],
 )
 
 cc_args(
     name = "pic",
-    requires = [
-        "//cc/toolchains/capabilities:supports_pic"
-    ],
-    args = ["-fPIC"],
+    requires = ["//cc/toolchains/capabilities:supports_start_end_lib"],
+    args = ["-Wl,--start-lib"],
 )
 ```
 
-This ensures that `-fPIC` is added to the command-line only when we are using a
-tool that supports PIC.
+This ensures that `-Wl,--start-lib` is added to the command-line only when using
+a tool that supports the argument.
+
+
+`cc_target_capability` rules cannot be listed in a
+[`cc_feature.implies`](#cc_feature-implies) list, or in
+[`cc_toolchain.enabled_features`](#cc_toolchain-enabled_features).
+
+Note: Because [`cc_tool`](#cc_tool) rules are always evaluated under the exec
+configuration, a `select()` to guide capabilities will `select()` on the
+properties of the exec configuration. If you need a capability that is
+conditionally guided by the target configuration, prefer using configurabilty
+constructs to enable the feature at the
+[`cc_toolchain.enabled_features`](#cc_toolchain-enabled_features) level.
 """,
     attrs = {
         "feature_name": attr.string(doc = "The name of the feature to generate for this capability"),
diff --git a/tests/rule_based_toolchain/tool/BUILD b/tests/rule_based_toolchain/tool/BUILD
index daa617a..534c283 100644
--- a/tests/rule_based_toolchain/tool/BUILD
+++ b/tests/rule_based_toolchain/tool/BUILD
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ load(":tool_test.bzl", "TARGETS", "TESTS")
 cc_tool(
     name = "tool",
     src = "//tests/rule_based_toolchain/testdata:bin_wrapper.sh",
-    capabilities = ["//cc/toolchains/capabilities:supports_pic"],
+    capabilities = ["//cc/toolchains/capabilities:supports_start_end_lib"],
     data = ["//tests/rule_based_toolchain/testdata:bin"],
     tags = ["requires-network"],
 )
diff --git a/tests/rule_based_toolchain/toolchain_config/BUILD b/tests/rule_based_toolchain/toolchain_config/BUILD
index 08b5f83..a0a5a2a 100644
--- a/tests/rule_based_toolchain/toolchain_config/BUILD
+++ b/tests/rule_based_toolchain/toolchain_config/BUILD
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ cc_tool(
     name = "c_compile_tool",
     src = "//tests/rule_based_toolchain/testdata:bin_wrapper",
     allowlist_include_directories = ["//tests/rule_based_toolchain/testdata:subdirectory_3"],
-    capabilities = ["//cc/toolchains/capabilities:supports_pic"],
+    capabilities = ["//cc/toolchains/capabilities:supports_start_end_lib"],
 )
 
 cc_sysroot(
@@ -69,7 +69,10 @@ util.helper_target(
         ":sysroot",
         ":c_compile_args",
     ],
-    enabled_features = [":simple_feature"],
+    enabled_features = [
+        ":simple_feature",
+        "//cc/toolchains/capabilities:supports_pic",
+    ],
     known_features = [":compile_feature"],
     tool_map = ":compile_tool_map",
 )
diff --git a/tests/rule_based_toolchain/toolchain_config/toolchain_config_test.bzl b/tests/rule_based_toolchain/toolchain_config/toolchain_config_test.bzl
index 1047203..6d30fad 100644
--- a/tests/rule_based_toolchain/toolchain_config/toolchain_config_test.bzl
+++ b/tests/rule_based_toolchain/toolchain_config/toolchain_config_test.bzl
@@ -197,6 +197,10 @@ def _toolchain_collects_files_test(env, targets):
                 ],
             )],
         ),
+        legacy_feature(
+            name = "supports_pic",
+            enabled = True,
+        ),
         legacy_feature(
             name = "compile_feature",
             enabled = False,
@@ -208,7 +212,7 @@ def _toolchain_collects_files_test(env, targets):
             )],
         ),
         legacy_feature(
-            name = "supports_pic",
+            name = "supports_start_end_lib",
             enabled = False,
         ),
         legacy_feature(
@@ -225,7 +229,7 @@ def _toolchain_collects_files_test(env, targets):
             action_name = "c_compile",
             enabled = True,
             tools = [legacy_tool(tool = exe)],
-            implies = ["supports_pic"],
+            implies = ["supports_start_end_lib"],
             flag_sets = [
                 legacy_flag_set(
                     flag_groups = [