diff --git a/tools/legacy/build_plugin_2601_vs2026.py b/tools/legacy/build_plugin_2601_vs2026.py
index 233953d..1becb6d 100755
--- a/tools/legacy/build_plugin_2601_vs2026.py
+++ b/tools/legacy/build_plugin_2601_vs2026.py
@@ -630,6 +630,9 @@ Examples:
                         help='Disable additional build optimizations')
     parser.add_argument('--vs-version', choices=['auto', '2026', '2022'], default='auto',
                         help='Visual Studio version to use (default: auto)')
+    parser.add_argument('--dist', action='store_true',
+                        help='Copy built DLLs to <repo>/dist/<config> instead '
+                             'of <repo>/plugins/<config>')
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
@@ -642,6 +645,9 @@ Examples:
 
     # Get project paths
     project_dir, project_file, plugins_dir = get_project_paths(platform_toolset)
+    # --dist: redirect the output root from <repo>/plugins to <repo>/dist.
+    if args.dist:
+        plugins_dir = plugins_dir.parent / 'dist'
 
     if args.list_project:
         if not project_file.exists():
diff --git a/tools/linux/build_plugin_linux.py b/tools/linux/build_plugin_linux.py
index 6079e41..93edfe1 100644
--- a/tools/linux/build_plugin_linux.py
+++ b/tools/linux/build_plugin_linux.py
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ def _build_one(
     jobs: int,
     clean: bool,
     cleanup_artifacts: bool,
+    dist: bool = False,
 ) -> int:
     layout = VERSION_LAYOUT[zip_version]
     vendor_7zip = layout["vendor_7zip"]
@@ -243,7 +244,10 @@ def _build_one(
         print(f"ERROR: expected artifact not found: {built}", file=sys.stderr)
         return 1
 
-    dest = ROOT / cfg["dest"]
+    rel_dest = cfg["dest"]
+    if dist and rel_dest.startswith("plugins/"):
+        rel_dest = "dist/" + rel_dest[len("plugins/"):]
+    dest = ROOT / rel_dest
     dest.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     shutil.copy2(built, dest)
 
@@ -303,6 +307,12 @@ def main() -> int:
         help="Keep per-config build artifact directories (_o_*)",
     )
     parser.add_argument("--verbose", action="store_true", help="Verbose output")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--dist",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Copy built DLLs to <repo>/dist/<config> instead of "
+             "<repo>/plugins/<config>",
+    )
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     _require_tool("make")
@@ -327,6 +337,7 @@ def main() -> int:
             jobs,
             args.clean,
             args.cleanup_artifacts,
+            args.dist,
         )
         if code != 0:
             return code