diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
index e25b571acbac5..ce6da4c6c89a6 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use std::{env, fs, iter};
 
 use clap_complete::shells;
 
+use crate::core::build_steps::compile::run_cargo;
 use crate::core::build_steps::doc::DocumentationFormat;
 use crate::core::build_steps::synthetic_targets::MirOptPanicAbortSyntheticTarget;
 use crate::core::build_steps::tool::{self, SourceType, Tool};
@@ -2168,9 +2169,11 @@ NOTE: if you're sure you want to do this, please open an issue as to why. In the
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
 struct BookTest {
     compiler: Compiler,
+    target: TargetSelection,
     path: PathBuf,
     name: &'static str,
     is_ext_doc: bool,
+    dependencies: Vec<&'static str>,
 }
 
 impl Step for BookTest {
@@ -2223,6 +2226,44 @@ impl BookTest {
         // Books often have feature-gated example text.
         rustbook_cmd.env("RUSTC_BOOTSTRAP", "1");
         rustbook_cmd.env("PATH", new_path).arg("test").arg(path);
+
+        // Books may also need to build dependencies. For example, `TheBook` has
+        // code samples which use the `trpl` crate. For the `rustdoc` invocation
+        // to find them them successfully, they need to be built first and their
+        // paths used to generate the
+        let libs = if !self.dependencies.is_empty() {
+            let mut lib_paths = vec![];
+            for dep in self.dependencies {
+                let mode = Mode::ToolBootstrap;
+                let target = builder.config.build;
+                // CHECKME: is this correct, or should it be using `builder::Cargo::new`?
+                let cargo = tool::prepare_tool_cargo(
+                    &builder,
+                    self.compiler,
+                    mode,
+                    builder.config.build,
+                    Kind::Build,
+                    dep,
+                    SourceType::Submodule,
+                    &[],
+                );
+                // CHECKME: this is used for the "stamp" for this `run_cargo`; is this reasonable?
+                let out_dir = builder.cargo_out(self.compiler, mode, target);
+                let output_paths =
+                    run_cargo(builder, cargo, vec![], &out_dir, vec![], false, false);
+                lib_paths.extend(output_paths);
+            }
+            lib_paths
+        } else {
+            vec![]
+        };
+
+        if !libs.is_empty() {
+            let mut cli_args = vec![String::from("--library-path")];
+            cli_args.extend(libs.into_iter().map(|path| format!("{}", path.display())));
+            rustbook_cmd.args(dbg!(cli_args));
+        }
+
         builder.add_rust_test_threads(&mut rustbook_cmd);
         let _guard = builder.msg(
             Kind::Test,
@@ -2281,12 +2322,14 @@ macro_rules! test_book {
         $name:ident, $path:expr, $book_name:expr,
         default=$default:expr
         $(,submodules = $submodules:expr)?
+        $(,dependencies=$dependencies:expr)?
         ;
     )+) => {
         $(
             #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
             pub struct $name {
                 compiler: Compiler,
+                target: TargetSelection,
             }
 
             impl Step for $name {
@@ -2301,6 +2344,7 @@ macro_rules! test_book {
                 fn make_run(run: RunConfig<'_>) {
                     run.builder.ensure($name {
                         compiler: run.builder.compiler(run.builder.top_stage, run.target),
+                        target: run.target,
                     });
                 }
 
@@ -2310,11 +2354,22 @@ macro_rules! test_book {
                             builder.require_submodule(submodule, None);
                         }
                     )*
+
+                    let dependencies = vec![];
+                    $(
+                        let mut dependencies = dependencies;
+                        for dep in $dependencies {
+                            dependencies.push(dep);
+                        }
+                    )?
+
                     builder.ensure(BookTest {
                         compiler: self.compiler,
+                        target: self.target,
                         path: PathBuf::from($path),
                         name: $book_name,
                         is_ext_doc: !$default,
+                        dependencies,
                     });
                 }
             }
@@ -2329,7 +2384,7 @@ test_book!(
     RustcBook, "src/doc/rustc", "rustc", default=true;
     RustByExample, "src/doc/rust-by-example", "rust-by-example", default=false, submodules=["src/doc/rust-by-example"];
     EmbeddedBook, "src/doc/embedded-book", "embedded-book", default=false, submodules=["src/doc/embedded-book"];
-    TheBook, "src/doc/book", "book", default=false, submodules=["src/doc/book"];
+    TheBook, "src/doc/book", "book", default=false, submodules=["src/doc/book"], dependencies=["src/doc/book/packages/trpl"];
     UnstableBook, "src/doc/unstable-book", "unstable-book", default=true;
     EditionGuide, "src/doc/edition-guide", "edition-guide", default=false, submodules=["src/doc/edition-guide"];
 );
diff --git a/src/tools/rustbook/Cargo.toml b/src/tools/rustbook/Cargo.toml
index 2c29a2848b7e5..3a4bc195880a6 100644
--- a/src/tools/rustbook/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src/tools/rustbook/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ env_logger = "0.11"
 mdbook-trpl-listing = { path = "../../doc/book/packages/mdbook-trpl-listing" }
 mdbook-trpl-note = { path = "../../doc/book/packages/mdbook-trpl-note" }
 mdbook-i18n-helpers = "0.3.3"
-mdbook-spec = { path = "../../doc/reference/mdbook-spec"}
+mdbook-spec = { path = "../../doc/reference/mdbook-spec" }
+# Note: `trpl` is unused, but this ensures it and its dependencies get vendored.
+trpl = { path = "../../doc/book/packages/trpl" }
 
 [dependencies.mdbook]
 version = "0.4.37"