diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b2d0e4fcdd..fad6bf3b98 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,8 +2,12 @@
 
 # UNRELEASED
 
+### feat: `skip_cargo_audit` flag in dfx.json to skip `cargo audit` build step
+
 ### fix: `dfx canister install` and `dfx deploy` with `--no-asset-upgrade` no longer hang indefinitely when wasm is not up to date
 
+### fix: `dfx` downloads `.did` files for remote canisters
+
 ### feat: streamlined output during asset synchronization
 
 # 0.25.0
diff --git a/docs/dfx-json-schema.json b/docs/dfx-json-schema.json
index 6f6fdc505f..808d531979 100644
--- a/docs/dfx-json-schema.json
+++ b/docs/dfx-json-schema.json
@@ -246,6 +246,12 @@
               "description": "Name of the Rust package that compiles this canister's Wasm.",
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "skip_cargo_audit": {
+              "title": "`cargo-audit` check",
+              "description": "If set to true, does not run `cargo audit` before building.",
+              "default": false,
+              "type": "boolean"
+            },
             "type": {
               "type": "string",
               "enum": [
diff --git a/e2e/assets/remote/download_did/canister_ids.json b/e2e/assets/remote/download_did/canister_ids.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..037eb88944
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/assets/remote/download_did/canister_ids.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+    "hello_backend": {
+        "ic": "aaaaa-aa"
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/e2e/assets/remote/download_did/dfx.json b/e2e/assets/remote/download_did/dfx.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..55b735ac6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/assets/remote/download_did/dfx.json
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+{
+  "canisters": {
+    "hello_backend": {
+      "main": "main.mo",
+      "type": "motoko",
+      "dependencies": [
+        "internet_identity"
+      ]
+    },
+    "internet_identity": {
+      "type": "custom",
+      "candid": "https://github.com/dfinity/internet-identity/releases/download/release-2024-12-13/internet_identity.did",
+      "wasm": "https://github.com/dfinity/internet-identity/releases/download/release-2024-12-13/internet_identity_dev.wasm.gz",
+      "init_arg": "(opt record { captcha_config = opt record { max_unsolved_captchas= 50:nat64; captcha_trigger = variant {Static = variant {CaptchaDisabled}}}})",
+      "remote": {
+        "id": {
+          "ic": "rdmx6-jaaaa-aaaaa-aaadq-cai"
+        }
+      },
+      "frontend": {}
+    }
+  },
+  "output_env_file": ".env",
+  "version": 1
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/e2e/assets/remote/download_did/main.mo b/e2e/assets/remote/download_did/main.mo
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..608acadb27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/assets/remote/download_did/main.mo
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import II "canister:internet_identity";
+
+actor {};
diff --git a/e2e/tests-dfx/build_rust.bash b/e2e/tests-dfx/build_rust.bash
index 60dc5f19a1..6df5a8cb18 100644
--- a/e2e/tests-dfx/build_rust.bash
+++ b/e2e/tests-dfx/build_rust.bash
@@ -34,4 +34,7 @@ teardown() {
   dfx canister create --all
   assert_command dfx build
   assert_match "Audit found vulnerabilities"
+  jq '.canisters.hello.skip_cargo_audit=true' dfx.json | sponge dfx.json
+  assert_command dfx build
+  assert_not_match "Audit found vulnerabilities"
 }
diff --git a/e2e/tests-dfx/remote.bash b/e2e/tests-dfx/remote.bash
index 8e8bc5568e..105a35e53f 100644
--- a/e2e/tests-dfx/remote.bash
+++ b/e2e/tests-dfx/remote.bash
@@ -345,3 +345,9 @@ teardown() {
   assert_match "CANISTER_ID_REMOTE: qoctq-giaaa-aaaaa-aaaea-cai"
   assert_contains "CANISTER_CANDID_PATH_REMOTE: $(pwd -P)/remotecandid.did"
 }
+
+@test "build step downloads dependency .did files" {
+  install_asset remote/download_did
+  assert_command dfx build --ic -v
+  assert_not_contains ".did file for canister 'internet_identity' does not exist"
+}
diff --git a/src/dfx-core/src/config/model/dfinity.rs b/src/dfx-core/src/config/model/dfinity.rs
index d657a1858c..1593a470d5 100644
--- a/src/dfx-core/src/config/model/dfinity.rs
+++ b/src/dfx-core/src/config/model/dfinity.rs
@@ -355,6 +355,11 @@ pub enum CanisterTypeProperties {
         /// # Candid File
         /// Path of this canister's candid interface declaration.
         candid: PathBuf,
+
+        /// # `cargo-audit` check
+        /// If set to true, does not run `cargo audit` before building.
+        #[serde(default)]
+        skip_cargo_audit: bool,
     },
     /// # Asset-Specific Properties
     Assets {
@@ -1296,6 +1301,7 @@ impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for PropertiesVisitor {
         let mut wasm = None;
         let mut candid = None;
         let mut package = None;
+        let mut skip_cargo_audit = None;
         let mut crate_name = None;
         let mut source = None;
         let mut build = None;
@@ -1313,6 +1319,7 @@ impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for PropertiesVisitor {
                 "type" => r#type = Some(map.next_value::<String>()?),
                 "id" => id = Some(map.next_value()?),
                 "workspace" => workspace = Some(map.next_value()?),
+                "skip_cargo_audit" => skip_cargo_audit = Some(map.next_value()?),
                 _ => continue,
             }
         }
@@ -1321,6 +1328,7 @@ impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for PropertiesVisitor {
             Some("rust") => CanisterTypeProperties::Rust {
                 candid: PathBuf::from(candid.ok_or_else(|| missing_field("candid"))?),
                 package: package.ok_or_else(|| missing_field("package"))?,
+                skip_cargo_audit: skip_cargo_audit.unwrap_or(false),
                 crate_name,
             },
             Some("assets") => CanisterTypeProperties::Assets {
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/lib/canister_info.rs b/src/dfx/src/lib/canister_info.rs
index 95b4808af9..b217041d91 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/lib/canister_info.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/lib/canister_info.rs
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ impl CanisterInfo {
                         package: _,
                         crate_name: _,
                         candid,
+                        skip_cargo_audit: _,
                     } => workspace_root.join(candid),
                     CanisterTypeProperties::Assets { .. } => output_root.join("assetstorage.did"),
                     CanisterTypeProperties::Custom {
@@ -360,6 +361,10 @@ impl CanisterInfo {
         matches!(self.type_specific, CanisterTypeProperties::Rust { .. })
     }
 
+    pub fn should_cargo_audit(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self.type_specific, CanisterTypeProperties::Rust { skip_cargo_audit, .. } if !skip_cargo_audit)
+    }
+
     pub fn is_assets(&self) -> bool {
         matches!(self.type_specific, CanisterTypeProperties::Assets { .. })
     }
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/lib/canister_info/rust.rs b/src/dfx/src/lib/canister_info/rust.rs
index de6cdd01ad..1d933b31a9 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/lib/canister_info/rust.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/lib/canister_info/rust.rs
@@ -34,14 +34,13 @@ impl CanisterInfoFactory for RustCanisterInfo {
             bail!("`cargo metadata` was unsuccessful");
         }
 
-        let (package, crate_name) = if let CanisterTypeProperties::Rust {
+        let CanisterTypeProperties::Rust {
             package,
             crate_name,
             candid: _,
+            skip_cargo_audit: _,
         } = info.type_specific.clone()
-        {
-            (package, crate_name)
-        } else {
+        else {
             bail!(
                 "Attempted to construct a custom canister from a type:{} canister config",
                 info.type_specific.name()
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/lib/models/canister.rs b/src/dfx/src/lib/models/canister.rs
index f4f1412cef..0084143514 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/lib/models/canister.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/lib/models/canister.rs
@@ -682,13 +682,13 @@ impl CanisterPool {
         if self
             .canisters_to_build(build_config)
             .iter()
-            .any(|can| can.info.is_rust())
+            .any(|can| can.info.should_cargo_audit())
         {
             self.run_cargo_audit()?;
         } else {
             trace!(
                 self.logger,
-                "No canister of type 'rust' found. Not trying to run 'cargo audit'."
+                "No canister of type 'rust' found (or it disabled the audit step). Not trying to run 'cargo audit'."
             )
         }
 
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ impl CanisterPool {
         log: &Logger,
         build_config: &BuildConfig,
     ) -> DfxResult<()> {
-        self.download(build_config).await?;
+        self.download().await?;
         let outputs = self.build(env, log, build_config)?;
 
         for output in outputs {
@@ -849,8 +849,8 @@ impl CanisterPool {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    async fn download(&self, build_config: &BuildConfig) -> DfxResult {
-        for canister in self.canisters_to_build(build_config) {
+    async fn download(&self) -> DfxResult {
+        for canister in self.canisters.iter() {
             let info = canister.get_info();
 
             if info.is_custom() {