diff --git a/rust/meson.build b/rust/meson.build
index def77389cddc..91e52b8fb8e8 100644
--- a/rust/meson.build
+++ b/rust/meson.build
@@ -2,3 +2,25 @@ subdir('qemu-api-macros')
 subdir('qemu-api')
 
 subdir('hw')
+
+cargo = find_program('cargo', required: false)
+
+if cargo.found()
+  run_target('clippy',
+    command: [config_host['MESON'], 'devenv',
+              '--workdir', '@CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR@',
+              cargo, 'clippy', '--tests'],
+    depends: bindings_rs)
+
+  run_target('rustfmt',
+    command: [config_host['MESON'], 'devenv',
+              '--workdir', '@CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR@',
+              cargo, 'fmt'],
+    depends: bindings_rs)
+
+  run_target('rustdoc',
+    command: [config_host['MESON'], 'devenv',
+              '--workdir', '@CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR@',
+              cargo, 'doc', '--no-deps', '--document-private-items'],
+    depends: bindings_rs)
+endif
diff --git a/rust/qemu-api/README.md b/rust/qemu-api/README.md
index 53810f488828..ed1b7ab263d7 100644
--- a/rust/qemu-api/README.md
+++ b/rust/qemu-api/README.md
@@ -5,13 +5,15 @@ This library exports helper Rust types, Rust macros and C FFI bindings for inter
 The C bindings can be generated with `bindgen`, using this build target:
 
 ```console
-$ ninja bindings.inc.rs
+$ make bindings.inc.rs
 ```
 
 ## Generate Rust documentation
 
-To generate docs for this crate, including private items:
+Common Cargo tasks can be performed from the QEMU build directory
 
-```sh
-pyvenv/bin/meson devenv -w ../rust cargo doc --no-deps --document-private-items
+```console
+$ make clippy
+$ make rustfmt
+$ make rustdoc
 ```
diff --git a/rust/qemu-api/build.rs b/rust/qemu-api/build.rs
index 40644d5e4fe4..471e6c633df0 100644
--- a/rust/qemu-api/build.rs
+++ b/rust/qemu-api/build.rs
@@ -20,8 +20,13 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let file = Path::new(&file);
     if !Path::new(&file).exists() {
         panic!(concat!(
-            "No generated C bindings found! If you want to run `cargo`, start a subshell\n",
-            "with `meson devenv`, or point MESON_BUILD_ROOT to the top of the build tree."
+            "\n",
+            "    No generated C bindings found! Maybe you wanted one of\n",
+            "    `make clippy`, `make rustfmt`, `make rustdoc`?\n",
+            "\n",
+            "    For other uses of `cargo`, start a subshell with\n",
+            "    `pyvenv/bin/meson devenv`, or point MESON_BUILD_ROOT to\n",
+            "    the top of the build tree."
         ));
     }