diff --git a/docs/guide/exe_verilator.rst b/docs/guide/exe_verilator.rst
index 87f9db880..99c4bd0ec 100644
--- a/docs/guide/exe_verilator.rst
+++ b/docs/guide/exe_verilator.rst
@@ -125,9 +125,12 @@ Summary:
 
    After generating the SystemC/C++ code, Verilator will invoke the
    toolchain to build the model library (and executable when :vlopt:`--exe`
-   is also used). Verilator manages the build itself, and for this --build
+   is also used).  Verilator manages the build itself, and for this --build
    requires GNU Make to be available on the platform.
 
+   :vlopt:`--build` cannot be specified when using :vlopt:`-E`,
+   :vlopt:`--dpi-hdr-only`, :vlopt:`--lint-only`, or :vlopt:`--xml-only`.
+
 .. option:: --build-dep-bin <filename>
 
    Rarely needed.  When a dependency (.d) file is created, this filename
diff --git a/src/V3Options.cpp b/src/V3Options.cpp
index 47ac50329..39e74fa95 100644
--- a/src/V3Options.cpp
+++ b/src/V3Options.cpp
@@ -806,6 +806,24 @@ void V3Options::notify() {
         cmdfl->v3error("--make cannot be used together with --build. Suggest see manual");
     }
 
+    // m_build, m_preprocOnly, m_dpiHdrOnly, m_lintOnly, and m_xmlOnly are mutually exclusive
+    std::vector<std::string> backendFlags;
+    if (m_build) {
+        if (m_binary) backendFlags.push_back("--binary");
+        else backendFlags.push_back("--build");
+    }
+    if (m_preprocOnly) backendFlags.push_back("-E");
+    if (m_dpiHdrOnly) backendFlags.push_back("--dpi-hdr-only");
+    if (m_lintOnly) backendFlags.push_back("--lint-only");
+    if (m_xmlOnly) backendFlags.push_back("--xml-only");
+    if (backendFlags.size() > 1) {
+        std::string backendFlagsString = backendFlags.front();
+        for (size_t i = 1; i < backendFlags.size(); i++) {
+            backendFlagsString += ", " + backendFlags[i];
+        }
+        v3error("The following cannot be used together: " + backendFlagsString + ". Suggest see manual");
+    }
+
     if (m_exe && !v3Global.opt.libCreate().empty()) {
         cmdfl->v3error("--exe cannot be used together with --lib-create. Suggest see manual");
     }
@@ -1081,6 +1099,7 @@ void V3Options::parseOptsList(FileLine* fl, const string& optdir, int argc, char
         FileLine::globalWarnOff(V3ErrorCode::E_UNSUPPORTED, true);
     });
     DECL_OPTION("-binary", CbCall, [this]() {
+        m_binary = true;
         m_build = true;
         m_exe = true;
         m_main = true;
diff --git a/src/V3Options.h b/src/V3Options.h
index f68c32d11..dc2d011a8 100644
--- a/src/V3Options.h
+++ b/src/V3Options.h
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ private:
     bool m_autoflush = false;       // main switch: --autoflush
     bool m_bboxSys = false;         // main switch: --bbox-sys
     bool m_bboxUnsup = false;       // main switch: --bbox-unsup
+    bool m_binary = false;          // main switch: --binary
     bool m_build = false;           // main switch: --build
     bool m_cmake = false;           // main switch: --make cmake
     bool m_context = true;          // main switch: --Wcontext
@@ -442,6 +443,7 @@ public:
     bool autoflush() const { return m_autoflush; }
     bool bboxSys() const { return m_bboxSys; }
     bool bboxUnsup() const { return m_bboxUnsup; }
+    bool binary() const { return m_binary; }
     bool build() const { return m_build; }
     string buildDepBin() const { return m_buildDepBin; }
     void buildDepBin(const string& flag) { m_buildDepBin = flag; }
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad.out b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad.out
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..ae416db51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad.out
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+%Error: The following cannot be used together: --binary, -E, --dpi-hdr-only, --lint-only, --xml-only. Suggest see manual
+%Error: Exiting due to
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad.pl b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad.pl
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..6fb0c0314
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env perl
+if (!$::Driver) { use FindBin; exec("$FindBin::Bin/bootstrap.pl", @ARGV, $0); die; }
+# DESCRIPTION: Verilator: Verilog Test driver/expect definition
+#
+# Copyright 2003 by Wilson Snyder. This program is free software; you
+# can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU
+# Lesser General Public License Version 3 or the Perl Artistic License
+# Version 2.0.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only OR Artistic-2.0
+
+scenarios(vlt => 1);
+top_filename("t/t_flag_main.v");
+
+compile(
+    verilator_make_cmake => 0,
+    verilator_make_gmake => 0,
+    verilator_flags2 => ["--binary -E --dpi-hdr-only --lint-only --xml-only -Wall"],
+    fails => 1,
+    expect_filename => $Self->{golden_filename},
+    );
+
+ok(1);
+1;
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad2.out b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad2.out
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..f67b538ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad2.out
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+%Error: The following cannot be used together: --build, -E, --dpi-hdr-only, --lint-only, --xml-only. Suggest see manual
+%Error: Exiting due to
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad2.pl b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad2.pl
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..34c252411
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad2.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env perl
+if (!$::Driver) { use FindBin; exec("$FindBin::Bin/bootstrap.pl", @ARGV, $0); die; }
+# DESCRIPTION: Verilator: Verilog Test driver/expect definition
+#
+# Copyright 2003 by Wilson Snyder. This program is free software; you
+# can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU
+# Lesser General Public License Version 3 or the Perl Artistic License
+# Version 2.0.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only OR Artistic-2.0
+
+scenarios(vlt => 1);
+top_filename("t/t_flag_main.v");
+
+compile(
+    verilator_make_cmake => 0,
+    verilator_make_gmake => 0,
+    verilator_flags2 => ["--build -E -Wno-fatal --dpi-hdr-only --lint-only --xml-only"],
+    fails => 1,
+    expect_filename => $Self->{golden_filename},
+    );
+
+ok(1);
+1;
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad3.out b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad3.out
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..de3cf93a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad3.out
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+%Error: The following cannot be used together: --dpi-hdr-only, --lint-only, --xml-only. Suggest see manual
+%Error: Exiting due to
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad3.pl b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad3.pl
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..f21368eec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_flag_only_bad3.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env perl
+if (!$::Driver) { use FindBin; exec("$FindBin::Bin/bootstrap.pl", @ARGV, $0); die; }
+# DESCRIPTION: Verilator: Verilog Test driver/expect definition
+#
+# Copyright 2003 by Wilson Snyder. This program is free software; you
+# can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU
+# Lesser General Public License Version 3 or the Perl Artistic License
+# Version 2.0.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only OR Artistic-2.0
+
+scenarios(vlt => 1);
+top_filename("t/t_flag_main.v");
+
+compile(
+    verilator_make_cmake => 0,
+    verilator_make_gmake => 0,
+    verilator_flags2 => ["-Wall --lint-only -Wno-fatal --dpi-hdr-only --xml-only"],
+    fails => 1,
+    expect_filename => $Self->{golden_filename},
+    );
+
+ok(1);
+1;
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_lint_eofline.pl b/test_regress/t/t_lint_eofline.pl
index be8639453..709ff432e 100755
--- a/test_regress/t/t_lint_eofline.pl
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_lint_eofline.pl
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ top_filename("$Self->{obj_dir}/t_lint_eofline_bad.v");
 gen($Self->{top_filename});
 
 lint(
-    verilator_flags2 => ["--lint-only -Wall -Wno-DECLFILENAME -E"],
+    verilator_flags2 => ["-E -Wall -Wno-DECLFILENAME"],
     expect_filename => $Self->{golden_filename},
     );