diff --git a/.changes/936.json b/.changes/936.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..27fc3d223
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/936.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+    "type": "added",
+    "description": "allow users to ignore config files in the package.",
+    "issues": [621]
+}
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index a5d583016..5448cb78b 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -115,6 +115,12 @@ impl Environment {
             .ok()
     }
 
+    fn ignore_cargo_config(&self) -> Option<bool> {
+        env::var("CROSS_IGNORE_CARGO_CONFIG")
+            .map(|s| bool_from_envvar(&s))
+            .ok()
+    }
+
     fn custom_toolchain(&self) -> bool {
         std::env::var("CROSS_CUSTOM_TOOLCHAIN").is_ok()
     }
@@ -291,6 +297,10 @@ impl Config {
         self.env.custom_toolchain()
     }
 
+    pub fn ignore_cargo_config(&self) -> Option<bool> {
+        self.env.ignore_cargo_config()
+    }
+
     pub fn env_passthrough(&self, target: &Target) -> Result<Option<Vec<String>>> {
         self.vec_from_config(
             target,
diff --git a/src/docker/local.rs b/src/docker/local.rs
index 72ecd9c49..10a9bc6b3 100644
--- a/src/docker/local.rs
+++ b/src/docker/local.rs
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ pub(crate) fn run(
     docker
         .args(&["-v", &format!("{}:/rust:Z,ro", dirs.sysroot.to_utf8()?)])
         .args(&["-v", &format!("{}:/target:Z", dirs.target.to_utf8()?)]);
-    docker_cwd(&mut docker, &paths)?;
+    let ignore_cargo_config = options.config.ignore_cargo_config().unwrap_or_default();
+    docker_cwd(&mut docker, &paths, ignore_cargo_config)?;
 
     // When running inside NixOS or using Nix packaging we need to add the Nix
     // Store to the running container so it can load the needed binaries.
diff --git a/src/docker/remote.rs b/src/docker/remote.rs
index 88f5c8a3a..f8bacab15 100644
--- a/src/docker/remote.rs
+++ b/src/docker/remote.rs
@@ -1170,7 +1170,8 @@ symlink_recurse \"${{prefix}}\"
     let mut docker = subcommand(engine, "exec");
     docker_user_id(&mut docker, engine.kind);
     docker_envvars(&mut docker, &options.config, target, msg_info)?;
-    docker_cwd(&mut docker, &paths)?;
+    let ignore_cargo_config = options.config.ignore_cargo_config().unwrap_or_default();
+    docker_cwd(&mut docker, &paths, ignore_cargo_config)?;
     docker.arg(&container);
     docker.args(&["sh", "-c", &format!("PATH=$PATH:/rust/bin {:?}", cmd)]);
     bail_container_exited!();
diff --git a/src/docker/shared.rs b/src/docker/shared.rs
index 573ba2458..5a3063310 100644
--- a/src/docker/shared.rs
+++ b/src/docker/shared.rs
@@ -220,10 +220,18 @@ impl DockerPaths {
         self.workspace_from_cwd().is_ok()
     }
 
+    pub fn cargo_home(&self) -> &Path {
+        &self.directories.cargo
+    }
+
     pub fn mount_cwd(&self) -> &str {
         &self.directories.mount_cwd
     }
 
+    pub fn mount_root(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.directories.mount_root
+    }
+
     pub fn host_root(&self) -> &Path {
         &self.directories.host_root
     }
@@ -499,8 +507,49 @@ pub(crate) fn docker_envvars(
     Ok(())
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn docker_cwd(docker: &mut Command, paths: &DockerPaths) -> Result<()> {
+fn mount_to_ignore_cargo_config(
+    docker: &mut Command,
+    paths: &DockerPaths,
+    root: &str,
+    cwd: &str,
+    ignore_cargo_config: bool,
+) -> Result<()> {
+    let is_cargo_home_parent = paths
+        .cargo_home()
+        .parent()
+        .map(|x| x == paths.host_root())
+        .unwrap_or_default();
+    if ignore_cargo_config && !is_cargo_home_parent {
+        let root_path = Path::new(root);
+        let cwd_path = Path::new(cwd);
+        docker.args(&["-v", &cwd_path.join(".cargo").as_posix()?]);
+        let mut relpath = Path::new(cwd).strip_prefix(root_path).wrap_err_with(|| {
+            eyre::eyre!("cwd \"{cwd}\" must be a subdirectory of root \"{root}\"")
+        })?;
+
+        while let Some(parent) = relpath.parent() {
+            let path = root_path.join(parent);
+            docker.args(&["-v", &path.join(".cargo").as_posix()?]);
+            relpath = parent;
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn docker_cwd(
+    docker: &mut Command,
+    paths: &DockerPaths,
+    ignore_cargo_config: bool,
+) -> Result<()> {
     docker.args(&["-w", paths.mount_cwd()]);
+    mount_to_ignore_cargo_config(
+        docker,
+        paths,
+        paths.mount_root(),
+        paths.mount_cwd(),
+        ignore_cargo_config,
+    )?;
 
     Ok(())
 }