diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/ExecutionTransitionFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/ExecutionTransitionFactory.java
index 54c07569fc196d..c0ee7501ae1ae3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/ExecutionTransitionFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/ExecutionTransitionFactory.java
@@ -109,8 +109,9 @@ public ImmutableSet<Class<? extends FragmentOptions>> requiresOptionFragments()
 
     @Override
     public BuildOptions patch(BuildOptionsView options, EventHandler eventHandler) {
-      if (executionPlatform == null) {
-        // No execution platform is known, so don't change anything.
+      if (executionPlatform == null || options.get(CoreOptions.class).isExec) {
+        // If no execution platform is known or the input already comes from execution configuration,
+        // don't change anything and return the existing value.
         return options.underlying();
       }
       return cache.applyTransition(