diff --git a/Build.fs b/Build.fs
index 7e28f049..65e96834 100644
--- a/Build.fs
+++ b/Build.fs
@@ -285,11 +285,23 @@ open Fake.Core.TargetOperators
 
 let dependencies =
     [
-        "Clean" ==> "RestoreClient" ==> "Bundle"
-        "Clean" ==> "RestoreClient" ==> "Build" ==> "Run"
+        // Two independent prongs: a self-sufficient server build (Build restores
+        // and builds GenPRES.sln itself, no npm involved) and a client toolchain
+        // (Clean clears stale Fable/.jsx output, then RestoreClient runs npm ci).
+        // Each leaf target below declares only the prong(s) its body actually uses,
+        // rather than chaining everything through one sequence.
+        "Clean" ==> "RestoreClient"
 
-        "RestoreClient" ==> "Build" ==> "TestHeadless"
-        "RestoreClient" ==> "Build" ==> "WatchTests"
+        "RestoreClient" ==> "Bundle"
+
+        "Build" ==> "Run"
+        "RestoreClient" ==> "Run"
+
+        "Build" ==> "TestHeadless"
+        "RestoreClient" ==> "TestHeadless"
+
+        "Build" ==> "WatchTests"
+        "RestoreClient" ==> "WatchTests"
 
         "Build" ==> "ServerTests"
         "Build" ==> "CheckVersions"
diff --git a/DEVELOPMENT.md b/DEVELOPMENT.md
index a213c13d..a87b137e 100644
--- a/DEVELOPMENT.md
+++ b/DEVELOPMENT.md
@@ -49,8 +49,10 @@ dotnet run [target]
                        └─► executes each target step
 ```
 
-For example, `dotnet run` (no target) runs the `Run` target, which depends on:
-`Clean → RestoreClient → Build → Run` (server + Fable watcher in parallel).
+For example, `dotnet run` (no target) runs the `Run` target, which depends on
+two independent prerequisites: `Build` (compiles the server, no npm involved)
+and `Clean → RestoreClient` (clears stale Fable output, then restores npm
+packages for the Fable/Vite dev server).
 
 ### FAKE Build Targets Reference
 
@@ -72,12 +74,23 @@ For example, `dotnet run` (no target) runs the `Run` target, which depends on:
 
 ```text
 Clean ──► RestoreClient ──► Bundle
-Clean ──► RestoreClient ──► Build ──► Run
 
-RestoreClient ──► Build ──► TestHeadless
-RestoreClient ──► Build ──► WatchTests
+Build ──► Run
+RestoreClient ──► Run
+
+Build ──► TestHeadless
+RestoreClient ──► TestHeadless
+
+Build ──► WatchTests
+RestoreClient ──► WatchTests
+
+Build ──► ServerTests
+Build ──► CheckVersions
 ```
 
+`Build` and `RestoreClient` are independent prongs — a target that only needs
+one of them (e.g. `ServerTests`, `CheckVersions`) doesn't pay for the other.
+
 ### What Happens During `dotnet run` (the `Run` target)
 
 The `Run` target starts two long-running processes **in parallel**: