diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 273aca84a..123cba5cb 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2,6 +2,15 @@
 # It is not intended for manual editing.
 version = 4
 
+[[package]]
+name = "aho-corasick"
+version = "1.1.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8e60d3430d3a69478ad0993f19238d2df97c507009a52b3c10addcd7f6bcb916"
+dependencies = [
+ "memchr",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "allocator-api2"
 version = "0.2.21"
@@ -29,6 +38,16 @@ dependencies = [
  "generic-array",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "bstr"
+version = "1.12.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "234113d19d0d7d613b40e86fb654acf958910802bcceab913a4f9e7cda03b1a4"
+dependencies = [
+ "memchr",
+ "serde",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cc"
 version = "1.2.41"
@@ -82,6 +101,27 @@ dependencies = [
  "crypto-common",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "dirs"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c3e8aa94d75141228480295a7d0e7feb620b1a5ad9f12bc40be62411e38cce4e"
+dependencies = [
+ "dirs-sys",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "dirs-sys"
+version = "0.5.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e01a3366d27ee9890022452ee61b2b63a67e6f13f58900b651ff5665f0bb1fab"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+ "option-ext",
+ "redox_users",
+ "windows-sys",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "equivalent"
 version = "1.0.2"
@@ -212,6 +252,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "version_check",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "getrandom"
+version = "0.2.16"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "335ff9f135e4384c8150d6f27c6daed433577f86b4750418338c01a1a2528592"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "libc",
+ "wasi",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "getrandom"
 version = "0.3.4"
@@ -224,6 +275,19 @@ dependencies = [
  "wasip2",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "globset"
+version = "0.4.16"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "54a1028dfc5f5df5da8a56a73e6c153c9a9708ec57232470703592a3f18e49f5"
+dependencies = [
+ "aho-corasick",
+ "bstr",
+ "log",
+ "regex-automata",
+ "regex-syntax",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "hashbrown"
 version = "0.15.5"
@@ -241,7 +305,7 @@ version = "0.1.34"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "9afb3de4395d6b3e67a780b6de64b51c978ecf11cb9a462c66be7d4ca9039d33"
 dependencies = [
- "getrandom",
+ "getrandom 0.3.4",
  "libc",
 ]
 
@@ -251,6 +315,16 @@ version = "0.2.177"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "2874a2af47a2325c2001a6e6fad9b16a53b802102b528163885171cf92b15976"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "libredox"
+version = "0.1.10"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "416f7e718bdb06000964960ffa43b4335ad4012ae8b99060261aa4a8088d5ccb"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "lock_api"
 version = "0.4.14"
@@ -340,6 +414,12 @@ version = "1.21.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "42f5e15c9953c5e4ccceeb2e7382a716482c34515315f7b03532b8b4e8393d2d"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "option-ext"
+version = "0.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "04744f49eae99ab78e0d5c0b603ab218f515ea8cfe5a456d7629ad883a3b6e7d"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "parking_lot"
 version = "0.12.5"
@@ -525,6 +605,34 @@ dependencies = [
  "bitflags",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "redox_users"
+version = "0.5.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a4e608c6638b9c18977b00b475ac1f28d14e84b27d8d42f70e0bf1e3dec127ac"
+dependencies = [
+ "getrandom 0.2.16",
+ "libredox",
+ "thiserror",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "regex-automata"
+version = "0.4.13"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "5276caf25ac86c8d810222b3dbb938e512c55c6831a10f3e6ed1c93b84041f1c"
+dependencies = [
+ "aho-corasick",
+ "memchr",
+ "regex-syntax",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "regex-syntax"
+version = "0.8.8"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7a2d987857b319362043e95f5353c0535c1f58eec5336fdfcf626430af7def58"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "rsconf"
 version = "0.2.2"
@@ -554,6 +662,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "rust-embed-utils",
+ "shellexpand",
  "syn",
  "walkdir",
 ]
@@ -564,6 +673,7 @@ version = "8.8.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "21fcbee55c2458836bcdbfffb6ec9ba74bbc23ca7aa6816015a3dd2c4d8fc185"
 dependencies = [
+ "globset",
  "sha2",
  "walkdir",
 ]
@@ -598,6 +708,35 @@ version = "3.0.10"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "490dcfcbfef26be6800d11870ff2df8774fa6e86d047e3e8c8a76b25655e41ca"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "serde"
+version = "1.0.228"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9a8e94ea7f378bd32cbbd37198a4a91436180c5bb472411e48b5ec2e2124ae9e"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde_core",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "serde_core"
+version = "1.0.228"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "41d385c7d4ca58e59fc732af25c3983b67ac852c1a25000afe1175de458b67ad"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde_derive",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "serde_derive"
+version = "1.0.228"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d540f220d3187173da220f885ab66608367b6574e925011a9353e4badda91d79"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "serial_test"
 version = "3.2.0"
@@ -632,6 +771,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "digest",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "shellexpand"
+version = "3.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8b1fdf65dd6331831494dd616b30351c38e96e45921a27745cf98490458b90bb"
+dependencies = [
+ "dirs",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "shlex"
 version = "1.3.0"
@@ -673,6 +821,26 @@ dependencies = [
  "phf_codegen 0.11.3",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "thiserror"
+version = "2.0.17"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f63587ca0f12b72a0600bcba1d40081f830876000bb46dd2337a3051618f4fc8"
+dependencies = [
+ "thiserror-impl",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "thiserror-impl"
+version = "2.0.17"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3ff15c8ecd7de3849db632e14d18d2571fa09dfc5ed93479bc4485c7a517c913"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "typenum"
 version = "1.19.0"
@@ -728,6 +896,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi-util",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "wasi"
+version = "0.11.1+wasi-snapshot-preview1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ccf3ec651a847eb01de73ccad15eb7d99f80485de043efb2f370cd654f4ea44b"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "wasip2"
 version = "1.0.1+wasi-0.2.4"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index c71776967..1edaee3eb 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -45,7 +45,12 @@ proc-macro2 = "1.0"
 # minimum supported version to 10.12.
 rand = { version = "0.8.5", default-features = false, features = ["small_rng"] }
 rsconf = "0.2.2"
-rust-embed = { version = "8.7.2", features = ["deterministic-timestamps"] }
+rust-embed = { version = "8.7.2", features = [
+    "deterministic-timestamps",
+    "include-exclude",
+    "interpolate-folder-path",
+] }
+
 serial_test = { version = "3", default-features = false }
 # We need 0.9.0 specifically for some crash fixes.
 terminfo = "0.9.0"
@@ -102,10 +107,14 @@ portable-atomic.workspace = true
 rust-embed = { workspace = true, optional = true, features = [
     "deterministic-timestamps",
     "debug-embed",
+    "include-exclude",
+    "interpolate-folder-path",
 ] }
 [target.'cfg(not(windows))'.dependencies]
 rust-embed = { workspace = true, optional = true, features = [
     "deterministic-timestamps",
+    "include-exclude",
+    "interpolate-folder-path",
 ] }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
diff --git a/share/config.fish b/share/config.fish
index 215a2dc33..50500aa86 100644
--- a/share/config.fish
+++ b/share/config.fish
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ end
 set -l __extra_completionsdir
 set -l __extra_functionsdir
 set -l __extra_confdir
-if path is -f -- $__fish_data_dir/__fish_build_paths.fish
+# N.B. can't load __fish_data_with_file this early in non-embedded builds, so reimplement it.
+if status get-file __fish_build_paths.fish &>/dev/null
+    status get-file __fish_build_paths.fish | source
+else if path is -f -- $__fish_data_dir/__fish_build_paths.fish
     source $__fish_data_dir/__fish_build_paths.fish
 end
 
diff --git a/src/autoload.rs b/src/autoload.rs
index a9eb84899..d363fabd9 100644
--- a/src/autoload.rs
+++ b/src/autoload.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ pub struct Autoload {
 
 #[cfg(feature = "embed-data")]
 #[derive(RustEmbed)]
-#[folder = "share/"]
+#[folder = "share"]
+#[exclude = "__fish_build_paths.fish.in"]
 pub struct Asset;
 
 cfg_if!(
diff --git a/src/builtins/status.rs b/src/builtins/status.rs
index 54eb7e6dc..82bfeabdf 100644
--- a/src/builtins/status.rs
+++ b/src/builtins/status.rs
@@ -337,6 +337,12 @@ fn parse_cmd_opts(
 #[prefix = "man/man1/"]
 struct Docs;
 
+#[cfg(all(using_cmake, feature = "embed-data"))]
+#[derive(RustEmbed)]
+#[folder = "$FISH_CMAKE_BINARY_DIR/share"]
+#[include = "__fish_build_paths.fish"]
+struct CMakeBinaryDir;
+
 pub fn status(parser: &Parser, streams: &mut IoStreams, args: &mut [&wstr]) -> BuiltinResult {
     localizable_consts!(
         #[allow(dead_code)]
@@ -481,7 +487,16 @@ pub fn status(parser: &Parser, streams: &mut IoStreams, args: &mut [&wstr]) -> B
                 } else {
                     let arg = crate::common::wcs2bytes(args[0]);
                     let arg = std::str::from_utf8(&arg).unwrap();
-                    let Some(emfile) = crate::autoload::Asset::get(arg).or_else(|| Docs::get(arg))
+                    cfg_if!(
+                        if #[cfg(using_cmake)] {
+                            let emfile = CMakeBinaryDir::get(arg);
+                        } else {
+                            let emfile = None;
+                        }
+                    );
+                    let Some(emfile) = emfile
+                        .or_else(|| crate::autoload::Asset::get(arg))
+                        .or_else(|| Docs::get(arg))
                     else {
                         return Err(STATUS_CMD_ERROR);
                     };
@@ -515,7 +530,10 @@ pub fn status(parser: &Parser, streams: &mut IoStreams, args: &mut [&wstr]) -> B
                     let mut paths = vec![];
                     let arg = crate::common::wcs2bytes(args.first().unwrap_or(&L!("")));
                     let arg = std::str::from_utf8(&arg).unwrap();
-                    for path in crate::autoload::Asset::iter().chain(Docs::iter()) {
+                    let embedded_files = crate::autoload::Asset::iter().chain(Docs::iter());
+                    #[cfg(using_cmake)]
+                    let embedded_files = embedded_files.chain(CMakeBinaryDir::iter());
+                    for path in embedded_files {
                         if arg.is_empty() || path.starts_with(arg) {
                             paths.push(bytes2wcstring(path.as_bytes()));
                         }