diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 189f786c6..b54fd64df 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ bitflags.workspace = true
 cfg-if.workspace = true
 errno.workspace = true
 fish-build-helper.workspace = true
-fish-build-man-pages.workspace = true
+fish-build-man-pages = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 fish-gettext-extraction = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 fish-gettext-maps = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 fish-printf.workspace = true
@@ -150,8 +150,9 @@ name = "fish_key_reader"
 path = "src/bin/fish_key_reader.rs"
 
 [features]
-default = ["localize-messages"]
+default = ["embed-manpages", "localize-messages"]
 benchmark = []
+embed-manpages = ["dep:fish-build-man-pages"]
 # Enable gettext localization at runtime. Requires the `msgfmt` tool to generate catalog data at
 # build time.
 localize-messages = ["dep:phf", "dep:fish-gettext-maps"]
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 872626fc6..fe441f03f 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -184,13 +184,14 @@ You can also install Sphinx another way and drop the ``uv run --no-managed-pytho
 
 This will place standalone binaries in ``~/.cargo/bin/``, but you can move them wherever you want.
 
-To disable translations, disable the ``localize-messages`` feature by passing ``--no-default-features`` to cargo.
+To disable translations, disable the ``localize-messages`` feature by passing ``--no-default-features --features=embed-manpages`` to cargo.
 
 You can also link this build statically (but not against glibc) and move it to other computers.
 
 Here are the remaining advantages of a full installation, as currently done by CMake:
 
 - Man pages like ``fish(1)`` installed in standard locations, easily accessible from outside fish.
+- Separate files for builtins (e.g. ``$PREFIX/share/fish/man/man1/abbr.1``).
 - A local copy of the HTML documentation, typically accessed via the ``help`` fish function.
   In Cargo builds, ``help`` will redirect to `<https://fishshell.com/docs/current/>`__
 - Ability to use our CMake options extra_functionsdir, extra_completionsdir and extra_confdir,
diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_complete_man.fish b/share/functions/__fish_complete_man.fish
index 2bbcfc4f3..aaf20e8ad 100644
--- a/share/functions/__fish_complete_man.fish
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_complete_man.fish
@@ -70,8 +70,7 @@ function __fish_complete_man
 
         # Fish commands are not given by apropos
         if not set -ql exclude_fish_commands
-            __fish_data_list_files man/man1 |
-                string replace -rf '.*/([^/]+)\.1(\.gz)?$' '$1\t1: fish command'
+            string join \n -- (__fish_man1_pages)\t'1: fish command'
         end
     else
         return 1
diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_data_with_directory.fish b/share/functions/__fish_data_with_directory.fish
index e1bae9e3f..e8b50afbc 100644
--- a/share/functions/__fish_data_with_directory.fish
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_data_with_directory.fish
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ function __fish_data_with_directory
     set -l cmd $argv[3..]
     set -l temp
     set -l directory_ref
-    if false
-        set directory_ref $__fish_data_dir/$relative_directory
+    if test $relative_directory = man/man1 && not __fish_tried_to_embed_manpages
+        set directory_ref $__fish_man_dir/man1
     else
         set temp (__fish_mktemp_relative -d fish-data)
         or return
diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_man1_pages.fish b/share/functions/__fish_man1_pages.fish
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4f0d543d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_man1_pages.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# localization: skip(private)
+function __fish_man1_pages
+    if __fish_tried_to_embed_manpages
+        status list-files man/man1
+    else
+        files=$__fish_man_dir/man1/* string join -- \n $files
+    end |
+        path basename |
+        string replace -r -- '.1(.gz)?$' ''
+end
diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_print_commands.fish b/share/functions/__fish_print_commands.fish
index 319c112be..99fc1ad5e 100644
--- a/share/functions/__fish_print_commands.fish
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_print_commands.fish
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 # localization: skip(private)
 function __fish_print_commands --description "Print a list of documented fish commands"
-    __fish_data_list_files man/man1 |
-        string replace -r '.*/' '' |
-        string replace -r '.1(.gz)?$' '' |
+    __fish_man1_pages |
         string match -rv '^fish-(?:changelog|completions|doc|tutorial|faq|for-bash-users|interactive|language|releasenotes|terminal-compatibility)$'
 end
diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_tried_to_embed_manpages.fish b/share/functions/__fish_tried_to_embed_manpages.fish
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7adbe663e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_tried_to_embed_manpages.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# localization: skip(private)
+function __fish_tried_to_embed_manpages
+    status build-info | string match -rq '(\s)embed-manpages(\s|$)'
+end
diff --git a/share/functions/man.fish b/share/functions/man.fish
index 5fbce4fa8..848a8c33b 100644
--- a/share/functions/man.fish
+++ b/share/functions/man.fish
@@ -6,17 +6,16 @@ if not command -qs man
 end
 
 function man
-    # If we have an embedded page, reuse a function that happens to do the
-    # right thing.
-    if not set -q argv[2] &&
-            status list-files "man/man1/$(__fish_canonicalize_builtin $argv).1" &>/dev/null
-        __fish_print_help $argv[1]
-        return
-    end
-
     set -l manpath
-    if false
-        and set -l fish_manpath (path filter -d $__fish_data_dir/man)
+    if __fish_tried_to_embed_manpages
+        # If we have an embedded page, reuse a function that happens to do
+        # the right thing.
+        if not set -q argv[2] &&
+                status list-files "man/man1/$(__fish_canonicalize_builtin $argv).1" &>/dev/null
+            __fish_print_help $argv[1]
+            return
+        end
+    else if set -l fish_manpath (path filter -d $__fish_man_dir)
         # Prepend fish's man directory if available.
 
         # Work around the "builtin" manpage that everything symlinks to,
diff --git a/src/builtins/status.rs b/src/builtins/status.rs
index 0cea59d5d..e4152ecdc 100644
--- a/src/builtins/status.rs
+++ b/src/builtins/status.rs
@@ -337,11 +337,16 @@ fn parse_cmd_opts(
         #[folder = "user_doc/man/man1"]
         #[prefix = "man/man1/"]
         struct Docs;
-    } else {
+    } else if #[cfg(feature = "embed-manpages")] {
         #[derive(RustEmbed)]
         #[folder = "$FISH_RESOLVED_BUILD_DIR/fish-man/man1"]
         #[prefix = "man/man1/"]
         struct Docs;
+    } else {
+        #[derive(RustEmbed)]
+        #[folder = "$FISH_RESOLVED_BUILD_DIR"]
+        #[include = ""]
+        struct Docs;
     }
 );
 
@@ -601,6 +606,8 @@ pub fn status(parser: &Parser, streams: &mut IoStreams, args: &mut [&wstr]) -> B
                     streams.out.appendln(profile);
                     streams.out.append(L!("Features: "));
                     let features: &[&str] = &[
+                        #[cfg(feature = "embed-manpages")]
+                        "embed-manpages",
                         #[cfg(feature = "localize-messages")]
                         "localize-messages",
                         #[cfg(target_feature = "crt-static")]
diff --git a/src/env/config_paths.rs b/src/env/config_paths.rs
index 5d4227f10..3beb0a9f9 100644
--- a/src/env/config_paths.rs
+++ b/src/env/config_paths.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ pub struct ConfigPaths {
     pub sysconf: PathBuf,      // e.g., /usr/local/etc
     pub bin: Option<PathBuf>,  // e.g., /usr/local/bin
     pub data: Option<PathBuf>, // e.g., /usr/local/share
+    pub man: Option<PathBuf>,  // e.g., /usr/local/share/fish/man
     pub doc: Option<PathBuf>,  // e.g., /usr/local/share/doc/fish
 }
 
@@ -50,19 +51,24 @@ macro_rules! log_optional_path {
         }
         log_optional_path!(bin);
         log_optional_path!(data);
+        log_optional_path!(man);
         log_optional_path!(doc);
         paths
     }
 
     fn from_exec_path(unresolved_exec_path: &'static FishPath) -> Self {
-        let default_layout = |exec_path_parent: Option<&Path>| Self {
-            sysconf: PathBuf::from(SYSCONF_DIR).join("fish"),
-            bin: option_env!("BINDIR")
-                .map(PathBuf::from)
-                // N.B. the argument may be non-canonical here.
-                .or_else(|| exec_path_parent.map(|p| p.to_owned())),
-            data: option_env!("DATADIR").map(|p| PathBuf::from(p).join("fish")),
-            doc: option_env!("DOCDIR").map(PathBuf::from),
+        let default_layout = |exec_path_parent: Option<&Path>| {
+            let data = option_env!("DATADIR").map(|p| PathBuf::from(p).join("fish"));
+            Self {
+                sysconf: PathBuf::from(SYSCONF_DIR).join("fish"),
+                bin: option_env!("BINDIR")
+                    .map(PathBuf::from)
+                    // N.B. the argument may be non-canonical here.
+                    .or_else(|| exec_path_parent.map(|p| p.to_owned())),
+                data: data.clone(),
+                man: data.map(|data| data.join("man")),
+                doc: option_env!("DOCDIR").map(PathBuf::from),
+            }
         };
 
         let exec_path = {
@@ -113,10 +119,12 @@ fn from_exec_path(unresolved_exec_path: &'static FishPath) -> Self {
         } {
             FLOG!(config, "Running from relocatable tree");
             let prefix = exec_path_parent.parent().unwrap();
+            let data = prefix.join("share/fish");
             Self {
                 sysconf: prefix.join("etc/fish"),
                 bin: Some(exec_path_parent.to_owned()),
-                data: Some(prefix.join("share/fish")),
+                data: Some(data.clone()),
+                man: Some(data.join("man")),
                 doc: Some(prefix.join("share/doc/fish")),
             }
         } else if exec_path.starts_with(BUILD_DIR) {
@@ -127,17 +135,21 @@ fn from_exec_path(unresolved_exec_path: &'static FishPath) -> Self {
                     workspace_root.display()
                 ),
             );
+            let user_doc_join = |dir| {
+                if cfg!(use_prebuilt_docs) {
+                    Some(workspace_root)
+                } else {
+                    cfg!(using_cmake).then_some(Path::new(BUILD_DIR))
+                }
+                .map(|path| path.join("user_doc").join(dir))
+            };
             // If we're in Cargo's target directory or in CMake's build directory, use the source files.
             Self {
                 sysconf: workspace_root.join("etc"),
                 bin: Some(exec_path_parent.to_owned()),
                 data: Some(workspace_root.join("share")),
-                doc: if cfg!(use_prebuilt_docs) {
-                    Some(workspace_root)
-                } else {
-                    cfg!(using_cmake).then_some(Path::new(BUILD_DIR))
-                }
-                .map(|p| p.join("user_doc/html")),
+                man: user_doc_join("man"),
+                doc: user_doc_join("html"),
             }
         } else {
             FLOG!(
diff --git a/src/env/environment.rs b/src/env/environment.rs
index 52c4b92d2..61a705972 100644
--- a/src/env/environment.rs
+++ b/src/env/environment.rs
@@ -418,6 +418,7 @@ fn get_pwd_slash(&self) -> WString {
 const FISH_DATADIR_VAR: &wstr = L!("__fish_data_dir");
 const FISH_SYSCONFDIR_VAR: &wstr = L!("__fish_sysconf_dir");
 const FISH_HELPDIR_VAR: &wstr = L!("__fish_help_dir");
+const FISH_MANDIR_VAR: &wstr = L!("__fish_man_dir");
 const FISH_BIN_DIR: &wstr = L!("__fish_bin_dir");
 const FISH_CONFIG_DIR: &wstr = L!("__fish_config_dir");
 const FISH_USER_DATA_DIR: &wstr = L!("__fish_user_data_dir");
@@ -647,6 +648,7 @@ pub fn env_init(paths: Option<&ConfigPaths>, do_uvars: bool, default_paths: bool
         set_path(FISH_BIN_DIR, paths.bin.as_ref());
 
         set_path(FISH_DATADIR_VAR, paths.data.as_ref());
+        set_path(FISH_MANDIR_VAR, paths.man.as_ref());
         set_path(FISH_HELPDIR_VAR, paths.doc.as_ref());
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/checks/__fish_tried_to_embed_manpages.fish b/tests/checks/__fish_tried_to_embed_manpages.fish
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dad154c3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/checks/__fish_tried_to_embed_manpages.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# RUN: %fish %s
+
+set -l value (string join , \
+    embed-manpages="$(__fish_tried_to_embed_manpages && echo true || echo false)" \
+    "build-system=$(status build-info | string replace -rf 'Build system: (.*)' '$1')"
+)
+switch $value
+    case embed-manpages=true,build-system=Cargo
+    case embed-manpages=false,build-system=CMake
+    case '*'
+        echo Expected embedded man pages to be detected as true iff using Cargo
+        echo got: $value
+end
diff --git a/tests/checks/config-paths.fish b/tests/checks/config-paths.fish
index 8de52c08e..9eb6a4516 100644
--- a/tests/checks/config-paths.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/config-paths.fish
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 # NOTE: When our executable is located outside the build directory, these are different.
 # CHECKERR: config: paths.data: {{.*}}/share
+# CHECKERR: config: paths.man: {{.*/user_doc/man|\|not found\|}}
 # CHECKERR: config: paths.doc: {{.*/user_doc/html|\|not found\|}}
 
 # CHECKERR: config: sourcing {{.+}}/etc/config.fish
diff --git a/tests/checks/man.fish b/tests/checks/man.fish
index 673ae5ec8..af65d72cf 100644
--- a/tests/checks/man.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/man.fish
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 # RUN: %fish %s
 
-# Override the test-override again.
-__fish_data_with_file functions/__fish_print_help.fish source
-
 # REQUIRES: command -v sphinx-build
 # REQUIRES: command -v man
 # REQUIRES: test "$FISH_BUILD_DOCS" != "0"
 
+# Override the test-override again.
+__fish_data_with_file functions/__fish_print_help.fish source
+
 set -l deroff col -b -p -x
 
 set -lx MANWIDTH 80