diff --git a/cmake/local.cmake b/cmake/local.cmake
index 5eb7a066a9a..1df5d89e12f 100644
--- a/cmake/local.cmake
+++ b/cmake/local.cmake
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 # llama/server CMake project and building the Go binary into a matching layout.
 
 include(ExternalProject)
+include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/mlx-backend-order.cmake)
 
 set(OLLAMA_LLAMA_BACKENDS "" CACHE STRING
     "Semicolon-separated llama-server GPU backends to build: cuda_v12;cuda_v13;rocm_v7_1;rocm_v7_2;vulkan;cuda_jetpack5;cuda_jetpack6")
@@ -855,6 +856,8 @@ foreach(_backend IN LISTS OLLAMA_MLX_BACKENDS)
     endif()
 endforeach()
 
+ollama_order_mlx_metal_builds()
+
 if(_mlx_targets)
     add_custom_target(ollama-mlx-backends ALL
         DEPENDS ${_mlx_targets}
diff --git a/cmake/mlx-backend-order.cmake b/cmake/mlx-backend-order.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..74e619a7d11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/mlx-backend-order.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+function(ollama_order_mlx_metal_builds)
+    if(TARGET ollama-mlx-metal_v3 AND TARGET ollama-mlx-metal_v4)
+        # Both external projects install shared notices and licenses into the
+        # same payload root. Keep their complete install phases from racing.
+        add_dependencies(ollama-mlx-metal_v4 ollama-mlx-metal_v3)
+    endif()
+endfunction()
diff --git a/cmake/tests/mlx-backend-order/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/tests/mlx-backend-order/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..aba3039278a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/tests/mlx-backend-order/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.24)
+
+project(OllamaMLXBackendOrderTest NONE)
+
+if(NOT DEFINED TEST_SCENARIO)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "TEST_SCENARIO is required")
+endif()
+
+include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../../mlx-backend-order.cmake)
+
+if(TEST_SCENARIO STREQUAL "both_reversed")
+    # Define v4 first to prove the ordering does not depend on list order.
+    add_custom_target(ollama-mlx-metal_v4)
+    add_custom_target(ollama-mlx-metal_v3)
+elseif(TEST_SCENARIO STREQUAL "metal_v3_only")
+    add_custom_target(ollama-mlx-metal_v3)
+elseif(TEST_SCENARIO STREQUAL "metal_v4_only")
+    add_custom_target(ollama-mlx-metal_v4)
+else()
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "unknown TEST_SCENARIO: ${TEST_SCENARIO}")
+endif()
+
+ollama_order_mlx_metal_builds()
+
+if(TEST_SCENARIO STREQUAL "both_reversed")
+    get_property(_dependencies
+        TARGET ollama-mlx-metal_v4
+        PROPERTY MANUALLY_ADDED_DEPENDENCIES)
+    if(NOT "ollama-mlx-metal_v3" IN_LIST _dependencies)
+        message(FATAL_ERROR
+            "metal_v4 does not depend on metal_v3: ${_dependencies}")
+    endif()
+elseif(TARGET ollama-mlx-metal_v3)
+    get_property(_dependencies
+        TARGET ollama-mlx-metal_v3
+        PROPERTY MANUALLY_ADDED_DEPENDENCIES)
+    if(_dependencies)
+        message(FATAL_ERROR
+            "single metal_v3 target has unexpected dependencies: ${_dependencies}")
+    endif()
+elseif(TARGET ollama-mlx-metal_v4)
+    get_property(_dependencies
+        TARGET ollama-mlx-metal_v4
+        PROPERTY MANUALLY_ADDED_DEPENDENCIES)
+    if(_dependencies)
+        message(FATAL_ERROR
+            "single metal_v4 target has unexpected dependencies: ${_dependencies}")
+    endif()
+endif()