diff --git a/crate_universe/BUILD.bazel b/crate_universe/BUILD.bazel
index 782b0005be..b6da14961a 100644
--- a/crate_universe/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/crate_universe/BUILD.bazel
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ alias(
 rust_test(
     name = "unit_test",
     aliases = aliases(),
+    compile_data = glob(["test_data/**"]),
     crate = ":cargo_bazel",
     data = glob(["test_data/**"]) + [
         "//crate_universe/test_data/serialized_configs",
diff --git a/examples/cargo_manifest_dir/external_crate/BUILD.bazel b/examples/cargo_manifest_dir/external_crate/BUILD.bazel
index ca5ab63a1a..db59f9b443 100644
--- a/examples/cargo_manifest_dir/external_crate/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/examples/cargo_manifest_dir/external_crate/BUILD.bazel
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@ load("@rules_rust//rust:defs.bzl", "rust_library")
 rust_library(
     name = "external_crate",
     srcs = ["src/lib.rs"],
-    data = ["include/included_file.rs.inc"],
+    compile_data = ["include/included_file.rs.inc"],
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
diff --git a/examples/crate_universe/WORKSPACE.bazel b/examples/crate_universe/WORKSPACE.bazel
index fecc4bb075..ef3d017e27 100644
--- a/examples/crate_universe/WORKSPACE.bazel
+++ b/examples/crate_universe/WORKSPACE.bazel
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ rust_binary(
     name = "cxxbridge-cmd",
     srcs = glob(["src/**/*.rs"]),
     aliases = aliases(),
-    data = [
+    compile_data = [
         "src/gen/include/cxx.h",
     ],
     edition = "2021",
diff --git a/examples/flag_locations/BUILD.bazel b/examples/flag_locations/BUILD.bazel
index fdc92ed42b..a7abdc55eb 100644
--- a/examples/flag_locations/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/examples/flag_locations/BUILD.bazel
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ rust_test(
     srcs = [
         "main.rs",
     ],
-    data = [":flag_generator"],
+    compile_data = [":flag_generator"],
     edition = "2018",
     rustc_flags = [
         "@$(location :flag_generator)",
diff --git a/rust/private/rustc.bzl b/rust/private/rustc.bzl
index d2a810f099..d23da7dce5 100644
--- a/rust/private/rustc.bzl
+++ b/rust/private/rustc.bzl
@@ -715,8 +715,14 @@ def collect_inputs(
         if build_info.flags:
             build_info_inputs.append(build_info.flags)
 
+    # The old default behavior was to include data files at compile time.
+    # This flag controls whether to include data files in compile_data.
+    data_included_in_inputs = []
+    if not toolchain._incompatible_do_not_include_data_in_compile_data:
+        data_included_in_inputs = getattr(files, "data", [])
+
     nolinkstamp_compile_inputs = depset(
-        getattr(files, "data", []) +
+        data_included_in_inputs +
         build_info_inputs +
         ([toolchain.target_json] if toolchain.target_json else []) +
         ([] if linker_script == None else [linker_script]),
diff --git a/rust/settings/BUILD.bazel b/rust/settings/BUILD.bazel
index f063fb2508..c127e0f2ab 100644
--- a/rust/settings/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/rust/settings/BUILD.bazel
@@ -253,3 +253,11 @@ per_crate_rustc_flag(
     build_setting_default = [],
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
+
+# A flag to control whether to include data files in compile_data.
+incompatible_flag(
+    name = "incompatible_do_not_include_data_in_compile_data",
+    build_setting_default = True,
+    issue = "https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_rust/issues/2977",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/rust/toolchain.bzl b/rust/toolchain.bzl
index f252e22042..ce0bb5d457 100644
--- a/rust/toolchain.bzl
+++ b/rust/toolchain.bzl
@@ -699,6 +699,7 @@ def _rust_toolchain_impl(ctx):
         _experimental_use_coverage_metadata_files = ctx.attr._experimental_use_coverage_metadata_files[BuildSettingInfo].value,
         _incompatible_change_rust_test_compilation_output_directory = ctx.attr._incompatible_change_rust_test_compilation_output_directory[IncompatibleFlagInfo].enabled,
         _toolchain_generated_sysroot = ctx.attr._toolchain_generated_sysroot[BuildSettingInfo].value,
+        _incompatible_do_not_include_data_in_compile_data = ctx.attr._incompatible_do_not_include_data_in_compile_data[IncompatibleFlagInfo].enabled,
         _no_std = no_std,
     )
     return [
@@ -886,6 +887,10 @@ rust_toolchain = rule(
         "_incompatible_change_rust_test_compilation_output_directory": attr.label(
             default = Label("//rust/settings:incompatible_change_rust_test_compilation_output_directory"),
         ),
+        "_incompatible_do_not_include_data_in_compile_data": attr.label(
+            default = Label("//rust/settings:incompatible_do_not_include_data_in_compile_data"),
+            doc = "Label to a boolean build setting that controls whether to include data files in compile_data.",
+        ),
         "_no_std": attr.label(
             default = Label("//:no_std"),
         ),
diff --git a/test/build_env/BUILD.bazel b/test/build_env/BUILD.bazel
index 12fd5fa805..ffd49b1234 100644
--- a/test/build_env/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/test/build_env/BUILD.bazel
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ package(default_visibility = ["//visibility:public"])
 rust_test(
     name = "conflicting_deps_test",
     srcs = ["tests/manifest_dir.rs"],
-    data = ["src/manifest_dir_file.txt"],
+    compile_data = ["src/manifest_dir_file.txt"],
     edition = "2018",
 )