diff --git a/jaxlib/tools/build_gpu_kernels_wheel.py b/jaxlib/tools/build_gpu_kernels_wheel.py
index 4ecb803ebee1..b48bf7d4d55a 100644
--- a/jaxlib/tools/build_gpu_kernels_wheel.py
+++ b/jaxlib/tools/build_gpu_kernels_wheel.py
@@ -67,11 +67,14 @@
 parser.add_argument(
     "--nvidia_wheel_versions_data",
     default=None,
-    required=True,
+    required=False,
     help="NVIDIA wheel versions data",
 )
 args = parser.parse_args()
 
+if args.enable_cuda and not args.nvidia_wheel_versions_data:
+  parser.error('argument --nvidia_wheel_versions_data is required for CUDA builds')
+
 r = runfiles.Create()
 pyext = "pyd" if build_utils.is_windows() else "so"
 
diff --git a/jaxlib/tools/build_gpu_plugin_wheel.py b/jaxlib/tools/build_gpu_plugin_wheel.py
index 7ef6fdaaeea0..26887df22696 100644
--- a/jaxlib/tools/build_gpu_plugin_wheel.py
+++ b/jaxlib/tools/build_gpu_plugin_wheel.py
@@ -73,11 +73,12 @@
 parser.add_argument(
     "--nvidia_wheel_versions_data",
     default=None,
-    required=True,
+    required=False,
     help="NVIDIA wheel versions data",
 )
 args = parser.parse_args()
-
+if args.enable_cuda and not args.nvidia_wheel_versions_data:
+  parser.error('argument --nvidia_wheel_versions_data is required for CUDA builds')
 r = runfiles.Create()