diff --git a/bazel/README.md b/bazel/README.md
index dc849fd27a..35c40a892e 100644
--- a/bazel/README.md
+++ b/bazel/README.md
@@ -25,13 +25,16 @@ emsdk_emscripten_deps()
 
 Put the following lines into your `.bazelrc`:
 ```
-build:wasm --crosstool_top=//emscripten_toolchain:everything
+build:wasm --crosstool_top=@emsdk//emscripten_toolchain:everything
 build:wasm --cpu=wasm
 build:wasm --host_crosstool_top=@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:toolchain
 ```
 
-Simply pass `--config=wasm` when building a normal `cc_binary`. The result of
-this build will be a tar archive containing any files produced by emscripten.
+Simply pass `--config=wasm` when building a normal `cc_binary`, e.g.
+```
+bazel build --config=wasm :hello-world
+```
+The result of this build will be a tar archive containing any files produced by emscripten.
 
 ### Using wasm_cc_binary
 First, write a new rule wrapping your `cc_binary`.
diff --git a/bazel/test_external/.bazelrc b/bazel/test_external/.bazelrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..65caa9c974
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bazel/test_external/.bazelrc
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+build:wasm --crosstool_top=@emsdk//emscripten_toolchain:everything
+build:wasm --cpu=wasm
+build:wasm --host_crosstool_top=@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:toolchain
diff --git a/bazel/test_external/.gitignore b/bazel/test_external/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ac51a054d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bazel/test_external/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+bazel-*