diff --git a/scripts/build-headless.js b/scripts/build-headless.js
index 8d43caa34..6a54a1913 100644
--- a/scripts/build-headless.js
+++ b/scripts/build-headless.js
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ async function createZip(buildDir, distDir, targets) {
     platformPostfix = '';
   }
 
+  // Compiling all plugins takes a long time. Use this flag for quicker
+  // developement iteration by not including any plugins.
+  const skipPlugins = process.argv.indexOf('--no-plugins') > -1;
+
   process.env.BUILD_HEADLESS = 'true';
   const buildDir = await buildFolder();
   const distDir = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'dist');
@@ -93,7 +97,10 @@ async function createZip(buildDir, distDir, targets) {
   const versionNumber = getVersionNumber();
   const buildRevision = await genMercurialRevision();
   await preludeBundle(buildDir, versionNumber, buildRevision);
-  await compileDefaultPlugins(path.join(buildDir, PLUGINS_FOLDER_NAME));
+  await compileDefaultPlugins(
+    path.join(buildDir, PLUGINS_FOLDER_NAME),
+    skipPlugins,
+  );
   await createBinary([
     path.join(buildDir, 'bundle.js'),
     '--output',
diff --git a/scripts/build-utils.js b/scripts/build-utils.js
index e583edd55..6e3854a07 100644
--- a/scripts/build-utils.js
+++ b/scripts/build-utils.js
@@ -17,13 +17,15 @@ function die(err) {
   process.exit(1);
 }
 
-function compileDefaultPlugins(defaultPluginDir) {
+function compileDefaultPlugins(defaultPluginDir, skipAll = false) {
   return compilePlugins(
     null,
-    [
-      path.join(__dirname, '..', 'src', 'plugins'),
-      path.join(__dirname, '..', 'src', 'fb', 'plugins'),
-    ],
+    skipAll
+      ? []
+      : [
+          path.join(__dirname, '..', 'src', 'plugins'),
+          path.join(__dirname, '..', 'src', 'fb', 'plugins'),
+        ],
     defaultPluginDir,
     {force: true, failSilently: false},
   )