diff --git a/scripts/README.md b/scripts/README.md
index 30441422899b..8833eb33e21e 100644
--- a/scripts/README.md
+++ b/scripts/README.md
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ Tooling and topology can be built together using one script. To build all topolo
 * `-T` : Rebuild ALL `topology/` targets
 * `-X` : Rebuild topology1 only
 * `-Y` : Rebuild topology2 only
+* `-s` : Force sequential (one at a time) topology builds, for debugging. Topologies build in parallel by default.
 * `-t` : Rebuild test topologies
 * `-A` : Clone and rebuild the local ALSA git version for `alsa-lib` and `alsa-utils` with latest non-distro features.
 * `-C` : No build, only CMake re-configuration. Shows CMake targets.
diff --git a/scripts/build-tools.sh b/scripts/build-tools.sh
index 6304265820cd..e2f1de4ad797 100755
--- a/scripts/build-tools.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-tools.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Attention: the list of selected shortcuts below is _not_ exhaustive. To
 build _everything_ don't select any particular target; this will build
 CMake's default target "ALL".
 
-usage: $0 [-c|-f|-h|-l|-p|-t|-T|-X|-Y|-A]
+usage: $0 [-c|-f|-h|-l|-p|-s|-t|-T|-X|-Y|-A]
        -h Display help
 
        -c Rebuild ctl/
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ usage: $0 [-c|-f|-h|-l|-p|-t|-T|-X|-Y|-A]
        -T Rebuild topology/ (not topology/development/! Use ALL)
        -X Rebuild topology1 only
        -Y Rebuild topology2 only
+       -s Force sequential (one at a time) topology builds, for debugging.
+          Normally topologies build in parallel with -j "$NO_PROCESSORS".
        -t Rebuild test/topology/ (or tools/test/topology/tplg-build.sh directly)
        -A Clone and rebuild local ALSA lib and utils.
 
@@ -41,10 +43,19 @@ reconfigure_build()
         mkdir -p "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR"
 
         ( cd "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR"
-          cmake -GNinja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="$CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE" "${SOF_REPO}/tools"
+          cmake -GNinja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="$CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE" \
+                -DTPLG_SEQUENTIAL_BUILD="$TPLG_SEQUENTIAL_BUILD" "${SOF_REPO}/tools"
         )
 }
 
+# Update the TPLG_SEQUENTIAL_BUILD CMake cache entry without wiping an
+# existing, already configured build tree.
+update_sequential_build_option()
+{
+        cmake -S "${SOF_REPO}/tools" -B "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR" \
+              -DTPLG_SEQUENTIAL_BUILD="$TPLG_SEQUENTIAL_BUILD"
+}
+
 make_tool()
 {
         # if no argument provided, all the tools will be built. Empty tool is
@@ -95,12 +106,13 @@ main()
 {
         local DO_BUILD_ctl DO_BUILD_logger DO_BUILD_probes \
                 DO_BUILD_tests DO_BUILD_topologies1 DO_BUILD_topologies2 SCRIPT_DIR SOF_REPO \
-                CMAKE_ONLY BUILD_ALL
+                CMAKE_ONLY BUILD_ALL TPLG_SEQUENTIAL_BUILD
         SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)
         SOF_REPO=$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")
         : "${BUILD_TOOLS_DIR:=$SOF_REPO/tools/build_tools}"
         : "${NO_PROCESSORS:=$(nproc)}"
         BUILD_ALL=false
+        TPLG_SEQUENTIAL_BUILD=OFF
 
         if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
                 BUILD_ALL=true
@@ -120,11 +132,12 @@ main()
 
         # eval is a sometimes necessary evil
         # shellcheck disable=SC2034
-        while getopts "cfhlptTCXYA" OPTION; do
+        while getopts "cfhlpstTCXYA" OPTION; do
                 case "$OPTION" in
                 c) DO_BUILD_ctl=true ;;
                 l) DO_BUILD_logger=true ;;
                 p) DO_BUILD_probes=true ;;
+                s) TPLG_SEQUENTIAL_BUILD=ON ;;
                 t) DO_BUILD_tests=true ;;
                 T) DO_BUILD_topologies1=true ; DO_BUILD_topologies2=true ;;
                 X) DO_BUILD_topologies1=true ;;
@@ -153,6 +166,10 @@ main()
             reconfigure_build
         }
 
+        # Switching -s on or off must apply even to an already configured,
+        # incremental build tree, so update the cache unconditionally.
+        update_sequential_build_option
+
         if "$BUILD_ALL"; then
                 # default CMake targets
                 make_tool # trust set -e
diff --git a/tools/topology/CMakeLists.txt b/tools/topology/CMakeLists.txt
index 92a7acf6e5a6..263bc8a4f75f 100644
--- a/tools/topology/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tools/topology/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@ set(SOF_TOPOLOGY_BINARY_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}")
 set(SOF_ALSA_TOOLS_DIR "${SOF_ROOT_SOURCE_DIRECTORY}/../tools/bin")
 set(ALSATPLG_CMD "${SOF_ALSA_TOOLS_DIR}/alsatplg")
 
+# With the Ninja generator, USES_TERMINAL forces the single-job "console"
+# pool, serializing every topology build regardless of -j. Enable this
+# option to force that serialized, easier to debug behavior back on.
+option(TPLG_SEQUENTIAL_BUILD "Build topologies one at a time (for debugging)" OFF)
+if(TPLG_SEQUENTIAL_BUILD)
+	set(TPLG_USES_TERMINAL USES_TERMINAL)
+else()
+	set(TPLG_USES_TERMINAL "")
+endif()
+
 function(alsatplg_version  OUT_STATUS  OUT_VERSION)
 	execute_process(COMMAND ${ALSATPLG_CMD} --version
 	  RESULT_VARIABLE status
@@ -69,7 +79,7 @@ macro(add_alsatplg_command)
 		# the -o(utput) file.
 		# See bug https://github.com/alsa-project/alsa-utils/issues/126
 		COMMAND ${ALSATPLG_CMD} \$\${VERBOSE:+-v 1} -c ${ARGV0} -o ${ARGV1}
-		USES_TERMINAL
+		${TPLG_USES_TERMINAL}
 	)
 endmacro()
 
@@ -97,7 +107,7 @@ macro(add_alsatplg2_command conf_header conf_target input_name output_name inclu
 		# -p to pre-process Topology2.0 conf file
 		COMMAND ALSA_CONFIG_DIR=${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/topology/topology2 ${ALSATPLG_CMD} \$\${VERBOSE:+-v 1}
 		        -I ${include_path} -D "'${defines}'" -p -c ${output_name}.conf -o ${output_name}.tplg
-		USES_TERMINAL
+		${TPLG_USES_TERMINAL}
 		)
 endmacro()