diff --git a/gax-java/gax_java.bzl b/gax-java/gax_java.bzl
index 83e11815c0..8276ab68bd 100644
--- a/gax-java/gax_java.bzl
+++ b/gax-java/gax_java.bzl
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ google_java_format_verification = rule(
         "srcs": attr.label_list(allow_files = True),
         "formatter": attr.label(
             executable = True,
-            cfg = "host",
+            cfg = "exec",
         ),
     },
     outputs = {"output_file": "%{name}.txt"},
diff --git a/rules_java_gapic/java_gapic.bzl b/rules_java_gapic/java_gapic.bzl
index f484c474d3..fdab81e7af 100644
--- a/rules_java_gapic/java_gapic.bzl
+++ b/rules_java_gapic/java_gapic.bzl
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ _java_gapic_postprocess_srcjar = rule(
         "formatter": attr.label(
             default = Label("//:google_java_format_binary"),
             executable = True,
-            cfg = "host",
+            cfg = "exec",
         ),
     },
     outputs = {
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ _java_gapic_samples_srcjar = rule(
         "formatter": attr.label(
             default = Label("//:google_java_format_binary"),
             executable = True,
-            cfg = "host",
+            cfg = "exec",
         ),
     },
     outputs = {