diff --git a/.changeset/small-horses-own.md b/.changeset/small-horses-own.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..467bf4445f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/small-horses-own.md
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+"@latticexyz/world": patch
+"@latticexyz/cli": patch
+---
+
+`mud` CLI commands will now recognize systems if they inherit directly from the base `System` imported from `@latticexyz/world/src/System.sol`, allowing you to write systems without a `System` suffix.
+
+```solidity
+import {System} from "@latticexyz/world/src/System.sol";
+
+contract EntityProgram is System {
+  ...
+}
+```
+
+If you have contracts that inherit from the base `System` that aren't meant to be deployed, you can mark them as `abstract contract` or [disable the system's deploy via config](https://mud.dev/config/reference).
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/build.ts b/packages/cli/src/build.ts
index 325e11ed56..4561606350 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/build.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/build.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ type BuildOptions = {
 };
 
 export async function build({ rootDir, config, foundryProfile }: BuildOptions): Promise<void> {
-  await Promise.all([tablegen({ rootDir, config }), worldgen({ rootDir, config })]);
+  await tablegen({ rootDir, config });
+  await worldgen({ rootDir, config });
   await printCommand(
     execa("forge", ["build"], {
       stdio: "inherit",
diff --git a/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/contractToInterface.ts b/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/contractToInterface.ts
index a896404fac..914860b188 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/contractToInterface.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/contractToInterface.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 import { parse, visit } from "@solidity-parser/parser";
-import type {
-  ContractDefinition,
-  SourceUnit,
-  TypeName,
-  VariableDeclaration,
-} from "@solidity-parser/parser/dist/src/ast-types";
+import type { SourceUnit, TypeName, VariableDeclaration } from "@solidity-parser/parser/dist/src/ast-types";
 import { MUDError } from "../../errors";
+import { findContractNode } from "./findContractNode";
+import { SymbolImport, findSymbolImport } from "./findSymbolImport";
 
 export interface ContractInterfaceFunction {
   name: string;
@@ -19,11 +16,6 @@ export interface ContractInterfaceError {
   parameters: string[];
 }
 
-interface SymbolImport {
-  symbol: string;
-  path: string;
-}
-
 /**
  * Parse the contract data to get the functions necessary to generate an interface,
  * and symbols to import from the original contract.
@@ -106,20 +98,6 @@ export function contractToInterface(
   };
 }
 
-export function findContractNode(ast: SourceUnit, contractName: string): ContractDefinition | undefined {
-  let contract: ContractDefinition | undefined = undefined;
-
-  visit(ast, {
-    ContractDefinition(node) {
-      if (node.name === contractName) {
-        contract = node;
-      }
-    },
-  });
-
-  return contract;
-}
-
 function parseParameter({ name, typeName, storageLocation }: VariableDeclaration): string {
   let typedNameWithLocation = "";
 
@@ -197,42 +175,10 @@ function typeNameToSymbols(typeName: TypeName | null): string[] {
   }
 }
 
-// Get imports for given symbols.
-// To avoid circular dependencies of interfaces on their implementations,
-// symbols used for args/returns must always be imported from an auxiliary file.
-// To avoid parsing the entire project to build dependencies,
-// symbols must be imported with an explicit `import { symbol } from ...`
 function symbolsToImports(ast: SourceUnit, symbols: string[]): SymbolImport[] {
-  const imports: SymbolImport[] = [];
-
-  for (const symbol of symbols) {
-    let symbolImport: SymbolImport | undefined;
-
-    visit(ast, {
-      ImportDirective({ path, symbolAliases }) {
-        if (symbolAliases) {
-          for (const symbolAndAlias of symbolAliases) {
-            // either check the alias, or the original symbol if there's no alias
-            const symbolAlias = symbolAndAlias[1] || symbolAndAlias[0];
-            if (symbol === symbolAlias) {
-              symbolImport = {
-                // always use the original symbol for interface imports
-                symbol: symbolAndAlias[0],
-                path,
-              };
-              return;
-            }
-          }
-        }
-      },
-    });
-
-    if (symbolImport) {
-      imports.push(symbolImport);
-    } else {
-      throw new MUDError(`Symbol "${symbol}" has no explicit import`);
-    }
-  }
-
-  return imports;
+  return symbols.map((symbol) => {
+    const symbolImport = findSymbolImport(ast, symbol);
+    if (!symbolImport) throw new MUDError(`Symbol "${symbol}" has no explicit import`);
+    return symbolImport;
+  });
 }
diff --git a/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/findContractNode.ts b/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/findContractNode.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cccc8822f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/findContractNode.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import { visit } from "@solidity-parser/parser";
+import type { ContractDefinition, SourceUnit } from "@solidity-parser/parser/dist/src/ast-types";
+
+export function findContractNode(ast: SourceUnit, contractName: string): ContractDefinition | undefined {
+  let contract: ContractDefinition | undefined = undefined;
+
+  visit(ast, {
+    ContractDefinition(node) {
+      if (node.name === contractName) {
+        contract = node;
+      }
+    },
+  });
+
+  return contract;
+}
diff --git a/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/findSymbolImport.ts b/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/findSymbolImport.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2b3d5ac9b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/findSymbolImport.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { visit } from "@solidity-parser/parser";
+import type { SourceUnit } from "@solidity-parser/parser/dist/src/ast-types";
+
+export interface SymbolImport {
+  symbol: string;
+  path: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get import for given symbol.
+ *
+ * To avoid circular dependencies of interfaces on their implementations,
+ * symbols used for args/returns must always be imported from an auxiliary file.
+ * To avoid parsing the entire project to build dependencies,
+ * symbols must be imported with an explicit `import { symbol } from ...`
+ */
+export function findSymbolImport(ast: SourceUnit, symbol: string): SymbolImport | undefined {
+  let symbolImport: SymbolImport | undefined;
+
+  visit(ast, {
+    ImportDirective({ path, symbolAliases }) {
+      if (symbolAliases) {
+        for (const symbolAndAlias of symbolAliases) {
+          // either check the alias, or the original symbol if there's no alias
+          const symbolAlias = symbolAndAlias[1] ?? symbolAndAlias[0];
+          if (symbol === symbolAlias) {
+            symbolImport = {
+              // always use the original symbol for interface imports
+              symbol: symbolAndAlias[0],
+              path,
+            };
+            return;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+  });
+
+  return symbolImport;
+}
diff --git a/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/index.ts b/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/index.ts
index b037143393..2e80179c69 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/index.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 export * from "./contractToInterface";
 export * from "./format";
 export * from "./formatAndWrite";
+export * from "./parseSystem";
diff --git a/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/parseSystem.ts b/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/parseSystem.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..656a42fbd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/codegen/utils/parseSystem.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { parse, visit } from "@solidity-parser/parser";
+
+import { findContractNode } from "./findContractNode";
+import { findSymbolImport } from "./findSymbolImport";
+
+const baseSystemName = "System";
+const baseSystemPath = "@latticexyz/world/src/System.sol";
+
+export function parseSystem(
+  source: string,
+  contractName: string,
+): undefined | { contractType: "contract" | "abstract" } {
+  const ast = parse(source);
+  const contractNode = findContractNode(ast, contractName);
+  if (!contractNode) return;
+
+  const contractType = contractNode.kind;
+  // skip libraries and interfaces
+  // we allow abstract systems here so that we can create system libraries from them but without deploying them
+  if (contractType !== "contract" && contractType !== "abstract") return;
+
+  const isSystem = ((): boolean => {
+    // if using the System suffix, assume its a system
+    if (contractName.endsWith("System") && contractName !== baseSystemName) return true;
+
+    // otherwise check if we're inheriting from the base system
+    let extendsBaseSystem = false;
+    visit(contractNode, {
+      InheritanceSpecifier(node) {
+        if (node.baseName.namePath === baseSystemName) {
+          extendsBaseSystem = true;
+        }
+      },
+    });
+    return extendsBaseSystem && findSymbolImport(ast, baseSystemName)?.path === baseSystemPath;
+  })();
+
+  if (isSystem) {
+    return { contractType };
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/store/ts/flattenStoreLogs.test.ts b/packages/store/ts/flattenStoreLogs.test.ts
index 6dcc0d87f0..ea25fea7b0 100644
--- a/packages/store/ts/flattenStoreLogs.test.ts
+++ b/packages/store/ts/flattenStoreLogs.test.ts
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ describe("flattenStoreLogs", async () => {
         "Store_SetRecord  store__ResourceIds  (0x746200000000000000000000000000005465727261696e000000000000000000)",
         "Store_SetRecord  store__ResourceIds  (0x737900000000000000000000000000004d6f766553797374656d000000000000)",
         "Store_SetRecord  world__Systems  (0x737900000000000000000000000000004d6f766553797374656d000000000000)",
-        "Store_SetRecord  world__SystemRegistry  (0x000000000000000000000000cbcdc66f9301ccf30b6b46efba8a3015d332dc13)",
-        "Store_SetRecord  world__ResourceAccess  (0x6e73000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000,0x000000000000000000000000cbcdc66f9301ccf30b6b46efba8a3015d332dc13)",
+        "Store_SetRecord  world__SystemRegistry  (0x00000000000000000000000040d21680e49a1f969a53760ff488a9d1ad01ca89)",
+        "Store_SetRecord  world__ResourceAccess  (0x6e73000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000,0x00000000000000000000000040d21680e49a1f969a53760ff488a9d1ad01ca89)",
         "Store_SetRecord  world__FunctionSelector  (0xb591186e00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000)",
         "Store_SetRecord  world__FunctionSignatur  (0xb591186e00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000)",
         "Store_SetRecord  store__Tables  (0x7462000000000000000000000000000043616c6c576974685369676e61747572)",
diff --git a/packages/store/ts/getStoreLogs.test.ts b/packages/store/ts/getStoreLogs.test.ts
index 88608021ca..6cecdbb192 100644
--- a/packages/store/ts/getStoreLogs.test.ts
+++ b/packages/store/ts/getStoreLogs.test.ts
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ describe("getStoreLogs", async () => {
         "Store_SpliceStaticData  store__ResourceIds  (0x746200000000000000000000000000005465727261696e000000000000000000)",
         "Store_SpliceStaticData  store__ResourceIds  (0x737900000000000000000000000000004d6f766553797374656d000000000000)",
         "Store_SetRecord  world__Systems  (0x737900000000000000000000000000004d6f766553797374656d000000000000)",
-        "Store_SpliceStaticData  world__SystemRegistry  (0x000000000000000000000000cbcdc66f9301ccf30b6b46efba8a3015d332dc13)",
-        "Store_SpliceStaticData  world__ResourceAccess  (0x6e73000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000,0x000000000000000000000000cbcdc66f9301ccf30b6b46efba8a3015d332dc13)",
+        "Store_SpliceStaticData  world__SystemRegistry  (0x00000000000000000000000040d21680e49a1f969a53760ff488a9d1ad01ca89)",
+        "Store_SpliceStaticData  world__ResourceAccess  (0x6e73000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000,0x00000000000000000000000040d21680e49a1f969a53760ff488a9d1ad01ca89)",
         "Store_SetRecord  world__FunctionSelector  (0xb591186e00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000)",
         "Store_SetRecord  world__FunctionSignatur  (0xb591186e00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000)",
         "Store_SetRecord  world__FunctionSignatur  (0xb591186e00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000)",
diff --git a/packages/world-module-callwithsignature/ts/build.ts b/packages/world-module-callwithsignature/ts/build.ts
index 9f24536f54..267e5bfdb3 100644
--- a/packages/world-module-callwithsignature/ts/build.ts
+++ b/packages/world-module-callwithsignature/ts/build.ts
@@ -15,4 +15,6 @@ const configPath = "../mud.config";
 
 const { default: config } = await import(configPath);
 const rootDir = path.dirname(path.join(__dirname, configPath));
-await Promise.all([tablegen({ rootDir, config }), worldgen({ rootDir, config })]);
+
+await tablegen({ rootDir, config });
+await worldgen({ rootDir, config });
diff --git a/packages/world-module-metadata/ts/build.ts b/packages/world-module-metadata/ts/build.ts
index 9f24536f54..267e5bfdb3 100644
--- a/packages/world-module-metadata/ts/build.ts
+++ b/packages/world-module-metadata/ts/build.ts
@@ -15,4 +15,6 @@ const configPath = "../mud.config";
 
 const { default: config } = await import(configPath);
 const rootDir = path.dirname(path.join(__dirname, configPath));
-await Promise.all([tablegen({ rootDir, config }), worldgen({ rootDir, config })]);
+
+await tablegen({ rootDir, config });
+await worldgen({ rootDir, config });
diff --git a/packages/world-modules/test/StandardDelegationsModule.t.sol b/packages/world-modules/test/StandardDelegationsModule.t.sol
index 537fcced39..7b978ee023 100644
--- a/packages/world-modules/test/StandardDelegationsModule.t.sol
+++ b/packages/world-modules/test/StandardDelegationsModule.t.sol
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ contract StandardDelegationsModuleTest is Test, GasReporter {
 
   function testRegisterDelegationRevertInterfaceNotSupported() public {
     // Register a system that is not a delegation control system
-    System noDelegationControlSystem = new System();
+    System noDelegationControlSystem = new WorldTestSystem();
     ResourceId noDelegationControlId = WorldResourceIdLib.encode({
       typeId: RESOURCE_SYSTEM,
       namespace: "namespace",
diff --git a/packages/world/gas-report.json b/packages/world/gas-report.json
index fabd65da55..0954e44484 100644
--- a/packages/world/gas-report.json
+++ b/packages/world/gas-report.json
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
     "file": "test/World.t.sol:WorldTest",
     "test": "testRegisterSystem",
     "name": "register a system",
-    "gasUsed": 185032
+    "gasUsed": 185170
   },
   {
     "file": "test/World.t.sol:WorldTest",
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@
     "file": "test/WorldProxy.t.sol:WorldProxyTest",
     "test": "testRegisterSystem",
     "name": "register a system",
-    "gasUsed": 189934
+    "gasUsed": 190072
   },
   {
     "file": "test/WorldProxy.t.sol:WorldProxyTest",
diff --git a/packages/world/src/System.sol b/packages/world/src/System.sol
index f1add8cd23..74206bd060 100644
--- a/packages/world/src/System.sol
+++ b/packages/world/src/System.sol
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ import { WorldContextConsumer } from "./WorldContext.sol";
  * @dev The System contract currently acts as an alias for `WorldContextConsumer`.
  * This structure is chosen for potential extensions in the future, where default functionality might be added to the System.
  */
-contract System is WorldContextConsumer {
+abstract contract System is WorldContextConsumer {
   // Currently, no additional functionality is added. Future enhancements can be introduced here.
 }
diff --git a/packages/world/test/World.t.sol b/packages/world/test/World.t.sol
index 9d74439f56..5522abe3cd 100644
--- a/packages/world/test/World.t.sol
+++ b/packages/world/test/World.t.sol
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ contract WorldTest is Test, GasReporter {
   }
 
   function testRegisterSystem() public {
-    System system = new System();
+    System system = new WorldTestSystem();
     bytes14 namespace = "";
     ResourceId namespaceId = WorldResourceIdLib.encodeNamespace(namespace);
     bytes16 name = "testSystem";
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ contract WorldTest is Test, GasReporter {
     assertTrue(ResourceAccess.get({ resourceId: namespaceId, caller: address(system) }));
 
     // Expect the registration to fail if the namespace does not exist yet
-    System newSystem = new System();
+    System newSystem = new WorldTestSystem();
     ResourceId invalidNamespaceSystemId = WorldResourceIdLib.encode({
       typeId: RESOURCE_SYSTEM,
       namespace: "newNamespace",
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ contract WorldTest is Test, GasReporter {
     world.registerSystem(tableId, newSystem, true);
 
     // Expect an error when registering a system in a namespace that is not owned by the caller
-    System yetAnotherSystem = new System();
+    System yetAnotherSystem = new WorldTestSystem();
     _expectAccessDenied(address(0x01), "", "", RESOURCE_NAMESPACE);
     world.registerSystem(
       WorldResourceIdLib.encode({ typeId: RESOURCE_SYSTEM, namespace: "", name: "rootSystem" }),
@@ -658,11 +658,11 @@ contract WorldTest is Test, GasReporter {
     world.registerNamespace(systemId.getNamespaceId());
 
     // Register a system
-    System oldSystem = new System();
+    System oldSystem = new WorldTestSystem();
     world.registerSystem(systemId, oldSystem, true);
 
     // Upgrade the system and set public access to false
-    System newSystem = new System();
+    System newSystem = new WorldTestSystem();
     world.registerSystem(systemId, newSystem, false);
 
     // Expect the system address and public access to be updated in the System table
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ contract WorldTest is Test, GasReporter {
     );
 
     // Deploy a new system
-    System system = new System();
+    System system = new WorldTestSystem();
 
     // Expect an error when trying to register a system at the same ID
     vm.expectRevert(
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ contract WorldTest is Test, GasReporter {
 
     // Register a new system
     ResourceId systemId = WorldResourceIdLib.encode({ typeId: RESOURCE_SYSTEM, namespace: "namespace2", name: "name" });
-    world.registerSystem(systemId, new System(), false);
+    world.registerSystem(systemId, new WorldTestSystem(), false);
 
     // Expect an error when trying to register a table at the same ID
     vm.expectRevert(
diff --git a/packages/world/ts/node/getSystemContracts.ts b/packages/world/ts/node/getSystemContracts.ts
index 76aff24a4d..0efd41da86 100644
--- a/packages/world/ts/node/getSystemContracts.ts
+++ b/packages/world/ts/node/getSystemContracts.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import path from "node:path";
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import { World } from "../config/v2/output";
 import { findSolidityFiles } from "./findSolidityFiles";
+import { parseSystem } from "@latticexyz/common/codegen";
+import { isDefined } from "@latticexyz/common/utils";
 
 export type SystemContract = {
   readonly sourcePath: string;
@@ -17,21 +20,24 @@ export async function getSystemContracts({
   rootDir,
   config,
 }: GetSystemContractsOptions): Promise<readonly SystemContract[]> {
-  const solidityFiles = await findSolidityFiles({
+  const filePaths = await findSolidityFiles({
     cwd: rootDir,
     pattern: path.join(config.sourceDirectory, "**"),
   });
 
-  return solidityFiles
-    .filter(
-      (file) =>
-        file.basename.endsWith("System") &&
-        // exclude the base System contract
-        file.basename !== "System" &&
-        // exclude interfaces
-        !/^I[A-Z]/.test(file.basename),
-    )
+  const files = await Promise.all(
+    filePaths.map(async (file) => {
+      console.log("reading source for", file.filename);
+      const source = await fs.readFile(path.join(rootDir, file.filename), "utf-8");
+      return { ...file, source };
+    }),
+  );
+
+  return files
     .map((file) => {
+      const parsedSystem = parseSystem(file.source, file.basename);
+      if (!parsedSystem) return;
+
       const namespaceLabel = (() => {
         // TODO: remove `config.namespace` null check once this narrows properly
         if (!config.multipleNamespaces && config.namespace != null) return config.namespace;
@@ -52,6 +58,7 @@ export async function getSystemContracts({
         sourcePath: file.filename,
         namespaceLabel,
         systemLabel: file.basename,
-      };
-    });
+      } satisfies SystemContract;
+    })
+    .filter(isDefined);
 }
diff --git a/packages/world/ts/scripts/build.ts b/packages/world/ts/scripts/build.ts
index ef89cdcffc..47c871c685 100644
--- a/packages/world/ts/scripts/build.ts
+++ b/packages/world/ts/scripts/build.ts
@@ -14,10 +14,8 @@ import config, { systemsConfig } from "../../mud.config";
 const configPath = await resolveConfigPath();
 const rootDir = path.dirname(configPath);
 
-await Promise.all([
-  tablegen({ rootDir, config }),
-  // until we get finer-grained control of for namespaces (source path, codegen)
-  // or being able to merge configs with strong types, we need to use a separate
-  // config for systems to maintain source locations
-  worldgen({ rootDir, config: systemsConfig }),
-]);
+await tablegen({ rootDir, config });
+// until we get finer-grained control of for namespaces (source path, codegen)
+// or being able to merge configs with strong types, we need to use a separate
+// config for systems to maintain source locations
+await worldgen({ rootDir, config: systemsConfig });