diff --git a/src/gn.rs b/src/gn.rs
index 23465f4..68d533c 100644
--- a/src/gn.rs
+++ b/src/gn.rs
@@ -517,10 +517,12 @@
     };
 
     let mut license_files_found = false;
-    let mut applicable_licenses = GnField::new("applicable_licenses");
+    let mut gn_applicable_licenses : Option<GnField> = None;
     let gn_crate_name = target.name().replace('-', "_");
 
     if scan_for_licenses {
+        let mut applicable_licenses = GnField::new("applicable_licenses");
+
         // Scan for LICENSE* files in the crate's root dir.
         // Disabled in unit tests, where package_root always fails.
         let mut license_files = vec![];
@@ -593,6 +595,8 @@
                 target.version()
             );
         }
+
+        gn_applicable_licenses = Some(applicable_licenses);
     }
 
     writeln!(
@@ -611,7 +615,12 @@
         edition = edition,
         visibility = visibility,
         optional_testonly = optional_testonly,
-        applicable_licenses = applicable_licenses.render_gn(),
+        applicable_licenses =
+            if let Some(applicable_licenses) = gn_applicable_licenses {
+              applicable_licenses.render_gn()
+            } else {
+              "".to_string()
+            }
     )
     .map_err(Into::into)
 }
@@ -737,8 +746,7 @@
   visibility = [":*"]
 
   
-  applicable_licenses = []
-
+  
 }
 
 "#
@@ -802,8 +810,7 @@
   visibility = [":*"]
 
   
-  applicable_licenses = []
-
+  
 }
 
 "#
@@ -866,8 +873,7 @@
   visibility = [":*"]
 
   
-  applicable_licenses = []
-
+  
 }
 
 "#
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 2570bb6..6606d8e 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@
             testonly_targets.contains(target),
             false,
             renamed_rules.get(target).copied(),
-            true,
+            false, // Pigweed GN has no defined format for licenses
         )
         .with_context(|| format!("writing rule for: {} {}", target.name(), target.version()))?;
 
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@
                 true,
                 true,
                 renamed_rules.get(&target).copied(),
-                true,
+                false, // Pigweed GN has no defined format for licenses
             )
             .with_context(|| format!("writing rule for: {} {}", target.name(), target.version()))?;
         }