diff --git a/src/Unlinking/Unlinker.cpp b/src/Unlinking/Unlinker.cpp
index 79cc38ca..77781fcf 100644
--- a/src/Unlinking/Unlinker.cpp
+++ b/src/Unlinking/Unlinker.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ namespace
             }
 
             const auto* zoneDefWriter = IZoneDefWriter::GetZoneDefWriterForGame(zone.m_game_id);
-            zoneDefWriter->WriteZoneDef(zoneDefinitionFile, zone, m_args.m_use_gdt);
+            zoneDefWriter->WriteZoneDef(zoneDefinitionFile, zone, m_args.m_use_gdt, m_args.m_minimal_zone_def);
 
             zoneDefinitionFile.close();
 
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW3/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW3.cpp b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW3/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW3.cpp
index be9c658e..fc9bd9b0 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW3/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW3.cpp
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW3/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW3.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ using namespace IW3;
 
 void ZoneDefWriter::WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const {}
 
-void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const
+void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const
 {
     const auto* game = IGame::GetGameById(zone.m_game_id);
 
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone&
 
     for (const auto& asset : zone.m_pools)
     {
+        if (!filter.ShouldWriteAsset(*asset))
+            continue;
+
         switch (asset->m_type)
         {
         case ASSET_TYPE_LOCALIZE_ENTRY:
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW3/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW3.h b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW3/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW3.h
index 8bfe8f61..1ce0cce0 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW3/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW3.h
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW3/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW3.h
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ namespace IW3
     {
     protected:
         void WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const override;
-        void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const override;
+        void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const override;
     };
 } // namespace IW3
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW4/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW4.cpp b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW4/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW4.cpp
index 805aa822..f9d9d431 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW4/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW4.cpp
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW4/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW4.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ using namespace IW4;
 
 void ZoneDefWriter::WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const {}
 
-void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const
+void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const
 {
     const auto* game = IGame::GetGameById(zone.m_game_id);
 
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone&
 
     for (const auto& asset : zone.m_pools)
     {
+        if (!filter.ShouldWriteAsset(*asset))
+            continue;
+
         switch (asset->m_type)
         {
         case ASSET_TYPE_LOCALIZE_ENTRY:
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW4/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW4.h b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW4/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW4.h
index e2f3bedc..43534de3 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW4/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW4.h
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW4/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW4.h
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ namespace IW4
     {
     protected:
         void WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const override;
-        void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const override;
+        void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const override;
     };
 } // namespace IW4
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW5.cpp b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW5.cpp
index 6c77ee31..065c355f 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW5.cpp
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW5.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ using namespace IW5;
 
 void ZoneDefWriter::WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const {}
 
-void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const
+void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const
 {
     const auto* game = IGame::GetGameById(zone.m_game_id);
 
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone&
 
     for (const auto& asset : zone.m_pools)
     {
+        if (!filter.ShouldWriteAsset(*asset))
+            continue;
+
         switch (asset->m_type)
         {
         case ASSET_TYPE_LOCALIZE_ENTRY:
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW5.h b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW5.h
index 29f75f75..1c5360b6 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW5.h
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/IW5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW5.h
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ namespace IW5
     {
     protected:
         void WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const override;
-        void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const override;
+        void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const override;
     };
 } // namespace IW5
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT5.cpp b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT5.cpp
index a079938d..0cf08df2 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT5.cpp
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT5.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ using namespace T5;
 
 void ZoneDefWriter::WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const {}
 
-void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const
+void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const
 {
     const auto* game = IGame::GetGameById(zone.m_game_id);
 
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone&
 
     for (const auto& asset : zone.m_pools)
     {
+        if (!filter.ShouldWriteAsset(*asset))
+            continue;
+
         switch (asset->m_type)
         {
         case ASSET_TYPE_LOCALIZE_ENTRY:
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT5.h b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT5.h
index 7dfb85b4..77aa94a6 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT5.h
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT5.h
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ namespace T5
     {
     protected:
         void WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const override;
-        void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const override;
+        void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const override;
     };
 } // namespace T5
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T6/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT6.cpp b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T6/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT6.cpp
index dd0dabd0..4971e847 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T6/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT6.cpp
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T6/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT6.cpp
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ void ZoneDefWriter::WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone
     }
 }
 
-void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const
+void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const
 {
     const auto* game = IGame::GetGameById(zone.m_game_id);
 
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ void ZoneDefWriter::WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone&
 
     for (const auto& asset : zone.m_pools)
     {
+        if (!filter.ShouldWriteAsset(*asset))
+            continue;
+
         switch (asset->m_type)
         {
         case ASSET_TYPE_LOCALIZE_ENTRY:
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T6/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT6.h b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T6/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT6.h
index 842a7dd9..b5483751 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T6/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT6.h
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Game/T6/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT6.h
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ namespace T6
     {
     protected:
         void WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const override;
-        void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const override;
+        void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const override;
     };
 } // namespace T6
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriter.cpp b/src/ZoneCommon/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriter.cpp
index 2c032afe..bb1a59b8 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriter.cpp
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriter.cpp
@@ -5,9 +5,42 @@
 #include "Game/IW5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterIW5.h"
 #include "Game/T5/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT5.h"
 #include "Game/T6/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriterT6.h"
+#include "Pool/XAssetInfo.h"
 
 #include <cassert>
 
+namespace
+{
+    constexpr auto META_DATA_KEY_GAME = "game";
+    constexpr auto META_DATA_KEY_GDT = "gdt";
+} // namespace
+
+ZoneDefFilter ZoneDefFilter::AllEntries()
+{
+    return ZoneDefFilter();
+}
+
+ZoneDefFilter ZoneDefFilter::WithOnlyRootAssets(const Zone& zone)
+{
+    ZoneDefFilter result;
+
+    for (const auto& asset : zone.m_pools)
+    {
+        for (const auto* dependency : asset->m_dependencies)
+        {
+            if (dependency != nullptr && dependency->m_zone == &zone)
+                result.m_non_root_asset_lookup.emplace(dependency);
+        }
+    }
+
+    return std::move(result);
+}
+
+bool ZoneDefFilter::ShouldWriteAsset(const XAssetInfoGeneric& asset) const
+{
+    return m_non_root_asset_lookup.empty() || !m_non_root_asset_lookup.contains(&asset);
+}
+
 const IZoneDefWriter* IZoneDefWriter::GetZoneDefWriterForGame(GameId game)
 {
     static const IZoneDefWriter* zoneDefWriters[static_cast<unsigned>(GameId::COUNT)]{
@@ -25,7 +58,7 @@ const IZoneDefWriter* IZoneDefWriter::GetZoneDefWriterForGame(GameId game)
     return result;
 }
 
-void AbstractZoneDefWriter::WriteZoneDef(std::ostream& stream, const Zone& zone, const bool useGdt) const
+void AbstractZoneDefWriter::WriteZoneDef(std::ostream& stream, const Zone& zone, const bool useGdt, const bool minimalZone) const
 {
     ZoneDefinitionOutputStream out(stream);
     const auto* game = IGame::GetGameById(zone.m_game_id);
@@ -42,5 +75,7 @@ void AbstractZoneDefWriter::WriteZoneDef(std::ostream& stream, const Zone& zone,
     }
 
     WriteMetaData(out, zone);
-    WriteContent(out, zone);
+
+    const auto filter = minimalZone ? ZoneDefFilter::WithOnlyRootAssets(zone) : ZoneDefFilter::AllEntries();
+    WriteContent(out, zone, filter);
 }
diff --git a/src/ZoneCommon/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriter.h b/src/ZoneCommon/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriter.h
index 1458c1c7..723da73e 100644
--- a/src/ZoneCommon/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriter.h
+++ b/src/ZoneCommon/Zone/Definition/ZoneDefWriter.h
@@ -1,8 +1,25 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "Pool/XAssetInfo.h"
 #include "Zone/Definition/ZoneDefinitionStream.h"
 #include "Zone/Zone.h"
 
+#include <unordered_set>
+
+class ZoneDefFilter
+{
+public:
+    static ZoneDefFilter AllEntries();
+    static ZoneDefFilter WithOnlyRootAssets(const Zone& zone);
+
+    [[nodiscard]] bool ShouldWriteAsset(const XAssetInfoGeneric& asset) const;
+
+private:
+    ZoneDefFilter() = default;
+
+    std::unordered_set<const XAssetInfoGeneric*> m_non_root_asset_lookup;
+};
+
 class IZoneDefWriter
 {
 public:
@@ -13,20 +30,17 @@ public:
     IZoneDefWriter& operator=(const IZoneDefWriter& other) = default;
     IZoneDefWriter& operator=(IZoneDefWriter&& other) noexcept = default;
 
-    virtual void WriteZoneDef(std::ostream& stream, const Zone& zone, bool useGdt) const = 0;
+    virtual void WriteZoneDef(std::ostream& stream, const Zone& zone, bool useGdt, bool minimalZone) const = 0;
 
     static const IZoneDefWriter* GetZoneDefWriterForGame(GameId game);
 };
 
 class AbstractZoneDefWriter : public IZoneDefWriter
 {
-protected:
-    static constexpr auto META_DATA_KEY_GAME = "game";
-    static constexpr auto META_DATA_KEY_GDT = "gdt";
-
-    virtual void WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const = 0;
-    virtual void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const = 0;
-
 public:
-    void WriteZoneDef(std::ostream& stream, const Zone& zone, bool useGdt) const override;
+    void WriteZoneDef(std::ostream& stream, const Zone& zone, bool useGdt, bool minimalZone) const override;
+
+protected:
+    virtual void WriteMetaData(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone) const = 0;
+    virtual void WriteContent(ZoneDefinitionOutputStream& stream, const Zone& zone, const ZoneDefFilter& filter) const = 0;
 };