diff --git a/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in b/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in
index 4afcac16c1..205b44e1eb 100644
--- a/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in
+++ b/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ Options:
  -C     Do not remove build directory after successful installation.
  -c     Path to global configuration file:
         if not specified @@XBPS_INSTALL_ETCDIR@@/xbps-src.conf is used.
+ -p     Package directory, overwritting XBPS_PACKAGESDIR in xbps-src.conf.
+
 _EOF
 	exit 1
 }
@@ -115,7 +117,8 @@ check_config_vars()
 		msg_error "cannot find configuration file: $XBPS_CONFIG_FILE"
 	fi
 
-	local XBPS_VARS="XBPS_MASTERDIR XBPS_BUILDDIR XBPS_SRCDISTDIR"
+	local XBPS_VARS="XBPS_MASTERDIR XBPS_BUILDDIR XBPS_SRCDISTDIR \
+			 XBPS_PACKAGESDIR"
 	for f in ${XBPS_VARS}; do
 		eval val="\$$f"
 		[ -z "$val" ] && msg_error "'$f' not set in configuration file"
@@ -132,10 +135,17 @@ check_config_vars()
 #
 # main()
 #
-while getopts "Cc:" opt; do
+while getopts "Cc:p:" opt; do
 	case $opt in
 		C) export dontrm_builddir=yes;;
 		c) config_file_specified=yes; XBPS_CONFIG_FILE="$OPTARG";;
+		p)
+			_PACKAGEDIR="$OPTARG"
+			if [ ! -d ${_PACKAGEDIR} ]; then
+				mkdir -p ${_PACKAGEDIR}/${xbps_machine}
+				mkdir -p ${_PACKAGEDIR}/noarch
+			fi
+			;;
 		--) shift; break;;
 	esac
 done
@@ -205,6 +215,9 @@ build|configure)
 build-pkg)
 	. $XBPS_SHUTILSDIR/make-binpkg.sh
 	. $XBPS_SHUTILSDIR/tmpl_funcs.sh
+	if [ -n "${_PACKAGEDIR}" ]; then
+		export XBPS_PACKAGESDIR=${_PACKAGEDIR}
+	fi
 	if [ "$2" = "all" ]; then
 		for f in $($XBPS_BIN_CMD list|awk '{print $1}'); do
 			pkg=$(${XBPS_PKGDB_CMD} getpkgname $f)