diff --git a/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in b/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in
index cd8543883e5..d746bd305e5 100644
--- a/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in
+++ b/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ usage()
 $progname: [-Ch] [-c <config_file>] [-m <masterdir>] [-p <pkgdir>] <target>
 
 Targets:
+ bootstrap        Build and install the bootstrap packages into masterdir.
  build            Build a package (fetch + extract + configure + build).
  build-pkg [all]  Build a binary package from <pkg>.
                   Package must be installed into destdir. If the <all>
@@ -195,6 +196,14 @@ fi
 
 # Main switch
 case "$target" in
+bootstrap)
+	. $XBPS_SHUTILSDIR/tmpl_funcs.sh
+	. $XBPS_SHUTILSDIR/pkgtarget_funcs.sh
+	[ ! -d $XBPS_SRCPKGDIR/xbps-base-chroot ] && \
+		msg_error "Cannot find $XBPS_SRCPKGDIR/xbps-base-chroot directory!"
+	cd $XBPS_SRCPKGDIR/xbps-base-chroot && setup_tmpl $(basename_cwd)
+	install_pkg $pkgname
+	;;
 build|configure)
 	. $XBPS_SHUTILSDIR/tmpl_funcs.sh
 	[ ! -r ./template ] && msg_error "missing build template file."