diff --git a/Manual.md b/Manual.md
index 9e7f7a6327..8d84427f49 100644
--- a/Manual.md
+++ b/Manual.md
@@ -438,7 +438,8 @@ The following variables may be set to allow package build options:
 - `build_options_default` Sets the default build options to be used by the source package.
 
 - `desc_option_<option>` Sets the description for the build option `option`. This must match the
-keyword set in *build_options*.
+keyword set in *build_options*. Note that if the build option is generic enough, its description
+should be added to `common/options.description` instead.
 
 After defining those required variables, you can check for the
 `build_option_<option>` variable to know if it has been set and adapt the source
@@ -494,6 +495,10 @@ The build options can also be shown for binary packages via `xbps-query(8)`:
 
     $ xbps-query -R --property=build-options foo
 
+Permanent global package build options can be set via `XBPS_PKG_OPTIONS` variable in the
+`etc/conf` configuration file. Per package build options can be set via
+`XBPS_PKG_OPTIONS_<pkgname>`.
+
 ### Runtime dependencies
 
 Dependencies for ELF objects are detected automatically by `xbps-src`, hence runtime
diff --git a/common/options.description b/common/options.description
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c3f0472451
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/options.description
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+desc_option_aalib="Enable support for aalib video output"
+desc_option_acl="Enable support for ACLs and Extended Attributes"
+desc_option_backtrace="Enable support for backtraces via libunwind"
+desc_option_bluetooth="Enable support for bluetooth"
+desc_option_broadway="Enable support for the HTML5 Broadway backend"
+desc_option_cdparanoia="Enable support for CD audio (cdparanoia)"
+desc_option_colord="Enable support for colord"
+desc_option_cups="Enable support for CUPS"
+desc_option_dbus="Enable support for D-BUS"
+desc_option_dri2="Enable support for the DRI2 extension"
+desc_option_dri="Enable support for the DRI extension"
+desc_option_efi="Enable support for EFI"
+desc_option_expat="Enable support for XML via expat"
+desc_option_framebuffer="Enable support for the Framebuffer"
+desc_option_gdk_pixbuf="Enable support to use transparency via gdk-pixbuf"
+desc_option_gif="Enable support for GIF images"
+desc_option_gir="Enable support for gobject introspection data"
+desc_option_gles2="Enable support for GLES (v2)"
+desc_option_gles="Enable support for GLES (v1)"
+desc_option_gnome="Enable support for GNOME"
+desc_option_gnutls="Enable support for SSL with gnutls"
+desc_option_gstreamer="Enable support for GStreamer"
+desc_option_harfbuzz="enable support for Harfbuzz"
+desc_option_idn="Enable support for IDN"
+desc_option_imagemagick="Enable support for ImageMagick"
+desc_option_jack="Enable support for the JACK sound server"
+desc_option_jpeg="Enable support for JPEG images"
+desc_option_lame="Enable support for the LAME encoder"
+desc_option_lua="Enable support for Lua"
+desc_option_lzo="Enable support for LZO compression format"
+desc_option_microhttpd="Enable support for microhttpd"
+desc_option_mpcdec="Enable support for the Musepack decoder"
+desc_option_notify="Enable support for desktop notifications (libnotify)"
+desc_option_opengl="Enable support for OpenGL"
+desc_option_openssl="Enable support for SSL with OpenSSL"
+desc_option_pam="Enable support for PAM"
+desc_option_pdf="Enable support to preview PDF files"
+desc_option_perl="Enable support for Perl"
+desc_option_png="Enable support for PNG images"
+desc_option_ps="Enable support to preview PS files"
+desc_option_pulseaudio="Enable support for the PulseAudio sound server"
+desc_option_python="Enable support for Python"
+desc_option_qrencode="Enable support for qrencode"
+desc_option_qt="Enable support for building the QT UI"
+desc_option_raw="Enable support for RAW image files"
+desc_option_sasl="Enable support for SASL"
+desc_option_ssl="Enable support for SSL"
+desc_option_startup_notification="Enable support for desktop notification"
+desc_option_svg="Enable support for SVG images"
+desc_option_systemd="Enable support for systemd"
+desc_option_tcpwrappers="Enable support for tcpwrappers"
+desc_option_tiff="Enable support for TIFF images"
+desc_option_usb="Enable support for USB"
+desc_option_v4l2="Enable support for V4L2 (Video 4 Linux 2)"
+desc_option_vaapi="Enable support for VA-API H.264 recording"
+desc_option_wavpack="Enable support for the Wavpack audio format"
+desc_option_wayland="Enable support for the Wayland backend"
+desc_option_x11="Enable support for X11"
+desc_option_xml="Enable support for XML"
+desc_option_xscreensaver="Enable support for libXScrnSaver to determine idle time"
diff --git a/common/xbps-src/shutils/chroot.sh b/common/xbps-src/shutils/chroot.sh
index 6d49310a30..13d1dbc06c 100644
--- a/common/xbps-src/shutils/chroot.sh
+++ b/common/xbps-src/shutils/chroot.sh
@@ -11,25 +11,7 @@ XBPS_CXXFLAGS="$XBPS_CXXFLAGS"
 XBPS_CPPFLAGS="$XBPS_CPPFLAGS"
 XBPS_LDFLAGS="$XBPS_LDFLAGS"
 _EOF
-    if [ -n "$XBPS_MAKEJOBS" ]; then
-        echo "XBPS_MAKEJOBS=$XBPS_MAKEJOBS" >> $XBPSSRC_CF
-    fi
-    if [ -n "$XBPS_HOSTDIR" ]; then
-        echo "XBPS_HOSTDIR=/host" >> $XBPSSRC_CF
-    fi
-    if [ -n "$XBPS_CCACHE" ]; then
-        echo "XBPS_CCACHE=$XBPS_CCACHE" >> $XBPSSRC_CF
-    fi
-    if [ -n "$XBPS_DISTCC" ]; then
-        echo "XBPS_DISTCC=$XBPS_DISTCC" >> $XBPSSRC_CF
-        echo "XBPS_DISTCC_HOSTS=\"${XBPS_DISTCC_HOSTS}\"" >> $XBPSSRC_CF
-    fi
-    if [ -n "$XBPS_USE_GIT_REVS" ]; then
-        echo "XBPS_USE_GIT_REVS=yes" >> $XBPSSRC_CF
-    fi
-    if [ -n "$XBPS_DEBUG_PKGS" ]; then
-        echo "XBPS_DEBUG_PKGS=yes" >> $XBPSSRC_CF
-    fi
+    grep -E '^XBPS_.*' $XBPS_CONFIG_FILE >> $XBPSSRC_CF
 
     echo "# End of configuration file." >> $XBPSSRC_CF
 
@@ -192,7 +174,6 @@ chroot_handler() {
     if [ "$action" = "chroot" ]; then
         $CHROOT_CMD ${_chargs} $XBPS_MASTERDIR /bin/xbps-shell || rv=$?
     else
-        [ -n "$XBPS_BUILD_OPTS" ] && arg="$arg -o $XBPS_BUILD_OPTS"
         [ -n "$XBPS_CROSS_BUILD" ] && arg="$arg -a $XBPS_CROSS_BUILD"
         [ -n "$XBPS_KEEP_ALL" ] && arg="$arg -C"
         [ -n "$NOCOLORS" ] && arg="$arg -L"
diff --git a/common/xbps-src/shutils/common.sh b/common/xbps-src/shutils/common.sh
index 869abe4c52..7a8709896c 100644
--- a/common/xbps-src/shutils/common.sh
+++ b/common/xbps-src/shutils/common.sh
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ msg_normal_append() {
 }
 
 set_build_options() {
-    local f j opt optval _optsset
+    local f j opt optval _optsset pkgopts
     local -A options
 
     if [ -z "$build_options" ]; then
@@ -97,15 +97,19 @@ set_build_options() {
     fi
 
     for f in ${build_options}; do
+        eval pkgopts="\$XBPS_PKG_OPTIONS_${pkgname}"
+        if [ -z "$pkgopts" -o "$pkgopts" = "" ]; then
+            pkgopts=${XBPS_PKG_OPTIONS}
+        fi
         OIFS="$IFS"; IFS=','
-        for j in ${XBPS_BUILD_OPTS}; do
+        for j in ${pkgopts}; do
             opt=${j#\~}
             opt_disabled=${j:0:1}
             if [ "$opt" = "$f" ]; then
                 if [ "$opt_disabled" != "~" ]; then
-                    options[$opt]=1
+                    eval options[$opt]=1
                 else
-                    options[$opt]=0
+                    eval options[$opt]=0
                 fi
             fi
         done
@@ -137,11 +141,11 @@ set_build_options() {
     fi
 
     for f in ${build_options}; do
-        optval=${options[$f]}
+        eval optval=${options[$f]}
         if [[ $optval -eq 1 ]]; then
-            _optsset="${_optsset} ${f}"
+            _optsset+=" ${f}"
         else
-            _optsset="${_optsset} ~${f}"
+            _optsset+=" ~${f}"
         fi
     done
 
@@ -149,7 +153,7 @@ set_build_options() {
         if [ -z "$PKG_BUILD_OPTIONS" ]; then
             PKG_BUILD_OPTIONS="$f"
         else
-            PKG_BUILD_OPTIONS="$PKG_BUILD_OPTIONS $f"
+            PKG_BUILD_OPTIONS+=" $f"
         fi
     done
 
diff --git a/common/xbps-src/shutils/pkgtarget.sh b/common/xbps-src/shutils/pkgtarget.sh
index 3c5a831373..a2c39cdf86 100644
--- a/common/xbps-src/shutils/pkgtarget.sh
+++ b/common/xbps-src/shutils/pkgtarget.sh
@@ -1,24 +1,5 @@
 # vim: set ts=4 sw=4 et:
 
-show_build_options() {
-    local f opt desc
-
-    [ -z "$PKG_BUILD_OPTIONS" ] && return 0
-
-    msg_normal "$pkgver: the following build options are set:\n"
-    for f in ${PKG_BUILD_OPTIONS}; do
-        opt="${f#\~}"
-        eval desc="\${desc_option_${opt}}"
-        if [[ ${f:0:1} == '~' ]]; then
-            echo "    $opt: $desc (OFF)"
-        else
-            printf "    "
-            msg_normal_append "$opt: "
-            printf "$desc (ON)\n"
-        fi
-    done
-}
-
 check_pkg_arch() {
     local cross="$1"
 
@@ -48,7 +29,7 @@ install_pkg() {
 
     [ -z "$pkgname" ] && return 1
 
-    show_build_options
+    show_pkg_build_options
     check_pkg_arch $cross
     install_cross_pkg $cross
 
diff --git a/common/xbps-src/shutils/show.sh b/common/xbps-src/shutils/show.sh
index 8ca57c431d..da4c478f4f 100644
--- a/common/xbps-src/shutils/show.sh
+++ b/common/xbps-src/shutils/show.sh
@@ -56,23 +56,24 @@ show_pkg_build_deps() {
     done
 }
 
-show_pkg_options() {
-    local f= j= state= desc= enabled=
 
-    for f in ${build_options}; do
-        for j in ${build_options_default}; do
-            if [ "$f" = "$j" ]; then
-                enabled=1
-                break
-            fi
-        done
-        state="OFF"
-        if [ -n "$enabled" ]; then
-            state="ON"
-            unset enabled
+show_pkg_build_options() {
+    local f opt desc
+
+    [ -z "$PKG_BUILD_OPTIONS" ] && return 0
+
+    source $XBPS_COMMONDIR/options.description
+    msg_normal "$pkgver: the following build options are set:\n"
+    for f in ${PKG_BUILD_OPTIONS}; do
+        opt="${f#\~}"
+        eval desc="\${desc_option_${opt}}"
+        if [[ ${f:0:1} == '~' ]]; then
+            echo "    $opt: $desc (OFF)"
+        else
+            printf "    "
+            msg_normal_append "$opt: "
+            printf "$desc (ON)\n"
         fi
-        eval desc="\$desc_option_$f"
-        printf "$f: $desc [$state]\n"
     done
 }
 
diff --git a/etc/defaults.conf b/etc/defaults.conf
index 39ab744908..f6a66cf6a2 100644
--- a/etc/defaults.conf
+++ b/etc/defaults.conf
@@ -96,3 +96,18 @@ XBPS_SUCMD="sudo /bin/sh -c"
 # RAM to build properly some packages.
 #
 #XBPS_DEBUG_PKGS=yes
+
+# [OPTIONAL]
+# Enable or disable global package build options, these options apply
+# to all packages that support the maching options.
+#
+# To enable an option just define its option name; to disable an option
+# prefix it with ~. Options must be delimited by commas, i.e 'opt,~opt2,opt3,~opt4'
+#
+#XBPS_PKG_OPTIONS=opt,~opt2,opt3,~opt4
+
+# [OPTIONAL]
+# Enable or disable package build options. Note that per package build options
+# override the global options defined above for the matching package.
+#
+#XBPS_PKG_OPTIONS_foo=opt,~opt2,opt3,~opt4
diff --git a/xbps-src b/xbps-src
index 1c36679a04..7d90197c53 100755
--- a/xbps-src
+++ b/xbps-src
@@ -143,7 +143,9 @@ Options:
 -N  Disable use of remote repositories to resolve dependencies.
 
 -o  <opt,~opt2,...>
-    Enable or disable (prefixed with ~) package build options.
+    Enable or disable (prefixed with ~) package build options. Note this overrides
+    options set via XBPS_PKG_OPTIONS from 'etc/conf'. This effectively has the same
+    effect than setting 'XBPS_PKG_OPTIONS_<pkgname>' in 'etc/conf'.
     Supported options can be shown with the 'show-options' target.
 
 -r  <repo>
@@ -325,7 +327,7 @@ while getopts "a:CfghH:Ij:Lm:No:r:V" opt; do
         L) export NOCOLORS=1; XBPS_OPTIONS+="-L ";;
         m) readonly XBPS_MASTERDIR=$(readlink -m $OPTARG 2>/dev/null); XBPS_OPTIONS+="-m $XBPS_MASTERDIR ";;
         N) readonly XBPS_SKIP_REMOTEREPOS=1; XBPS_OPTIONS+="-N ";;
-        o) readonly XBPS_BUILD_OPTS="$OPTARG"; XBPS_OPTIONS+="-o $OPTARG ";;
+        o) readonly XBPS_PKG_OPTIONS="$OPTARG"; XBPS_OPTIONS+="-o $OPTARG ";;
         r) readonly XBPS_ALT_REPOSITORY="$OPTARG"; XBPS_OPTIONS+="-r $OPTARG ";;
         V) echo $XBPS_SRC_VERSION && exit 0;;
         --) shift; break;;
@@ -457,7 +459,7 @@ export XBPS_SHUTILSDIR XBPS_CROSSPFDIR XBPS_TRIGGERSDIR \
     XBPS_BUILDSTYLEDIR XBPS_CFLAGS XBPS_CXXFLAGS XBPS_LDFLAGS \
     XBPS_MAKEJOBS XBPS_BUILD_FORCEMODE XBPS_USE_GIT_REVS XBPS_DEBUG_PKGS \
     XBPS_CCACHE XBPS_DISTCC XBPS_DISTCC_HOSTS XBPS_SKIP_DEPS \
-    XBPS_SKIP_REMOTEREPOS XBPS_CROSS_BUILD XBPS_BUILD_OPTS \
+    XBPS_SKIP_REMOTEREPOS XBPS_CROSS_BUILD XBPS_PKG_OPTIONS \
     XBPS_CONFIG_FILE XBPS_KEEP_ALL XBPS_HOSTDIR XBPS_MASTERDIR \
     XBPS_SRC_VERSION XBPS_DESTDIR FAKEROOT_CMD CHROOT_CMD XBPS_MACHINE
 
@@ -618,7 +620,7 @@ case "$XBPS_TARGET" in
         ;;
     show-options)
         read_pkg
-        show_pkg_options
+        show_pkg_build_options
         ;;
     show-shlib-provides)
         read_pkg