diff --git a/flatcar_workon b/flatcar_workon
index 157c89d1c1..19bbee4eb0 100755
--- a/flatcar_workon
+++ b/flatcar_workon
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 DEFINE_string board "${DEFAULT_BOARD}" \
   "The board to set package keywords for."
+DEFINE_boolean host "${FLAGS_FALSE}" \
+  "Uses the host instead of board"
 
 FLAGS_HELP="usage: $0 <command> [flags] <atom>
 commands:
@@ -17,6 +19,13 @@ eval set -- "${FLAGS_ARGV}"
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
+# If both board and host are specified, just use host, because board
+# does not have to be specified and may come from default, in which
+# case there's no way to override.
+if [[ -n ${FLAGS_board} && ${FLAGS_host} = "${FLAGS_TRUE}" ]]; then
+  unset FLAGS_board # kill board
+fi
+
 # /etc/portage under either / or /build/<board>.
 ETC_PORTAGE=${FLAGS_board+/build/${FLAGS_board}}/etc/portage
 
diff --git a/update_chroot b/update_chroot
index 2065da7175..af57a729b5 100755
--- a/update_chroot
+++ b/update_chroot
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ fi
 # Build flatcar_workon packages when they are changed.
 WORKON_PKGS=()
 if [[ ${FLAGS_workon} -eq "${FLAGS_TRUE}" ]]; then
-  mapfile -t WORKON_PKGS < <("${SRC_ROOT}"/scripts/flatcar_workon list)
+  mapfile -t WORKON_PKGS < <("${SRC_ROOT}"/scripts/flatcar_workon --host list)
 fi
 
 if [[ ${#WORKON_PKGS[@]} -gt 0 ]]; then