diff --git a/build_library/vm_image_util.sh b/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
index 6572590cc3..0b7fde4ada 100644
--- a/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
+++ b/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
@@ -422,9 +422,24 @@ install_oem_package() {
         return 0
     fi
 
+    # Split into two steps because we want to always install $oem_pkg from
+    # the ebuild (build_packages doesn't handle it) *but* we never want to
+    # build anything else from source here. emerge doesn't have a way to
+    # enforce this in a single command.
+    info "Building ${oem_pkg}"
+    USE="${oem_use}" emerge-${BOARD} --root="${oem_tmp}" \
+        --nodeps --buildpkgonly --usepkg n \
+        --quiet "${oem_pkg}"
+
+    local getbinpkg
+    if [[ ${FLAGS_getbinpkg} -eq ${FLAGS_TRUE} ]]; then
+        getbinpkg=--getbinpkg
+    fi
+
     info "Installing ${oem_pkg} to OEM partition"
     USE="${oem_use}" emerge-${BOARD} --root="${oem_tmp}" \
-        --root-deps=rdeps --usepkg --quiet "${oem_pkg}"
+        --root-deps=rdeps --usepkgonly ${getbinpkg} \
+        --quiet --jobs=2 "${oem_pkg}"
     sudo rsync -a "${oem_tmp}/usr/share/oem/" "${VM_TMP_ROOT}/usr/share/oem/"
     sudo rm -rf "${oem_tmp}"
 }
diff --git a/image_to_vm.sh b/image_to_vm.sh
index cb8341f6fd..8c9cc24cc1 100755
--- a/image_to_vm.sh
+++ b/image_to_vm.sh
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ DEFINE_string to "" \
   "Destination folder for VM output file(s)"
 DEFINE_string oem_pkg "" \
   "OEM package to install"
+DEFINE_boolean getbinpkg "${FLAGS_FALSE}" \
+  "Download binary packages from remote repository."
+DEFINE_string getbinpkgver "" \
+  "Use binary packages from a specific version."
 
 # include upload options
 . "${BUILD_LIBRARY_DIR}/release_util.sh" || exit 1
@@ -67,7 +71,13 @@ if [ -z "${FLAGS_board}" ] ; then
   die_notrace "--board is required."
 fi
 
-# Loaded after flags are parsed because board_options depends on --board
+# If downloading packages is enabled ensure the board is configured properly.
+if [[ ${FLAGS_getbinpkg} -eq ${FLAGS_TRUE} ]]; then
+  "${SRC_ROOT}/scripts/setup_board" --board="${FLAGS_board}" \
+      --getbinpkgver="${FLAGS_getbinpkgver}" --regen_configs_only
+fi
+
+# Loaded late because board_options depends on setup_board
 . "${BUILD_LIBRARY_DIR}/board_options.sh" || exit 1