diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/CoreOptions.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/CoreOptions.java
index f4f83bb319ff78..9ce0ff0d4f300a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/CoreOptions.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/CoreOptions.java
@@ -624,6 +624,19 @@ public OutputDirectoryNamingSchemeConverter() {
               + "Bazel release.")
   public List<String> defaultFeatures;
 
+  @Option(
+      name = "host_features",
+      allowMultiple = true,
+      defaultValue = "null",
+      documentationCategory = OptionDocumentationCategory.OUTPUT_PARAMETERS,
+      effectTags = {OptionEffectTag.CHANGES_INPUTS, OptionEffectTag.AFFECTS_OUTPUTS},
+      help =
+          "The given features will be enabled or disabled by default for packages "
+              + "built in the host or exec configurationsx. "
+              + "Specifying -<feature> will disable the feature globally. "
+              + "Negative features always override positive ones.")
+  public List<String> hostFeatures;
+
   @Option(
       name = "target_environment",
       converter = LabelListConverter.class,
@@ -947,7 +960,7 @@ public FragmentOptions getHost() {
     host.checkLicenses = checkLicenses;
 
     // === Pass on C++ compiler features.
-    host.defaultFeatures = ImmutableList.copyOf(defaultFeatures);
+    host.defaultFeatures = ImmutableList.copyOf(hostFeatures);
 
     // Save host options in case of a further exec->host transition.
     host.hostCpu = hostCpu;
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/RuleConfiguredTargetTest.java b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/RuleConfiguredTargetTest.java
index f379378004effc..6f8b1d5665beee 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/RuleConfiguredTargetTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/RuleConfiguredTargetTest.java
@@ -51,6 +51,27 @@ public void testFeatureEnabledOnCommandLine() throws Exception {
     assertThat(features).doesNotContain("other");
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testTargetIgnoresHostFeatures() throws Exception {
+    useConfiguration("--features=feature", "--host_features=other");
+    scratch.file("a/BUILD",
+        "cc_library(name = 'a')");
+    ImmutableSet<String> features = getRuleContext(configure("//a")).getFeatures();
+    assertThat(features).contains("feature");
+    assertThat(features).doesNotContain("other");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testHostFeatures() throws Exception {
+    useConfiguration("--features=feature", "--host_features=host_feature");
+    scratch.file("a/BUILD",
+        "cc_library(name = 'a')");
+    ImmutableSet<String> features = getRuleContext(
+        getConfiguredTarget("//a", getHostConfiguration())).getFeatures();
+    assertThat(features).contains("host_feature");
+    assertThat(features).doesNotContain("feature");
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testFeatureDisabledOnCommandLine() throws Exception {
     useConfiguration("--features=-feature");