diff --git a/Makefile.inc b/Makefile.inc
index 53a3dad..c179784 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc
+++ b/Makefile.inc
@@ -67,6 +67,14 @@
 ramstage-c-ccopts:= -finstrument-functions
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_USE_BLOBS),y)
+forgetthis:=$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty)
+else
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_REQUIRES_BLOB),y)
+$(error Your current configuration requires binary-only components, but you did not choose to use them)
+endif
+endif
+
 smm-c-ccopts:=-D__SMM__
 smm-S-ccopts:=-D__SMM__
 
diff --git a/src/Kconfig b/src/Kconfig
index e8a560d..d449b30 100644
--- a/src/Kconfig
+++ b/src/Kconfig
@@ -175,6 +175,24 @@
 	  Make coreboot create a table of timer-ID/timer-value pairs to
 	  allow measuring time spent at different phases of the boot process.
 
+config USE_BLOBS
+	bool "Allow use of binary-only repository"
+	default n
+	help
+	  This draws in the blobs repository, which contains binary files that
+	  might be required for some chipsets or boards.
+	  This flag ensures that a "Free" option remains available for users.
+
+config REQUIRES_BLOB
+	bool
+	default n
+	help
+	  This option can be configured by boards that require the blobs
+	  repository for the default configuration. It will make the build
+	  fail if USE_BLOBS is disabled. Users that still desire to do a
+	  coreboot build for such a board can override this manually, but
+	  this option serves as warning that it might fail.
+
 endmenu
 
 source src/mainboard/Kconfig