diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Orders/PlaceBuildingOrderGenerator.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Orders/PlaceBuildingOrderGenerator.cs
index a41619041d..07e720662d 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Orders/PlaceBuildingOrderGenerator.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Orders/PlaceBuildingOrderGenerator.cs
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Orders
 		{
 			producer = queue.Actor;
 			building = name;
-			race = queue.MostLikelyProducer().Trait.Race;
 
 			// Clear selection if using Left-Click Orders
 			if (Game.Settings.Game.UseClassicMouseStyle)
@@ -42,7 +41,12 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Orders
 
 			var map = producer.World.Map;
 			var tileset = producer.World.TileSet.Id.ToLowerInvariant();
-			buildingInfo = map.Rules.Actors[building].Traits.Get<BuildingInfo>();
+
+			var info = map.Rules.Actors[building];
+			buildingInfo = info.Traits.Get<BuildingInfo>();
+
+			var buildableInfo = info.Traits.Get<BuildableInfo>();
+			race = buildableInfo.ForceRace ?? queue.MostLikelyProducer().Trait.Race;
 
 			buildOk = map.SequenceProvider.GetSequence("overlay", "build-valid-{0}".F(tileset)).GetSprite(0);
 			buildBlocked = map.SequenceProvider.GetSequence("overlay", "build-invalid").GetSprite(0);
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Buildable.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Buildable.cs
index 605c623254..cbb711bdc7 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Buildable.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Buildable.cs
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 		[Desc("What the unit should start doing. Warning: If this is not a harvester", "it will break if you use FindResources.")]
 		public readonly string InitialActivity = null;
 
+		[Desc("Force a specific race variant, overriding the race of the producing actor.")]
+		public readonly string ForceRace = null;
+
 		// TODO: UI fluff; doesn't belong here
 		public readonly int BuildPaletteOrder = 9999;
 	}
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Player/PlaceBuilding.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Player/PlaceBuilding.cs
index eab585dba8..aa4c0c3a2e 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Player/PlaceBuilding.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Player/PlaceBuilding.cs
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 					var race = producer.Trait != null ? producer.Trait.Race : self.Owner.Country.Race;
 					var buildingInfo = unit.Traits.Get<BuildingInfo>();
 
+					var buildableInfo = unit.Traits.GetOrDefault<BuildableInfo>();
+					if (buildableInfo != null && buildableInfo.ForceRace != null)
+						race = buildableInfo.ForceRace;
+
 					if (order.OrderString == "LineBuild")
 					{
 						var playSounds = true;
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Production.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Production.cs
index 0d5b30db9b..d143263bba 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Production.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Production.cs
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 			var exitLocation = rp.Value != null ? rp.Value.Location : exit;
 			var target = Target.FromCell(self.World, exitLocation);
 
+			var bi = producee.Traits.GetOrDefault<BuildableInfo>();
+			if (bi != null && bi.ForceRace != null)
+				raceVariant = bi.ForceRace;
+
 			self.World.AddFrameEndTask(w =>
 			{
 				var td = new TypeDictionary
@@ -89,7 +93,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 				foreach (var notify in notifyOthers)
 					notify.Trait.UnitProducedByOther(notify.Actor, self, newUnit);
 
-				var bi = newUnit.Info.Traits.GetOrDefault<BuildableInfo>();
 				if (bi != null && bi.InitialActivity != null)
 					newUnit.QueueActivity(Game.CreateObject<Activity>(bi.InitialActivity));