diff --git a/basis/bootstrap/stage2.factor b/basis/bootstrap/stage2.factor
index d25394e978..6dd3918e0d 100644
--- a/basis/bootstrap/stage2.factor
+++ b/basis/bootstrap/stage2.factor
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ SYMBOL: bootstrap-time
     os wince? [ "windows.ce" require ] when
     os winnt? [ "windows.nt" require ] when
 
-    "deploy-vocab" get [
+    "staging" get "deploy-vocab" get or [
         "stage2: deployment mode" print
     ] [
         "listener" require
diff --git a/basis/tools/deploy/backend/backend.factor b/basis/tools/deploy/backend/backend.factor
index 9431cb2c19..18713c7b0c 100644
--- a/basis/tools/deploy/backend/backend.factor
+++ b/basis/tools/deploy/backend/backend.factor
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ DEFER: ?make-staging-image
 
 : staging-command-line ( profile -- flags )
     [
+        "-staging" ,
+
         dup empty? [
             "-i=" my-boot-image-name append ,
         ] [