diff --git a/tools/buildman/builder.py b/tools/buildman/builder.py
index f35175b..c4384f5 100644
--- a/tools/buildman/builder.py
+++ b/tools/buildman/builder.py
@@ -256,14 +256,14 @@
     def __init__(self, toolchains, base_dir, git_dir, num_threads, num_jobs,
                  gnu_make='make', checkout=True, show_unknown=True, step=1,
                  no_subdirs=False, full_path=False, verbose_build=False,
-                 mrproper=False, per_board_out_dir=False,
-                 config_only=False, squash_config_y=False,
-                 warnings_as_errors=False, work_in_output=False,
-                 test_thread_exceptions=False, adjust_cfg=None,
-                 allow_missing=False, no_lto=False, reproducible_builds=False,
-                 force_build=False, force_build_failures=False,
-                 force_reconfig=False, in_tree=False,
-                 force_config_on_failure=False, make_func=None):
+                 mrproper=False, fallback_mrproper=False,
+                 per_board_out_dir=False, config_only=False,
+                 squash_config_y=False, warnings_as_errors=False,
+                 work_in_output=False, test_thread_exceptions=False,
+                 adjust_cfg=None, allow_missing=False, no_lto=False,
+                 reproducible_builds=False, force_build=False,
+                 force_build_failures=False, force_reconfig=False,
+                 in_tree=False, force_config_on_failure=False, make_func=None):
         """Create a new Builder object
 
         Args:
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@
                 PATH
             verbose_build: Run build with V=1 and don't use 'make -s'
             mrproper: Always run 'make mrproper' when configuring
+            fallback_mrproper: Run 'make mrproper' and retry on build failure
             per_board_out_dir: Build in a separate persistent directory per
                 board rather than a thread-specific directory
             config_only: Only configure each build, don't build it
@@ -352,6 +353,7 @@
         self.force_reconfig = force_reconfig
         self.in_tree = in_tree
         self.force_config_on_failure = force_config_on_failure
+        self.fallback_mrproper = fallback_mrproper
 
         if not self.squash_config_y:
             self.config_filenames += EXTRA_CONFIG_FILENAMES
diff --git a/tools/buildman/builderthread.py b/tools/buildman/builderthread.py
index c0b1067..bbe2f6f 100644
--- a/tools/buildman/builderthread.py
+++ b/tools/buildman/builderthread.py
@@ -705,8 +705,10 @@
                     # with a reconfig.
                     if self.builder.force_config_on_failure:
                         result, request_config = self.run_commit(commit_upto,
-                            brd, work_dir, True, self.mrproper, False, True,
-                            False, job.work_in_output, job.adjust_cfg)
+                            brd, work_dir, True,
+                            self.mrproper or self.builder.fallback_mrproper,
+                            False, True, False, job.work_in_output,
+                            job.adjust_cfg)
                         did_config = True
                 if not self.builder.force_reconfig:
                     do_config = request_config
diff --git a/tools/buildman/buildman.rst b/tools/buildman/buildman.rst
index aae2477..bd0482a 100644
--- a/tools/buildman/buildman.rst
+++ b/tools/buildman/buildman.rst
@@ -995,7 +995,8 @@
 first commit for each board. This reduces the amount of work 'make' does, and
 hence speeds up the build. To force use of 'make mrproper', use -the -m flag.
 This flag will slow down any buildman invocation, since it increases the amount
-of work done on any build.
+of work done on any build. An alternative is to use the --fallback-mrproper
+flag, which retries the build with 'make mrproper' only after a build failure.
 
 One possible application of buildman is as part of a continual edit, build,
 edit, build, ... cycle; repeatedly applying buildman to the same change or
diff --git a/tools/buildman/cmdline.py b/tools/buildman/cmdline.py
index 03211bd..8dc5a87 100644
--- a/tools/buildman/cmdline.py
+++ b/tools/buildman/cmdline.py
@@ -90,7 +90,9 @@
     parser.add_argument('--list-tool-chains', action='store_true', default=False,
           help='List available tool chains (use -v to see probing detail)')
     parser.add_argument('-m', '--mrproper', action='store_true',
-          default=False, help="Run 'make mrproper before reconfiguring")
+          default=False, help="Run 'make mrproper' before reconfiguring")
+    parser.add_argument('--fallback-mrproper', action='store_true',
+          default=False, help="Run 'make mrproper' and retry on build failure")
     parser.add_argument(
           '-M', '--allow-missing', action='store_true', default=False,
           help='Tell binman to allow missing blobs and generate fake ones as needed')
diff --git a/tools/buildman/control.py b/tools/buildman/control.py
index 8f6850c..f2dd878 100644
--- a/tools/buildman/control.py
+++ b/tools/buildman/control.py
@@ -656,6 +656,7 @@
             no_subdirs=args.no_subdirs, full_path=args.full_path,
             verbose_build=args.verbose_build,
             mrproper=args.mrproper,
+            fallback_mrproper=args.fallback_mrproper,
             per_board_out_dir=args.per_board_out_dir,
             config_only=args.config_only,
             squash_config_y=not args.preserve_config_y,