diff --git a/live-build/functions b/live-build/functions
index 0597715c..a3e5b2fd 100644
--- a/live-build/functions
+++ b/live-build/functions
@@ -558,6 +558,12 @@ snap_prepare() {
     local snaps_dir="$seed_dir/snaps"
 
     snap_prepare_assertions "$CHROOT_ROOT" "$CUSTOM_BRAND_MODEL"
+
+    # ubuntu-cpc:minimized has its own special snap handling
+    if [ "$PROJECT:${SUBPROJECT:-}" != ubuntu-cpc:minimized ]; then
+        # Download the core snap
+        _snap_preseed "$CHROOT_ROOT" core stable
+    fi
 }
 
 snap_preseed() {