diff --git a/live-build/auto/config b/live-build/auto/config
index ef279cb5..ffed7790 100755
--- a/live-build/auto/config
+++ b/live-build/auto/config
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@ add_task ()
         fi
 
 	for task; do
-		./config/expand-task config/germinate-output $FLAVOUR $task packages >> "$pkg_file"
-		./config/expand-task config/germinate-output $FLAVOUR $task snaps >> "$snap_file"
+		./config/expand-task config/germinate-output $FLAVOUR $task packages $ARCH >> "$pkg_file"
+		./config/expand-task config/germinate-output $FLAVOUR $task snaps $ARCH >> "$snap_file"
 	done
 
 	for file in $pkg_file $snap_file; do
@@ -188,6 +188,52 @@ add_task ()
 	done
 }
 
+add_task_pool ()
+{
+	local pass="$1"
+	local task="$2"
+	shift
+	local task_pkgs
+
+	if [ ! -e config/germinate-output/structure ]; then
+		echo "add_task_pool too soon" >&2
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
+	mkdir -pv config/{gnupg,indices,hooks}
+	for component in $COMPONENTS; do
+		(cd config/indices && \
+		 wget $MIRROR/indices/override.$SUITE.$component && \
+		 wget $MIRROR/indices/override.$SUITE.extra.$component \
+		)
+	done
+
+	for task; do
+		task_pkgs=$(./config/expand-task config/germinate-output $FLAVOUR $task packages $ARCH)
+		echo "!!!!!" >&2
+		echo $FLAVOUR >&2
+		echo $task >&2
+		echo $task_pkgs >&2
+		cat > config/hooks/100-livefs-pool.chroot <<EOF
+#!/bin/sh
+case \${PASS:-} in
+	*.live)
+		;;
+	*)
+		exit 0
+		;;
+esac
+
+mkdir -p /var/lib/livefs-pool/pool/ &&
+cd /var/lib/livefs-pool/pool/ &&
+echo "Downloading $task_pkgs" &&
+apt-get -y download $task_pkgs &&
+echo "Download of pool complete"
+EOF
+		chmod +x config/hooks/100-livefs-pool.chroot
+	done
+}
+
 add_package ()
 {
 	# Adds a pass named pass_name composed of packages to install
@@ -720,6 +766,9 @@ common_layered_desktop_image() {
 	add_task ${LIVE_PREFIX}live "$LIVE_TASK"
 	add_package ${LIVE_PREFIX}live casper
 
+	# Add the ship-live seed to /var/lib/livefs-pool
+	add_task_pool ${LIVE_PREFIX}live ship-live
+
 	# If Dracut is enabled, ensure it is removed in the live layer
 	# casper still depends on initramfs-tools
 	if [ -n "$NEEDS_DRACUT" ]; then
diff --git a/live-build/expand-task b/live-build/expand-task
index 1ac44881..5aef1891 100755
--- a/live-build/expand-task
+++ b/live-build/expand-task
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ p.add_argument('output_dir')
 p.add_argument('flavour')
 p.add_argument('task')
 p.add_argument('what', choices=['packages', 'snaps'])
+p.add_argument('arch', default='amd64')
 args = p.parse_args()
 
 if args.what == 'snaps':
@@ -66,7 +67,27 @@ def getTaskName(task_headers, flavour, seedname):
         return seedname
 
 
-for seedtext in glob.glob(f'{args.output_dir}/*.seedtext'):
+# An item in a Germinate seed
+packages = set()
+seed_pattern = re.compile(r'^\s*\*\s+(?P<raw_pkg>.+?)(?=\s+(?:\[[^\]]+\]|#)|\s*$)(?:\s+\[(?P<arch>[^\]]+)\])?(?:\s+#.*)?\s*$')
+def print_seed_item(line):
+    m = seed_pattern.match(line)
+
+    if m:
+        arch_tag = m.group("arch")
+        if arch_tag and args.arch not in arch_tag.split():
+            return
+
+        raw_pkg = m.group("raw_pkg")
+        if args.what == "snaps" and "(classic)" in raw_pkg:
+            raw_pkg += "/classic"
+
+        # Remove e.g. surrounding slashes from entries
+        printable_m = re.match(r"^/\^(.*)\$/?$", raw_pkg)
+        packages.add(m.group(1) if printable_m else raw_pkg)
+
+passed = False
+for seedtext in glob.glob(f"{args.output_dir}/*.seedtext"):
     hs = parseTaskHeaders(open(seedtext))
     if not hs:
         continue
@@ -75,12 +96,16 @@ for seedtext in glob.glob(f'{args.output_dir}/*.seedtext'):
     if tn != args.task:
         continue
     for seed in getTaskSeeds(hs, seedname):
-        for line in open(f'{args.output_dir}/{seed}{ext}'):
-            if re.match('^[a-z0-9]', line):
-                name = line.split()[0]
-                if args.what == 'snaps' and '(classic)' in line:
-                    name += '/classic'
-                print(name)
+        for line in open(f"{args.output_dir}/{seed}{ext}"):
+             print_seed_item(line)
+    passed = True
     break
-else:
-    raise Exception("did not find task %r" % (args.task,))
+
+if not passed and not packages:
+    if args.task != "ship-live" or not os.path.exists(f"{args.output_dir}/{args.task}.seedtext"):
+        raise Exception(f"Unable to find {args.task}")
+
+    for line in open(f"{args.output_dir}/{args.task}.seedtext"):
+        print_seed_item(line)
+
+print(" ".join(packages))