diff --git a/live-build/auto/build b/live-build/auto/build
index 5c7b88ce..978d2fe0 100755
--- a/live-build/auto/build
+++ b/live-build/auto/build
@@ -16,11 +16,17 @@ if [ -z "${PROJECT:-}" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ "${IMAGEFORMAT:-}" = "ubuntu-image" ]; then
-	# Use ubuntu-image instead of live-build
-	env SNAPPY_STORE_NO_CDN=1 \
-	ubuntu-image -c edge \
+	if [ "${IMAGETYPE:-}" = "classic" ]; then
+		# Use ubuntu-image instead of live-build
+		OPTS="${PROJECT:+--project=$PROJECT} ${SUITE:+--suite=$SUITE} ${ARCH:+--arch=$ARCH} ${SUBPROJECT:+--subproject=$SUBPROJECT} ${SUBARCH:+--subarch=$SUBARCH} ${PROPOSED:+--with-proposed=$PROPOSED} ${IMAGEFORMAT:+--image-format=$IMAGEFORMAT} ${EXTRA_PPAS:+--extra-ppas=$EXTRA_PPAS}"
+		ubuntu-image classic $OPTS gadget_tree
+	else
+		# Use ubuntu-image instead of live-build
+		env SNAPPY_STORE_NO_CDN=1 \
+		ubuntu-image snap -c edge \
 		-o livecd."$PROJECT".img livecd."$PROJECT".model-assertion
-	xz -0 -T4 livecd."$PROJECT".img
+		xz -0 -T4 livecd."$PROJECT".img
+	fi
 	exit 0
 fi
 
diff --git a/live-build/auto/config b/live-build/auto/config
index 3f504463..8d350ad3 100755
--- a/live-build/auto/config
+++ b/live-build/auto/config
@@ -153,34 +153,48 @@ case $IMAGEFORMAT in
 		;;
 
 	ubuntu-image)
-		case "$ARCH+${SUBARCH:-}" in
-			amd64+*)
-				MODEL=pc-amd64 ;;
-			i386+*)
-				MODEL=pc-i386 ;;
-			arm64+snapdragon)
-				MODEL=dragonboard ;;
-			armhf+raspi2)
-				MODEL=pi2 ;;
-			armhf+raspi3)
-				MODEL=pi3 ;;
-			armhf+cm3)
-				MODEL=cm3 ;;
-			*)
-				echo "Model $ARCH+${SUBARCH:-} unknown to livecd-rootfs" >&2
-				exit 1
+		case $IMAGETYPE in
+			classic)
+				echo "IMAGEFORMAT=$IMAGEFORMAT" >> config/common
+				# TODO livecd-rootfs needs to take a branch URI for the gadget as input, 
+				# stage it, and pass it to ubuntu-image, where do we get it?
+
+				# Fake finished configuration for lb build
+				mkdir -p .build
+				touch .build/config
+				exit 0
+				;;
+			*) # backport compatibility for core image creation.
+				case "$ARCH+${SUBARCH:-}" in
+					amd64+*)
+						MODEL=pc-amd64 ;;
+					i386+*)
+						MODEL=pc-i386 ;;
+					arm64+snapdragon)
+						MODEL=dragonboard ;;
+					armhf+raspi2)
+						MODEL=pi2 ;;
+					armhf+raspi3)
+						MODEL=pi3 ;;
+					armhf+cm3)
+						MODEL=cm3 ;;
+					*)
+						echo "Model $ARCH+${SUBARCH:-} unknown to livecd-rootfs" >&2
+						exit 1
+						;;
+				esac
+				echo "IMAGEFORMAT=$IMAGEFORMAT" >> config/common
+				# Store model assertion in top dir to get it picked up later as a build artifact
+				env SNAPPY_STORE_NO_CDN=1 snap known --remote model series=16 model="$MODEL" brand-id=canonical > livecd."$PROJECT".model-assertion
+				echo "Configured ubuntu-image for the following model assertion:"
+				cat livecd."$PROJECT".model-assertion
+				echo "----------------------------------------------------------"
+				# Fake finished configuration for lb build
+				mkdir -p .build
+				touch .build/config
+				exit 0
 				;;
 		esac
-		echo "IMAGEFORMAT=$IMAGEFORMAT" >> config/common
-		# Store model assertion in top dir to get it picked up later as a build artifact
-		env SNAPPY_STORE_NO_CDN=1 snap known --remote model series=16 model="$MODEL" brand-id=canonical > livecd."$PROJECT".model-assertion
-		echo "Configured ubuntu-image for the following model assertion:"
-		cat livecd."$PROJECT".model-assertion
-		echo "----------------------------------------------------------"
-		# Fake finished configuration for lb build
-		mkdir -p .build
-		touch .build/config
-		exit 0
 		;;
 
 	*)