diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index b90afd7d..2cd85e2e 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+livecd-rootfs (26.04.13) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
+
+  * Bootstrap and install variant packages if ARCH_VARIANT is set.
+
+ -- Michael Hudson-Doyle <michael.hudson@ubuntu.com>  Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:26:27 +1300
+
 livecd-rootfs (26.04.12) resolute; urgency=medium
 
   * desktop: add variables pointing to the different models (stable & dangerous).
diff --git a/live-build/auto/build b/live-build/auto/build
index 7b372f04..fd9c8943 100755
--- a/live-build/auto/build
+++ b/live-build/auto/build
@@ -119,6 +119,12 @@ Expire-Date: 0
 		exit $ec
 	fi
 
+	if [ -n "${ARCH_VARIANT:-}" ]; then
+		cat > chroot/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/90arch-variant <<EOF
+APT::Architecture-Variants "${ARCH_VARIANT}";
+EOF
+	fi
+
 	# Set locale to C.UTF-8 by default.  This may be overridden later.
 	echo "LANG=C.UTF-8" > chroot/etc/default/locale
 
diff --git a/live-build/auto/config b/live-build/auto/config
index 1b3a89e2..79015586 100755
--- a/live-build/auto/config
+++ b/live-build/auto/config
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ if ! [ -e config/germinate-output/structure ]; then
 	fi
         (cd config/germinate-output && germinate --no-rdepends --no-installer \
                 -S $SEEDMIRROR -m $MIRROR -d $SUITE,$SUITE-updates \
-                -s $FLAVOUR.$SUITE $GERMINATE_ARG -a $ARCH)
+                -s $FLAVOUR.$SUITE $GERMINATE_ARG -a ${ARCH_VARIANT:-$ARCH})
 fi
 
 # Common functionality for layered desktop images
@@ -1365,6 +1365,7 @@ lb config noauto \
 	--checksums none \
 	--cache false \
 	${BOOTAPPEND_LIVE:+--bootappend-live "$BOOTAPPEND_LIVE"} \
+	${ARCH_VARIANT:+--bootstrap-arch "$ARCH_VARIANT"} \
 	$OPTS \
 	"$@"