diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index edec45b..7d6a779 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ ubuntu-dev-tools (0.140) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
   * pbuilder-dist: Do not force default value for `--aptcache` argument
     (LP: #956903)
 
+  [ John S Gruber ]
+  * Don't use --override-config with operations other than update.
+    (LP: #409696)
+
  -- Daniel Hahler <ubuntu@thequod.de>  Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:21:00 +0100
 
 ubuntu-dev-tools (0.139) unstable; urgency=low
diff --git a/pbuilder-dist b/pbuilder-dist
index 2bae445..bb6227d 100755
--- a/pbuilder-dist
+++ b/pbuilder-dist
@@ -218,9 +218,11 @@ class PbuilderDist:
             '--%s' % self.operation,
             '--distribution', self.target_distro,
             '--buildresult', result,
-            '--override-config',
         ]
 
+        if self.operation == 'update':
+            arguments += ['--override-config']
+
         if self.builder == 'pbuilder':
             arguments += ['--basetgz', prefix + '-base.tgz']
         elif self.builder == 'cowbuilder':