diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
index a73a55de96..d4dd23f09c 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
@@ -1235,6 +1235,7 @@ class BBCooker:
         """
         Build the file matching regexp buildfile
         """
+        bb.event.fire(bb.event.BuildInit(), self.expanded_data)
 
         # Too many people use -b because they think it's how you normally
         # specify a target to be built, so show a warning
@@ -1377,6 +1378,9 @@ class BBCooker:
         if not task.startswith("do_"):
             task = "do_%s" % task
 
+        packages = ["%s:%s" % (target, task) for target in targets]
+        bb.event.fire(bb.event.BuildInit(packages), self.expanded_data)
+
         taskdata, runlist, fulltargetlist = self.buildTaskData(targets, task, self.configuration.abort)
 
         buildname = self.data.getVar("BUILDNAME", False)
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
index a5f026e151..1f3200e196 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/event.py
@@ -382,7 +382,11 @@ class BuildBase(Event):
 
 
 
-
+class BuildInit(BuildBase):
+    """buildFile or buildTargets was invoked"""
+    def __init__(self, p=[]):
+        name = None
+        BuildBase.__init__(self, name, p)
 
 class BuildStarted(BuildBase, OperationStarted):
     """bbmake build run started"""