diff --git a/tools/build_api.py b/tools/build_api.py
index 4718e8da09..56030fa240 100644
--- a/tools/build_api.py
+++ b/tools/build_api.py
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ def prepare_toolchain(src_paths, target, toolchain_name,
                       macros=None, options=None, clean=False, jobs=1,
                       notify=None, silent=False, verbose=False,
                       extra_verbose=False, config=None,
-                      app_config=None):
+                      app_config=None, build_profile=None):
     """ Prepares resource related objects - toolchain, target, config
 
     Positional arguments:
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ def prepare_toolchain(src_paths, target, toolchain_name,
     try:
         toolchain = TOOLCHAIN_CLASSES[toolchain_name](
             target, options, notify, macros, silent,
-            extra_verbose=extra_verbose)
+            extra_verbose=extra_verbose, build_profile=build_profile)
     except KeyError:
         raise KeyError("Toolchain %s not supported" % toolchain_name)
 
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ def build_project(src_paths, build_path, target, toolchain_name,
                   macros=None, inc_dirs=None, jobs=1, silent=False,
                   report=None, properties=None, project_id=None,
                   project_description=None, extra_verbose=False, config=None,
-                  app_config=None):
+                  app_config=None, build_profile=None):
     """ Build a project. A project may be a test or a user program.
 
     Positional arguments:
@@ -413,7 +413,8 @@ def build_project(src_paths, build_path, target, toolchain_name,
     toolchain = prepare_toolchain(
         src_paths, target, toolchain_name, macros=macros, options=options,
         clean=clean, jobs=jobs, notify=notify, silent=silent, verbose=verbose,
-        extra_verbose=extra_verbose, config=config, app_config=app_config)
+        extra_verbose=extra_verbose, config=config, app_config=app_config,
+        build_profile=build_profile)
 
     # The first path will give the name to the library
     if name is None:
diff --git a/tools/make.py b/tools/make.py
index 4434931f8e..e4c34b11c6 100644
--- a/tools/make.py
+++ b/tools/make.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 TEST BUILD & RUN
 """
 import sys
+import json
 from time import sleep
 from shutil import copy
 from os.path import join, abspath, dirname
@@ -180,6 +181,9 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     parser.add_argument("-l", "--linker", dest="linker_script",
                       type=argparse_filestring_type,
                       default=None, help="use the specified linker script")
+    parser.add_argument("--profile", dest="profile",
+                        type=argparse_filestring_type,
+                        default=None)
 
     options = parser.parse_args()
 
@@ -220,6 +224,17 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     if options.source_dir and not options.build_dir:
         args_error(parser, "argument --build is required when argument --source is provided")
 
+    if options.profile:
+        contents = json.load(open(options.profile))
+        try:
+            profile = contents[toolchain]
+        except KeyError:
+            args_error(parser, ("argument --profile: toolchain {} is not"
+                                " supported by profile {}").format(toolchain,
+                                                                   options.profile))
+    else:
+        profile = None
+
     if options.color:
         # This import happens late to prevent initializing colorization when we don't need it
         import colorize
@@ -280,7 +295,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                                      macros=options.macros,
                                      jobs=options.jobs,
                                      name=options.artifact_name,
-                                     app_config=options.app_config)
+                                     app_config=options.app_config,
+                                     build_profile=profile)
             print 'Image: %s'% bin_file
 
             if options.disk:
diff --git a/tools/toolchains/__init__.py b/tools/toolchains/__init__.py
index 9b56649f9c..718d0fb068 100644
--- a/tools/toolchains/__init__.py
+++ b/tools/toolchains/__init__.py
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ class mbedToolchain:
 
     __metaclass__ = ABCMeta
 
-    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None, silent=False, extra_verbose=False):
+    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None, silent=False, extra_verbose=False, build_profile=None):
         self.target = target
         self.name = self.__class__.__name__
 
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ class mbedToolchain:
         self.hook = hooks.Hook(target, self)
 
         # Toolchain flags
-        self.flags = deepcopy(self.DEFAULT_FLAGS)
+        self.flags = deepcopy(build_profile or self.DEFAULT_FLAGS)
 
         # User-defined macros
         self.macros = macros or []
diff --git a/tools/toolchains/arm.py b/tools/toolchains/arm.py
index f294edb5f5..9435d85678 100644
--- a/tools/toolchains/arm.py
+++ b/tools/toolchains/arm.py
@@ -51,8 +51,11 @@ class ARM(mbedToolchain):
          Returns False otherwise."""
         return mbedToolchain.generic_check_executable("ARM", 'armcc', 2, 'bin')
 
-    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None, silent=False, extra_verbose=False):
-        mbedToolchain.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent, extra_verbose=extra_verbose)
+    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None,
+                 silent=False, extra_verbose=False, build_profile=None):
+        mbedToolchain.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent,
+                               extra_verbose=extra_verbose,
+                               build_profile=build_profile)
 
         if target.core == "Cortex-M0+":
             cpu = "Cortex-M0"
@@ -241,8 +244,10 @@ class ARM(mbedToolchain):
 
 
 class ARM_STD(ARM):
-    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None, silent=False, extra_verbose=False):
-        ARM.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent, extra_verbose=extra_verbose)
+    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None,
+                 silent=False, extra_verbose=False, build_profile=None):
+        ARM.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent,
+                     extra_verbose=extra_verbose, build_profile=build_profile)
 
         # Run-time values
         self.ld.extend(["--libpath", join(TOOLCHAIN_PATHS['ARM'], "lib")])
@@ -251,8 +256,10 @@ class ARM_STD(ARM):
 class ARM_MICRO(ARM):
     PATCHED_LIBRARY = False
 
-    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None, silent=False, extra_verbose=False):
-        ARM.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent, extra_verbose=extra_verbose)
+    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None,
+                 silent=False, extra_verbose=False, build_profile=None):
+        ARM.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent,
+                     extra_verbose=extra_verbose, build_profile=build_profile)
 
         # Extend flags
         self.flags['common'].extend(["-D__MICROLIB"])
diff --git a/tools/toolchains/gcc.py b/tools/toolchains/gcc.py
index dbbe2c62bc..fa217314ff 100644
--- a/tools/toolchains/gcc.py
+++ b/tools/toolchains/gcc.py
@@ -46,8 +46,12 @@ class GCC(mbedToolchain):
             "-Wl,--wrap,exit", "-Wl,--wrap,atexit"],
     }
 
-    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None, silent=False, tool_path="", extra_verbose=False):
-        mbedToolchain.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent, extra_verbose=extra_verbose)
+    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None,
+                 silent=False, tool_path="", extra_verbose=False,
+                 build_profile=None):
+        mbedToolchain.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent,
+                               extra_verbose=extra_verbose,
+                               build_profile=build_profile)
 
         if target.core == "Cortex-M0+":
             cpu = "cortex-m0plus"
@@ -280,8 +284,11 @@ class GCC_ARM(GCC):
         Returns False otherwise."""
         return mbedToolchain.generic_check_executable("GCC_ARM", 'arm-none-eabi-gcc', 1)
 
-    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None, silent=False, extra_verbose=False):
-        GCC.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent, TOOLCHAIN_PATHS['GCC_ARM'], extra_verbose=extra_verbose)
+    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None,
+                 silent=False, extra_verbose=False, build_profile=None):
+        GCC.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent,
+                     TOOLCHAIN_PATHS['GCC_ARM'], extra_verbose=extra_verbose,
+                     build_profile=build_profile)
 
         # Use latest gcc nanolib
         if "std-lib" in self.options:
@@ -312,8 +319,11 @@ class GCC_CR(GCC):
         Returns False otherwise."""
         return mbedToolchain.generic_check_executable("GCC_CR", 'arm-none-eabi-gcc', 1)
 
-    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None, silent=False, extra_verbose=False):
-        GCC.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent, TOOLCHAIN_PATHS['GCC_CR'], extra_verbose=extra_verbose)
+    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None,
+                 silent=False, extra_verbose=False, build_profile=None):
+        GCC.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent,
+                     TOOLCHAIN_PATHS['GCC_CR'], extra_verbose=extra_verbose,
+                     build_profile=build_profile)
 
         additional_compiler_flags = [
             "-D__NEWLIB__", "-D__CODE_RED", "-D__USE_CMSIS", "-DCPP_USE_HEAP",
diff --git a/tools/toolchains/iar.py b/tools/toolchains/iar.py
index b712c2a158..2d36f6c2f6 100644
--- a/tools/toolchains/iar.py
+++ b/tools/toolchains/iar.py
@@ -54,8 +54,11 @@ class IAR(mbedToolchain):
         Returns False otherwise."""
         return mbedToolchain.generic_check_executable("IAR", 'iccarm', 2, "bin")
 
-    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None, silent=False, extra_verbose=False):
-        mbedToolchain.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent, extra_verbose=extra_verbose)
+    def __init__(self, target, options=None, notify=None, macros=None,
+                 silent=False, extra_verbose=False, build_profile=None):
+        mbedToolchain.__init__(self, target, options, notify, macros, silent,
+                               extra_verbose=extra_verbose,
+                               build_profile=build_profile)
         if target.core == "Cortex-M7F" or target.core == "Cortex-M7FD":
             cpuchoice = "Cortex-M7"
         else: