diff --git a/pkg/c3/motes.h b/pkg/c3/motes.h
index 0000d5c593..4241c7f09d 100644
--- a/pkg/c3/motes.h
+++ b/pkg/c3/motes.h
@@ -936,6 +936,7 @@
 #   define c3__pril   c3_s4('p','r','i','l')
 #   define c3__pro    c3_s3('p','r','o')
 #   define c3__prod   c3_s4('p','r','o','d')
+#   define c3__prop   c3_s4('p','r','o','p')
 #   define c3__prof   c3_s4('p','r','o','f')
 #   define c3__prox   c3_s4('p','r','o','x')
 #   define c3__psdg   c3_s4('p','s','d','g')
diff --git a/pkg/vere/king.c b/pkg/vere/king.c
index 74ff7f782d..44979102b3 100644
--- a/pkg/vere/king.c
+++ b/pkg/vere/king.c
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ void _king_doom(u3_noun doom);
     void _king_fake(u3_noun ship, u3_noun pill, u3_noun path);
   void _king_pier(u3_noun pier);
 
+static u3_noun _king_get_atom(c3_c* url_c);
+
 /* _king_defy_fate(): invalid fate
 */
 void
@@ -158,6 +160,49 @@ _king_boot(u3_noun bul)
   u3z(bul);
 }
 
+/* _king_prop(): events from prop arguments
+*/
+u3_noun
+_king_prop()
+{
+  u3_noun mor = u3_nul;
+  while ( 0 != u3_Host.ops_u.vex_u ) {
+    u3_even* vex_u = u3_Host.ops_u.vex_u;
+    switch ( vex_u->kin_i ) {
+      case 1: {  //  file
+        u3_atom jam = u3m_file(vex_u->loc_c);
+        mor = u3nc(u3ke_cue(jam), mor);
+      } break;
+
+      case 2: {  //  url
+        u3l_log("boot: downloading prop %s", vex_u->loc_c);
+        u3_atom jam = _king_get_atom(vex_u->loc_c);
+        mor = u3nc(u3ke_cue(jam), mor);
+      } break;
+
+      case 3: {  //  name
+        //NOTE  this implementation limits us to max 38 char prop names
+        c3_c url_c[80];
+        sprintf(url_c,
+                //TODO  should maybe respect ops_u.url_c
+                "https://bootstrap.urbit.org/props/" URBIT_VERSION "/%s.jam",
+                vex_u->loc_c);
+        u3l_log("boot: downloading prop %s", url_c);
+        u3_atom jam = _king_get_atom(url_c);
+        mor = u3nc(u3ke_cue(jam), mor);
+      } break;
+
+      default: {
+        u3l_log("invalid prop source %d", vex_u->kin_i);
+        exit(1);
+      }
+    }
+
+    u3_Host.ops_u.vex_u = vex_u->pre_u;
+  }
+  return mor;
+}
+
 /* _king_fake(): boot with fake keys
 */
 void
@@ -166,7 +211,8 @@ _king_fake(u3_noun ship, u3_noun pill, u3_noun path)
   //  XX link properly
   //
   u3_noun vent = u3nc(c3__fake, u3k(ship));
-  u3K.pir_u    = u3_pier_boot(sag_w, ship, vent, pill, path, u3_none);
+  u3K.pir_u    = u3_pier_boot(sag_w, ship, vent, pill, path,
+                              u3_none, _king_prop());
 }
 
 /* _king_come(): mine a comet under star (unit)
@@ -201,7 +247,8 @@ _king_dawn(u3_noun feed, u3_noun pill, u3_noun path)
   u3_noun vent = u3_dawn_vent(u3k(ship), u3k(feed));
   //  XX link properly
   //
-  u3K.pir_u    = u3_pier_boot(sag_w, u3k(ship), vent, pill, path, feed);
+  u3K.pir_u    = u3_pier_boot(sag_w, u3k(ship), vent, pill, path,
+                              feed, _king_prop());
 
   // disable ivory slog printfs
   //
diff --git a/pkg/vere/main.c b/pkg/vere/main.c
index 9a1680347c..9114cb4f74 100644
--- a/pkg/vere/main.c
+++ b/pkg/vere/main.c
@@ -215,6 +215,19 @@ _main_pier_run(c3_c* bin_c)
   return dir_c;
 }
 
+/* _main_add_prop(): add a boot prop to u3_Host.ops_u.vex_u.
+*/
+u3_even*
+_main_add_prop(c3_i kin_i, c3_c* loc_c)
+{
+  u3_even* nex_u = c3_calloc(sizeof(*nex_u));
+  nex_u->kin_i = kin_i;
+  nex_u->loc_c = loc_c;  //  XX _main_repath where appropriate?
+  nex_u->pre_u = u3_Host.ops_u.vex_u;
+  u3_Host.ops_u.vex_u = nex_u;
+  return nex_u;
+}
+
 /* _main_getopt(): extract option map from command line.
 */
 static u3_noun
@@ -269,6 +282,10 @@ _main_getopt(c3_i argc, c3_c** argv)
     { "scry-into",           required_argument, NULL, 'Y' },
     { "scry-format",         required_argument, NULL, 'Z' },
     //
+    { "prop-file",           required_argument, NULL, 1 },
+    { "prop-url",            required_argument, NULL, 2 },
+    { "prop-name",           required_argument, NULL, 3 },
+    //
     { "urth-loom",           required_argument, NULL, 5 },
     { "no-demand",           no_argument,       NULL, 6 },
     { "swap",                no_argument,       NULL, 7 },
@@ -283,6 +300,10 @@ _main_getopt(c3_i argc, c3_c** argv)
                  lop_u, &lid_i)) )
   {
     switch ( ch_i ) {
+      case 1: case 2: case 3: {  //  prop-*
+        _main_add_prop(ch_i, strdup(optarg));
+        break;
+      }
       case 5: {  //  urth-loom
         if (_main_readw_loom("urth-loom", &u3_Host.ops_u.lut_y)) {
           return c3n;
@@ -591,6 +612,7 @@ _main_getopt(c3_i argc, c3_c** argv)
     if ( hyphen_c ) {
       *hyphen_c = '\0';
     }
+    //TODO  use brass pill from b.u.org/props/etc eventually
     c3_i res_i = asprintf(&u3_Host.ops_u.url_c,
                           "https://bootstrap.urbit.org/urbit-v%s.pill",
                           version_c);
@@ -616,6 +638,18 @@ _main_getopt(c3_i argc, c3_c** argv)
     }
   }
 
+  if ( u3_Host.ops_u.vex_u != 0 ) {
+    struct stat s;
+    u3_even* vex_u = u3_Host.ops_u.vex_u;
+    while ( vex_u != 0 ) {
+      if ( vex_u->kin_i == 1 && stat(vex_u->loc_c, &s) != 0 ) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "events file %s not found\n", vex_u->loc_c);
+        return c3n;
+      }
+      vex_u = vex_u->pre_u;
+    }
+  }
+
   struct sockaddr_in t;
   if ( u3_Host.ops_u.bin_c != 0 && inet_pton(AF_INET, u3_Host.ops_u.bin_c, &t.sin_addr) == 0 ) {
     fprintf(stderr, "-b invalid IP address\n");
@@ -630,6 +664,15 @@ _main_getopt(c3_i argc, c3_c** argv)
     }
   }
 
+  //TODO  split up "default distribution" packages eventually
+  // //  if we're not in lite mode, include the default props
+  // //
+  // if ( u3_Host.ops_u.lit == c3n ) {
+  //   _main_add_prop(3, "landscape");
+  //   _main_add_prop(3, "webterm");
+  //   _main_add_prop(3, "groups");
+  // }
+
   return c3y;
 }
 
@@ -790,6 +833,9 @@ u3_ve_usage(c3_i argc, c3_c** argv)
     "    --no-dock                 Skip binary \"docking\" on boot\n",
     "    --swap                    Use an explicit ephemeral (swap-like) file\n",
     "    --swap-to FILE            Specify ephemeral file location\n",
+    "    --prop-file FILE          Add a prop into the boot sequence\n"
+    "    --prop-url URL            Download a prop into the boot sequence\n",
+    "    --prop-name NAME          Download a prop from bootstrap.urbit.org\n",
     "\n",
     "Development Usage:\n",
     "   To create a development ship, use a fakezod:\n",
diff --git a/pkg/vere/pier.c b/pkg/vere/pier.c
index bba434c4fd..b195291707 100644
--- a/pkg/vere/pier.c
+++ b/pkg/vere/pier.c
@@ -1820,7 +1820,8 @@ _pier_boot_make(u3_noun who,
                 u3_noun wyr,
                 u3_noun ven,
                 u3_noun pil,
-                u3_weak fed)
+                u3_weak fed,
+                u3_noun mor)
 {
   u3_boot bot_u = _pier_pill_parse(pil); // transfer
 
@@ -1872,7 +1873,48 @@ _pier_boot_make(u3_noun who,
     bot_u.use = u3nc(u3nc(wir, cad), bot_u.use);
   }
 
+  //  prepend & append additional boot enhancements to the userspace sequence
+  //
+  {
+    u3_noun mos = mor;
+    u3_noun pre = u3_nul;
+    u3_noun aft = u3_nul;
+    while ( u3_nul != mos ) {
+      u3_noun mot = u3h(mos);
+
+      switch ( u3h(mot) ) {
+        case c3__prop: {
+          u3_noun ter, met, ves;
+
+          if ( c3n == u3r_trel(u3t(mot), &met, &ter, &ves) ) {
+            u3m_p("invalid prop", u3t(mot));
+            break;
+          }
+
+          if ( c3__fore == ter ) {
+            u3m_p("prop: fore", met);
+            pre = u3kb_weld(pre, u3k(ves));
+          }
+          else if ( c3__hind == ter ) {
+            u3m_p("prop: hind", met);
+            aft = u3kb_weld(aft, u3k(ves));
+          }
+          else {
+            u3m_p("unrecognized prop tier", ter);
+          }
+        } break;
+
+        default: u3m_p("unrecognized boot sequence enhancement", u3h(mot));
+      }
+
+      mos = u3t(mos);
+    }
+
+    bot_u.use = u3kb_weld(pre, u3kb_weld(bot_u.use, aft)); // transfer
+  }
+
   u3z(fed);
+  u3z(mor);
   return bot_u;
 }
 
@@ -1883,7 +1925,8 @@ _pier_boot_plan(u3_pier* pir_u,
                 u3_noun who,
                 u3_noun ven,
                 u3_noun pil,
-                u3_weak fed)
+                u3_weak fed,
+                u3_noun mor)
 {
   u3_boot bot_u;
   {
@@ -1891,7 +1934,7 @@ _pier_boot_plan(u3_pier* pir_u,
     pir_u->fak_o = ( c3__fake == u3h(ven) ) ? c3y : c3n;
     u3r_chubs(0, 2, pir_u->who_d, who);
 
-    bot_u = _pier_boot_make(who, _pier_wyrd_card(pir_u), ven, pil, fed);
+    bot_u = _pier_boot_make(who, _pier_wyrd_card(pir_u), ven, pil, fed, mor);
     pir_u->lif_w = u3qb_lent(bot_u.bot);
   }
 
@@ -1967,7 +2010,8 @@ u3_pier_boot(c3_w  wag_w,                   //  config flags
              u3_noun ven,                   //  boot event
              u3_noun pil,                   //  type-of/path-to pill
              u3_noun pax,                   //  path to pier
-             u3_weak fed)                   //  extra private keys
+             u3_weak fed,                   //  extra private keys
+             u3_noun mor)                   //  extra boot sequence props
 {
   u3_pier* pir_u;
 
@@ -1979,7 +2023,7 @@ u3_pier_boot(c3_w  wag_w,                   //  config flags
 
   //  XX must be called from on_lord_live
   //
-  if ( c3n == _pier_boot_plan(pir_u, who, ven, pil, fed) ) {
+  if ( c3n == _pier_boot_plan(pir_u, who, ven, pil, fed, mor) ) {
     fprintf(stderr, "pier: boot plan fail\r\n");
     //  XX dispose
     //
diff --git a/pkg/vere/vere.h b/pkg/vere/vere.h
index b2b78b5e81..6361a1c3d2 100644
--- a/pkg/vere/vere.h
+++ b/pkg/vere/vere.h
@@ -258,6 +258,14 @@
         struct _u3_auto* car_u;             //  driver hack
       } u3_utty;
 
+    /* u3_even: boot event specifier
+    */
+      typedef struct _u3_even {
+       c3_i             kin_i;
+       c3_c*            loc_c;
+       struct _u3_even* pre_u;
+     } u3_even;
+
     /* u3_opts: command line configuration.
     */
       typedef struct _u3_opts {
@@ -308,6 +316,7 @@
         c3_o    map;                        //  --no-demand (reversed)
         c3_o    eph;                        //  --swap, use ephemeral file
         c3_o    tos;                        //  --toss, discard ephemeral
+        u3_even* vex_u;                     //  --prop-*, boot enhancements
       } u3_opts;
 
     /* u3_host: entire host.
@@ -1417,7 +1426,8 @@
                      u3_noun ven,                   //  boot event
                      u3_noun pil,                   //  type-of/path-to pill
                      u3_noun pax,                   //  path to pier
-                     u3_weak fed);                  //  extra private keys
+                     u3_weak fed,                   //  extra private keys
+                     u3_noun mor);                  //  extra boot seq props
 
       /* u3_pier_stay(): restart the pier.
       */