diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/deployconfiguration.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/deployconfiguration.cpp
index cd951b44948..4b967658786 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/deployconfiguration.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/deployconfiguration.cpp
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ DeployConfiguration *DeployConfigurationFactory::create(Target *parent, Core::Id
     if (!dc)
         return nullptr;
     dc->initialize();
+    for (const DeployStepCreationInfo &info : qAsConst(m_initialSteps)) {
+        if (!info.condition || info.condition(parent))
+            dc->stepList()->appendStep(info.deployStepId);
+    }
     return dc;
 }
 
@@ -251,6 +255,11 @@ void DeployConfigurationFactory::setSupportedProjectType(Core::Id id)
     m_supportedProjectType = id;
 }
 
+void DeployConfigurationFactory::addInitialStep(Core::Id stepId, const std::function<bool (Target *)> &condition)
+{
+    m_initialSteps.append({stepId, condition});
+}
+
 ///
 // DefaultDeployConfigurationFactory
 ///
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/deployconfiguration.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/deployconfiguration.h
index 8f2ea2bb407..5cf1ab0dcb1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/deployconfiguration.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/deployconfiguration.h
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ public:
     void setDefaultDisplayName(const QString &defaultDisplayName);
     void setSupportedProjectType(Core::Id id);
 
+    // Step is only added if condition is not set, or returns true when called.
+    void addInitialStep(Core::Id stepId, const std::function<bool(Target *)> &condition = {});
+
     virtual bool canHandle(ProjectExplorer::Target *target) const;
 
 protected:
@@ -113,10 +116,15 @@ protected:
     }
 
 private:
+    struct DeployStepCreationInfo {
+        Core::Id deployStepId;
+        std::function<bool(Target *)> condition; // unset counts as unrestricted
+    };
     DeployConfigurationCreator m_creator;
     Core::Id m_deployConfigBaseId;
     Core::Id m_supportedProjectType;
     QList<Core::Id> m_supportedTargetDeviceTypes;
+    QList<DeployStepCreationInfo> m_initialSteps;
     QString m_defaultDisplayName;
 };