diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
index 33697a71d5..d183abab6d 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
@@ -495,6 +495,7 @@ class BBCooker:
         """
         fn = None
         envdata = None
+        mc = ''
         if not pkgs_to_build:
             pkgs_to_build = []
 
@@ -503,6 +504,12 @@ class BBCooker:
             self.enableDataTracking()
             self.reset()
 
+        def mc_base(p):
+            if p.startswith('multiconfig:'):
+                s = p.split(':')
+                if len(s) == 2:
+                    return s[1]
+            return None
 
         if buildfile:
             # Parse the configuration here. We need to do it explicitly here since
@@ -513,18 +520,16 @@ class BBCooker:
             fn = self.matchFile(fn)
             fn = bb.cache.realfn2virtual(fn, cls, mc)
         elif len(pkgs_to_build) == 1:
-            ignore = self.data.getVar("ASSUME_PROVIDED") or ""
-            if pkgs_to_build[0] in set(ignore.split()):
-                bb.fatal("%s is in ASSUME_PROVIDED" % pkgs_to_build[0])
+            mc = mc_base(pkgs_to_build[0])
+            if not mc:
+                ignore = self.data.getVar("ASSUME_PROVIDED") or ""
+                if pkgs_to_build[0] in set(ignore.split()):
+                    bb.fatal("%s is in ASSUME_PROVIDED" % pkgs_to_build[0])
 
-            taskdata, runlist = self.buildTaskData(pkgs_to_build, None, self.configuration.abort, allowincomplete=True)
+                taskdata, runlist = self.buildTaskData(pkgs_to_build, None, self.configuration.abort, allowincomplete=True)
 
-            mc = runlist[0][0]
-            fn = runlist[0][3]
-        else:
-            envdata = self.data
-            data.expandKeys(envdata)
-            parse.ast.runAnonFuncs(envdata)
+                mc = runlist[0][0]
+                fn = runlist[0][3]
 
         if fn:
             try:
@@ -533,6 +538,12 @@ class BBCooker:
             except Exception as e:
                 parselog.exception("Unable to read %s", fn)
                 raise
+        else:
+            if not mc in self.databuilder.mcdata:
+                bb.fatal('Not multiconfig named "%s" found' % mc)
+            envdata = self.databuilder.mcdata[mc]
+            data.expandKeys(envdata)
+            parse.ast.runAnonFuncs(envdata)
 
         # Display history
         with closing(StringIO()) as env: