diff --git a/INSTALL.txt b/INSTALL.txt
index 9fd2a09c46..57b928072c 100644
--- a/INSTALL.txt
+++ b/INSTALL.txt
@@ -503,6 +503,13 @@ In more detail:
      example, `SERVER_PKG_INSTALL_OPTIONS=--source` could be useful
      to ensure that the server always builds from sources.
 
+     The `PACK_BUILT_OPTIONS` variable can be set to `--mode <mode>`
+     to set the package mode for built packages. The default `infer`
+     mode infers uses the package's `distribution-preference`
+     "info.rkt" field, if any, infers `binary` if the package has any
+     native libraries and no Racket sources, and infers `built`
+     otherwise.
+
      The server provides README files from the "build/readmes"
      directory. If "README.txt" does not exist when the sever is
      started, a default file is created (and clients download
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 535fa49405..5e43747cba 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -757,9 +757,12 @@ origin-collects:
 	$(USER_RACKET) -l distro-build/pack-collects
 
 # Now that we've built packages from local sources, create "built"
-# versions of the packages from the installation into "build/user":
+# versions of the packages from the installation into "build/user";
+# set `PACK_BUILT_OPTIONS` `--mode <mode>` to force all packages to
+# a specific mode, but the default infers `built` or `binary`
+PACK_BUILT_OPTIONS =
 built-catalog:
-	$(USER_RACKET) -l distro-build/pack-built build/pkgs.rktd
+	$(USER_RACKET) -l- distro-build/pack-built $(PACK_BUILT_OPTIONS) build/pkgs.rktd
 
 # Run a catalog server to provide pre-built packages, as well
 # as the copy of the server's "collects" tree: