diff --git a/pmb/build/_package.py b/pmb/build/_package.py
index 245ad0f1..006bc5a5 100644
--- a/pmb/build/_package.py
+++ b/pmb/build/_package.py
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ def package(args, pkgname, arch=None, force=False, strict=False,
 
     :param pkgname: package name to be built, as specified in the APKBUILD
     :param arch: architecture we're building for (default: native)
-    :param force: even build, if not necessary
+    :param force: allways build, even if not necessary
     :param strict: avoid building with irrelevant dependencies installed by
                    letting abuild install and uninstall all dependencies.
     :param skip_init_buildenv: can be set to False to avoid initializing the
diff --git a/pmb/config/__init__.py b/pmb/config/__init__.py
index 6e6f16ac..fff1a5ac 100644
--- a/pmb/config/__init__.py
+++ b/pmb/config/__init__.py
@@ -616,3 +616,8 @@ newapkbuild_arguments_switches_other = [
 #
 # Patterns of package names to ignore for automatic pmaport upgrading ("pmbootstrap aportupgrade --all")
 upgrade_ignore = ["device-*", "firmware-*", "linux-*", "postmarketos-*", "*-aarch64", "*-armhf", "*-armv7"]
+
+#
+# SIDELOAD
+#
+sideload_sudo_prompt = "[sudo] password for %u@%h: "
diff --git a/pmb/helpers/frontend.py b/pmb/helpers/frontend.py
index 8986bffe..7a42b567 100644
--- a/pmb/helpers/frontend.py
+++ b/pmb/helpers/frontend.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import sys
 import pmb.aportgen
 import pmb.build
 import pmb.build.autodetect
+import pmb.sideload
 import pmb.chroot
 import pmb.chroot.initfs
 import pmb.chroot.other
@@ -113,6 +114,15 @@ def checksum(args):
             pmb.build.checksum.update(args, package)
 
 
+def sideload(args):
+    arch = args.deviceinfo["arch"]
+    if args.arch:
+        arch = args.arch
+    user = args.user
+    host = args.host
+    pmb.sideload.sideload(args, user, host, arch, args.install_key, args.packages)
+
+
 def chroot(args):
     # Suffix
     suffix = _parse_suffix(args)
diff --git a/pmb/parse/arguments.py b/pmb/parse/arguments.py
index 0d7a8dae..b58702a4 100644
--- a/pmb/parse/arguments.py
+++ b/pmb/parse/arguments.py
@@ -135,6 +135,23 @@ def arguments_export(subparser):
     return ret
 
 
+def arguments_sideload(subparser):
+    ret = subparser.add_parser("sideload", help="Push packages to a running"
+                               " phone connected over usb or wifi")
+    add_packages_arg(ret, nargs="+")
+    ret.add_argument("--host", help="ip of the device over wifi"
+                                    " (defaults to 172.16.42.1)",
+                     default="172.16.42.1")
+    ret.add_argument("--user", help="use a different username than the"
+                     " one set in init")
+    ret.add_argument("--arch", help="use a different architecture than the one"
+                                    " set in init")
+    ret.add_argument("--install-key", help="install the apk key from this"
+                     " machine if needed",
+                     action="store_true", dest="install_key")
+    return ret
+
+
 def arguments_flasher(subparser):
     ret = subparser.add_parser("flasher", help="flash something to the"
                                " target device")
@@ -533,6 +550,7 @@ def arguments():
     arguments_repo_missing(sub)
     arguments_kconfig(sub)
     arguments_export(sub)
+    arguments_sideload(sub)
     arguments_flasher(sub)
     arguments_initfs(sub)
     arguments_qemu(sub)
diff --git a/pmb/sideload/__init__.py b/pmb/sideload/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..50173c4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmb/sideload/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+# Copyright 2020 Martijn Braam
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+import glob
+import os
+import logging
+
+import pmb.helpers.run
+import pmb.parse.apkindex
+import pmb.config.pmaports
+import pmb.build
+
+
+def scp_abuild_key(args, user, host):
+    """ Copy the building key of the local installation to the target device,
+        so it trusts the apks that were signed here.
+        :param user: target device ssh username
+        :param host: target device ssh hostname """
+
+    keys = glob.glob(os.path.join(args.work, "config_abuild", "*.pub"))
+    key = keys[0]
+    key_name = os.path.basename(key)
+
+    logging.info(f"Copying signing key ({key_name}) to {user}@{host}")
+    command = ['scp', key, f'{user}@{host}:/tmp']
+    pmb.helpers.run.user(args, command, output="interactive")
+
+    logging.info(f"Installing signing key at {user}@{host}")
+    keyname = os.path.join("/tmp", os.path.basename(key))
+    remote_cmd = ['sudo', '-p', pmb.config.sideload_sudo_prompt,
+                  '-S', 'mv', '-n', keyname, "/etc/apk/keys/"]
+    remote_cmd = pmb.helpers.run.flat_cmd(remote_cmd)
+    command = ['ssh', '-t', f'{user}@{host}', remote_cmd]
+    pmb.helpers.run.user(args, command, output="tui")
+
+
+def ssh_install_apks(args, user, host, paths):
+    """ Copy binary packages via SCP and install them via SSH.
+        :param user: target device ssh username
+        :param host: target device ssh hostname
+        :param paths: list of absolute paths to locally stored apks
+        :type paths: list """
+
+    remote_paths = []
+    for path in paths:
+        remote_paths.append(os.path.join('/tmp', os.path.basename(path)))
+
+    logging.info(f"Copying packages to {user}@{host}")
+    command = ['scp'] + paths + [f'{user}@{host}:/tmp']
+    pmb.helpers.run.user(args, command, output="interactive")
+
+    logging.info(f"Installing packages at {user}@{host}")
+    add_cmd = ['sudo', '-p', pmb.config.sideload_sudo_prompt,
+               '-S', 'apk', 'add'] + remote_paths
+    add_cmd = pmb.helpers.run.flat_cmd(add_cmd)
+    clean_cmd = pmb.helpers.run.flat_cmd(['rm'] + remote_paths)
+    command = ['ssh', '-t', f'{user}@{host}', f'{add_cmd}; {clean_cmd}']
+    pmb.helpers.run.user(args, command, output="tui")
+
+
+def sideload(args, user, host, arch, copy_key, pkgnames):
+    """ Build packages if necessary and install them via SSH.
+
+        :param user: target device ssh username
+        :param host: target device ssh hostname
+        :param arch: target device architecture
+        :param copy_key: copy the abuild key too
+        :param pkgnames: list of pkgnames to be built """
+
+    paths = []
+    channel = pmb.config.pmaports.read_config(args)["channel"]
+
+    for pkgname in pkgnames:
+        data_repo = pmb.parse.apkindex.package(args, pkgname, arch, True)
+        apk_file = f"{pkgname}-{data_repo['version']}.apk"
+        host_path = os.path.join(args.work, "packages", channel, arch,
+                                 apk_file)
+        if not os.path.isfile(host_path):
+            pmb.build.package(args, pkgname, arch, force=True)
+
+        if not os.path.isfile(host_path):
+            raise RuntimeError(f"The package '{pkgname}' could not be built")
+
+        paths.append(host_path)
+
+    if copy_key:
+        scp_abuild_key(args, user, host)
+
+    ssh_install_apks(args, user, host, paths)
diff --git a/test/static_code_analysis.sh b/test/static_code_analysis.sh
index 0bd7d48c..40e08bc4 100755
--- a/test/static_code_analysis.sh
+++ b/test/static_code_analysis.sh
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ py_files="
 	pmb/parse/cpuinfo.py
 	pmb/parse/version.py
 	pmb/qemu/__init__.py
+	pmb/sideload/__init__.py
 	pmbootstrap.py
 	test/pmb_test/__init__.py
 	test/pmb_test/const.py