diff --git a/bin/ebuild b/bin/ebuild
index 2fa4e7974..cfa5f15e5 100755
--- a/bin/ebuild
+++ b/bin/ebuild
@@ -75,7 +75,9 @@ try:
         "When used together with the digest or manifest "
         + "command, this option forces regeneration of digests for all "
         + "distfiles associated with the current ebuild. Any distfiles "
-        + "that do not already exist in ${DISTDIR} will be automatically fetched."
+        + "that do not already exist in ${DISTDIR} will be automatically fetched. "
+        + "When used with other commands, forces command execution even if phase "
+        + "has already ran.  Enabling force in FEATURES gives this same effect."
     )
 
     parser.add_argument("--force", help=force_help, action="store_true")
@@ -113,7 +115,6 @@ try:
         opts, pargs = parser.parse_known_args(default_opts + sys.argv[1:])
 
     debug = opts.debug
-    force = opts.force
 
     if debug:
         # Ensure that all config instances have this setting,
@@ -364,6 +365,9 @@ try:
     # portdb.porttrees in order to accomplish this).
     tmpsettings.setcpv(pkg)
 
+    if opts.force:
+        tmpsettings.features.add("force")
+
     def stale_env_warning():
         if (
             "clean" not in pargs
@@ -401,7 +405,7 @@ try:
                 stale_env_warning()
                 checked_for_stale_env = True
 
-            if arg in ("digest", "manifest") and force:
+            if arg in ("digest", "manifest") and "force" in tmpsettings.features:
                 discard_digests(ebuild, tmpsettings, portage.portdb)
             a = portage.doebuild(
                 ebuild,
diff --git a/bin/phase-functions.sh b/bin/phase-functions.sh
index 071941ff7..de699604c 100644
--- a/bin/phase-functions.sh
+++ b/bin/phase-functions.sh
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ __ebuild_phase_with_hooks() {
 }
 
 __dyn_pretend() {
-	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.pretended ]] ; then
+	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.pretended ]] && ! has force ${FEATURES} ; then
 		__vecho ">>> It appears that '${PF}' is already pretended; skipping."
 		__vecho ">>> Remove '${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.pretended' to force pretend."
 		return 0
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ __dyn_pretend() {
 }
 
 __dyn_setup() {
-	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.setuped ]] ; then
+	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.setuped ]] && ! has force ${FEATURES} ; then
 		__vecho ">>> It appears that '${PF}' is already setup; skipping."
 		__vecho ">>> Remove '${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.setuped' to force setup."
 		return 0
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ __has_phase_defined_up_to() {
 
 __dyn_prepare() {
 
-	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.prepared ]] ; then
+	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.prepared ]] && ! has force ${FEATURES} ; then
 		__vecho ">>> It appears that '${PF}' is already prepared; skipping."
 		__vecho ">>> Remove '${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.prepared' to force prepare."
 		return 0
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ __dyn_prepare() {
 }
 
 __dyn_configure() {
-	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.configured ]] ; then
+	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.configured ]] && ! has force ${FEATURES} ; then
 		__vecho ">>> It appears that '${PF}' is already configured; skipping."
 		__vecho ">>> Remove '${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.configured' to force configuration."
 		return 0
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ __dyn_configure() {
 }
 
 __dyn_compile() {
-	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.compiled ]] ; then
+	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.compiled ]] && ! has force ${FEATURES} ; then
 		__vecho ">>> It appears that '${PF}' is already compiled; skipping."
 		__vecho ">>> Remove '${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.compiled' to force compilation."
 		return 0
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ __dyn_compile() {
 }
 
 __dyn_test() {
-	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.tested ]] ; then
+	if [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.tested ]] && ! has force ${FEATURES} ; then
 		__vecho ">>> It appears that ${PN} has already been tested; skipping."
 		__vecho ">>> Remove '${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.tested' to force test."
 		return
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ __dyn_install() {
 
 	if has noauto ${FEATURES} ; then
 		rm -f "${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.installed"
-	elif [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.installed ]] ; then
+	elif [[ -e ${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.installed ]] && ! has force ${FEATURES} ; then
 		__vecho ">>> It appears that '${PF}' is already installed; skipping."
 		__vecho ">>> Remove '${PORTAGE_BUILDDIR}/.installed' to force install."
 		return 0
diff --git a/lib/portage/const.py b/lib/portage/const.py
index 10a208ceb..9bf6e8338 100644
--- a/lib/portage/const.py
+++ b/lib/portage/const.py
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ SUPPORTED_FEATURES = frozenset(
         "fail-clean",
         "fakeroot",
         "fixlafiles",
+        "force",
         "force-mirror",
         "getbinpkg",
         "gpg-keepalive",
diff --git a/lib/portage/package/ebuild/doebuild.py b/lib/portage/package/ebuild/doebuild.py
index 8b65a7862..0247dbe2b 100644
--- a/lib/portage/package/ebuild/doebuild.py
+++ b/lib/portage/package/ebuild/doebuild.py
@@ -2163,7 +2163,8 @@ def spawnebuild(
     if mydo == "pretend" and not eapi_has_pkg_pretend(eapi):
         return os.EX_OK
 
-    if not (mydo == "install" and "noauto" in mysettings.features):
+    if (not (mydo == "install" and "noauto" in mysettings.features) and "force" not in
+            mysettings.features):
         check_file = os.path.join(
             mysettings["PORTAGE_BUILDDIR"], f".{mydo.rstrip('e')}ed"
         )