diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/config/config.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/config/config.rs
index 98490118f7d62..781d0e602c339 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/config/config.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/config/config.rs
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ trait Merge {
 impl Merge for TomlConfig {
     fn merge(
         &mut self,
-        TomlConfig { build, install, llvm, rust, dist, target, profile: _, change_id }: Self,
+        TomlConfig { build, install, llvm, rust, dist, target, profile, change_id }: Self,
         replace: ReplaceOpt,
     ) {
         fn do_merge<T: Merge>(x: &mut Option<T>, y: Option<T>, replace: ReplaceOpt) {
@@ -712,7 +712,10 @@ impl Merge for TomlConfig {
                 }
             }
         }
+
         self.change_id.inner.merge(change_id.inner, replace);
+        self.profile.merge(profile, replace);
+
         do_merge(&mut self.build, build, replace);
         do_merge(&mut self.install, install, replace);
         do_merge(&mut self.llvm, llvm, replace);
@@ -1505,6 +1508,10 @@ impl Config {
             build.cargo = build.cargo.take().or(std::env::var_os("CARGO").map(|p| p.into()));
         }
 
+        if GitInfo::new(false, &config.src).is_from_tarball() && toml.profile.is_none() {
+            toml.profile = Some("dist".into());
+        }
+
         if let Some(include) = &toml.profile {
             // Allows creating alias for profile names, allowing
             // profiles to be renamed while maintaining back compatibility