diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 10e3bdef..efbc6bb0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -155,6 +155,10 @@ The HeAP placer's solver can optionally use OpenMP for a speedup on very large d
 You can change the location where nextpnr will be installed (this will usually default to `/usr/local`) by using
 `-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/install/prefix`.
 
+It is possible to pre-generate `.bba` files.  This can come in handy when building on time-constrained cloud
+instances, or in situations where python is unable to use modules.  To do this, specify the path to pre-
+generated `.bba` files by passing `-DPREGENERATED_BBA_PATH=` to cmake.
+
 Notes for developers
 --------------------
 
diff --git a/ecp5/family.cmake b/ecp5/family.cmake
index a1043762..5512e7dd 100644
--- a/ecp5/family.cmake
+++ b/ecp5/family.cmake
@@ -41,14 +41,20 @@ if (NOT EXTERNAL_CHIPDB)
             set(DEV_CC_DB ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ecp5/chipdbs/chipdb-${dev}.bin)
             set(DEV_CC_BBA_DB ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ecp5/chipdbs/chipdb-${dev}.bba)
             set(DEV_CONSTIDS_INC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ecp5/constids.inc)
-            add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                COMMAND ${ENV_CMD} ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${DB_PY} -p ${DEV_CONSTIDS_INC} ${dev} > ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                DEPENDS ${DB_PY} ${PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                )
-            add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
-                COMMAND bbasm ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB} ${DEV_CC_DB}
-                DEPENDS bbasm ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                )
+            if (PREGENERATED_BBA_PATH)
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    COMMAND bbasm ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${PREGENERATED_BBA_PATH}/chipdb-${dev}.bba ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    )
+            else()
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    COMMAND ${ENV_CMD} ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${DB_PY} -p ${DEV_CONSTIDS_INC} ${dev} > ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    DEPENDS ${DB_PY} ${PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    )
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    COMMAND bbasm ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB} ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    DEPENDS bbasm ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    )
+            endif()
             if (SERIALIZE_CHIPDB)
                 set(PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB})
             endif()
@@ -65,16 +71,23 @@ if (NOT EXTERNAL_CHIPDB)
             set(DEV_CC_DB ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ecp5/chipdbs/chipdb-${dev}.cc)
             set(DEV_CC_BBA_DB ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ecp5/chipdbs/chipdb-${dev}.bba)
             set(DEV_CONSTIDS_INC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ecp5/constids.inc)
-            add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                COMMAND ${ENV_CMD} ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${DB_PY} -p ${DEV_CONSTIDS_INC} ${dev} > ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}.new
-                COMMAND mv ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}.new ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                DEPENDS ${DB_PY} ${PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                )
-            add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
-                COMMAND bbasm --c ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB} ${DEV_CC_DB}.new
-                COMMAND mv ${DEV_CC_DB}.new ${DEV_CC_DB}
-                DEPENDS bbasm ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                )
+            if (PREGENERATED_BBA_PATH)
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    COMMAND bbasm --c ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${PREGENERATED_BBA_PATH}/chipdb-${dev}.bba ${DEV_CC_DB}.new
+                    COMMAND mv ${DEV_CC_DB}.new ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    )
+            else()
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    COMMAND ${ENV_CMD} ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${DB_PY} -p ${DEV_CONSTIDS_INC} ${dev} > ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}.new
+                    COMMAND mv ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}.new ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    DEPENDS ${DB_PY} ${PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    )
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    COMMAND bbasm --c ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB} ${DEV_CC_DB}.new
+                    COMMAND mv ${DEV_CC_DB}.new ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    DEPENDS bbasm ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    )
+            endif()
             if (SERIALIZE_CHIPDB)
                 set(PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB})
             endif()
diff --git a/ice40/family.cmake b/ice40/family.cmake
index 8b2c4385..f22883fb 100644
--- a/ice40/family.cmake
+++ b/ice40/family.cmake
@@ -48,6 +48,21 @@ if (NOT EXTERNAL_CHIPDB)
                 COMMAND bbasm ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB} ${DEV_CC_DB}
                 DEPENDS bbasm ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
                 )
+
+            if(PREGENERATED_BBA_PATH)
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    COMMAND bbasm ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${PREGENERATED_BBA_PATH}/chipdb-${dev}.bba ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    )
+            else()
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${DB_PY} -p ${DEV_CONSTIDS_INC} -g ${DEV_GFXH} ${OPT_FAST} ${OPT_SLOW} ${DEV_TXT_DB} > ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    DEPENDS ${DEV_CONSTIDS_INC} ${DEV_GFXH} ${DEV_TXT_DB} ${DB_PY} ${PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    )
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    COMMAND bbasm ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB} ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    DEPENDS bbasm ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    )
+            endif()
             if (SERIALIZE_CHIPDB)
                 set(PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB})
             endif()
@@ -79,16 +94,23 @@ if (NOT EXTERNAL_CHIPDB)
             set(DEV_CC_DB ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ice40/chipdbs/chipdb-${dev}.cc)
             set(DEV_CONSTIDS_INC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ice40/constids.inc)
             set(DEV_GFXH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ice40/gfx.h)
-            add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${DB_PY} -p ${DEV_CONSTIDS_INC} -g ${DEV_GFXH} ${OPT_FAST} ${OPT_SLOW} ${DEV_TXT_DB} > ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}.new
-                COMMAND mv ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}.new ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                DEPENDS ${DEV_CONSTIDS_INC} ${DEV_GFXH} ${DEV_TXT_DB} ${DB_PY} ${PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                )
-            add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
-                COMMAND bbasm --c ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB} ${DEV_CC_DB}.new
-                COMMAND mv ${DEV_CC_DB}.new ${DEV_CC_DB}
-                DEPENDS bbasm ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
-                )
+            if(PREGENERATED_BBA_PATH)
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    COMMAND bbasm --c ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${PREGENERATED_BBA_PATH}/chipdb-${dev}.bba ${DEV_CC_DB}.new
+                    COMMAND mv ${DEV_CC_DB}.new ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    )
+            else()
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${DB_PY} -p ${DEV_CONSTIDS_INC} -g ${DEV_GFXH} ${OPT_FAST} ${OPT_SLOW} ${DEV_TXT_DB} > ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}.new
+                    COMMAND mv ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}.new ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    DEPENDS ${DEV_CONSTIDS_INC} ${DEV_GFXH} ${DEV_TXT_DB} ${DB_PY} ${PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    )
+                add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    COMMAND bbasm --c ${BBASM_ENDIAN_FLAG} ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB} ${DEV_CC_DB}.new
+                    COMMAND mv ${DEV_CC_DB}.new ${DEV_CC_DB}
+                    DEPENDS bbasm ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB}
+                    )
+            endif()
             if (SERIALIZE_CHIPDB)
                 set(PREV_DEV_CC_BBA_DB ${DEV_CC_BBA_DB})
             endif()