diff --git a/acbs-build b/acbs-build
index f04afef..2a2db1b 100755
--- a/acbs-build
+++ b/acbs-build
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ def main() -> None:
     parser.add_argument('-z', '--temp-dir', nargs=1, dest='acbs_temp_dir',
                         help='Override temp directory')
     parser.add_argument('--force-use-apt', help="Only use apt to install dependency", action="store_true", dest="force_use_apt")
+    parser.add_argument('--general-pkg-metadata-only', help="Only bootstrap autobuild files", action="store_true", dest="general_pkg_metadata_only")
+
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
     if args.acbs_temp_dir:
diff --git a/acbs/main.py b/acbs/main.py
index e171a04..cc05aff 100644
--- a/acbs/main.py
+++ b/acbs/main.py
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ def __init__(self, args) -> None:
         self.reorder = args.reorder
         self.save_list = args.save_list
         self.force_use_apt = args.force_use_apt
+        self.general_pkg_metadata_only = args.general_pkg_metadata_only
+
         # static vars
         self.autobuild_conf_dir = AUTOBUILD_CONF_DIR
         self.conf_dir = CONF_DIR
@@ -302,7 +304,7 @@ def build_sequential(self, build_timings, packages: List[ACBSPackageInfo]):
             source_name = task.name
             if task.base_slug:
                 source_name = os.path.basename(task.base_slug)
-            if not has_stamp(task.build_location):
+            if not has_stamp(task.build_location) and not self.general_pkg_metadata_only:
                 fetch_source(task.source_uri, self.dump_dir, source_name)
             if self.dl_only:
                 if self.generate:
@@ -317,11 +319,13 @@ def build_sequential(self, build_timings, packages: List[ACBSPackageInfo]):
             if not task.build_location:
                 build_dir = make_build_dir(self.tmp_dir)
                 task.build_location = build_dir
-                process_source(task, source_name)
+                if not self.general_pkg_metadata_only:
+                    process_source(task, source_name)
             else:
                 # First sub-package in a meta-package
                 if not has_stamp(task.build_location):
-                    process_source(task, source_name)
+                    if not self.general_pkg_metadata_only:
+                        process_source(task, source_name)
                     Path(os.path.join(task.build_location, '.acbs-stamp')).touch()
                 build_dir = task.build_location
             if task.subdir:
@@ -332,14 +336,14 @@ def build_sequential(self, build_timings, packages: List[ACBSPackageInfo]):
                     raise RuntimeError(
                         'Could not determine sub-directory, please specify manually.')
                 build_dir = os.path.join(build_dir, subdir)
-            if task.installables:
+            if task.installables and not self.general_pkg_metadata_only:
                 logging.info('Installing dependencies from repository...')
                 install_from_repo(task.installables, self.force_use_apt)
             start = time.monotonic()
             task_name = f'{task.name} ({task.bin_arch} @ {task.epoch + ":" if task.epoch else ""}{task.version}-{task.rel})'
             try:
                 scoped_stage2 = ACBSPackageInfo.is_in_stage2(task.modifiers) | self.stage2
-                invoke_autobuild(task, build_dir, scoped_stage2)
+                invoke_autobuild(task, build_dir, scoped_stage2, self.general_pkg_metadata_only)
                 check_artifact(task.name, build_dir)
             except Exception:
                 # early printing of build summary before exploding
diff --git a/acbs/utils.py b/acbs/utils.py
index b3192cb..8b1af1f 100644
--- a/acbs/utils.py
+++ b/acbs/utils.py
@@ -166,7 +166,15 @@ def start_build_capture(env: Dict[str, str], build_dir: str):
         f.write(footer.encode())
         if signal_status or exit_status:
             raise RuntimeError('autobuild4 did not exit successfully.')
+        
+def start_general_autobuild_metadata(env: Dict[str, str], script_location: str):
+    process = pexpect.spawn('autobuild', args=["-p"], env=env, encoding='utf-8')
+    process.expect(pexpect.EOF)
 
+    path = os.path.join(script_location, '..', '.srcinfo.json')
+    with open(path, 'w') as f:
+        f.write(process.before)
+        logging.info(f".srcinfo.json is save to: {path}")
 
 def generate_metadata(task: ACBSPackageInfo) -> str:
     tree_commit = 'unknown\n'
@@ -228,7 +236,7 @@ def check_artifact(name: str, build_dir: str):
         'STOP! Autobuild3 malfunction detected! Returned zero status with no artifact.')
 
 
-def invoke_autobuild(task: ACBSPackageInfo, build_dir: str, stage2: bool):
+def invoke_autobuild(task: ACBSPackageInfo, build_dir: str, stage2: bool, general_pkg_metadata_only: bool):
     dst_dir = os.path.join(build_dir, 'autobuild')
     if os.path.exists(dst_dir) and task.group_seq > 1:
         shutil.rmtree(dst_dir)
@@ -254,7 +262,11 @@ def invoke_autobuild(task: ACBSPackageInfo, build_dir: str, stage2: bool):
         f.write(generate_metadata(task))
     os.chdir(build_dir)
     if build_logging:
-        start_build_capture(env_dict, build_dir)
+        if not general_pkg_metadata_only:
+            start_build_capture(env_dict, build_dir)
+        else:
+            start_general_autobuild_metadata(env_dict, task.script_location)
+            exit(0)
         return
     logging.warning(
         'Build logging not available due to pexpect not installed.')