diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cache.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cache.py
index c56b4b4248..cdde3635ab 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cache.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cache.py
@@ -566,6 +566,7 @@ class CacheData(object):
         self.packages = defaultdict(list)
         self.packages_dynamic = defaultdict(list)
         self.possible_world = []
+        self.universe_target = []
         self.pkg_pn = defaultdict(list)
         self.pkg_fn = {}
         self.pkg_pepvpr = {}
@@ -644,6 +645,11 @@ class CacheData(object):
         if not info.broken and not info.not_world:
             self.possible_world.append(fn)
 
+        # create a collection of all targets for sanity checking
+        # tasks, such as upstream versions, license, and tools for
+        # task and image creation.
+        self.universe_target.append(info.pn)
+
         self.hashfn[fn] = info.hashfilename
         for task, taskhash in info.basetaskhashes.iteritems():
             identifier = '%s.%s' % (fn, task)
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
index 97863e517a..3c7b60eb95 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ class BBCooker:
 
             if 'world' in self.configuration.pkgs_to_build:
                 buildlog.error("'world' is not a valid target for --environment.")
+            if 'universe' in self.configuration.pkgs_to_build:
+                buildlog.error("'universe' is not a valid target for --environment.")
             elif len(self.configuration.pkgs_to_build) > 1:
                 buildlog.error("Only one target can be used with the --environment option.")
             elif self.configuration.buildfile and len(self.configuration.pkgs_to_build) > 0:
@@ -889,6 +891,12 @@ class BBCooker:
             for t in self.status.world_target:
                 pkgs_to_build.append(t)
 
+        if 'universe' in pkgs_to_build:
+            parselog.debug(1, "collating packages for \"universe\"")
+            pkgs_to_build.remove('universe')
+            for t in self.status.universe_target:
+                pkgs_to_build.append(t)
+
         return pkgs_to_build
 
     def get_bbfiles( self, path = os.getcwd() ):