diff --git a/packages/build.py b/packages/build.py
index bcd5403..b388221 100644
--- a/packages/build.py
+++ b/packages/build.py
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ def build_package(
         build_root = target_chroot
         makepkg_compile_opts += ['--nodeps' if package.nodeps else '--syncdeps']
         env = deepcopy(get_makepkg_env(arch))
-        if foreign_arch and enable_crossdirect and package.name not in CROSSDIRECT_PKGS:
+        if foreign_arch and package.crossdirect and enable_crossdirect and package.name not in CROSSDIRECT_PKGS:
             env['PATH'] = f"/native/usr/lib/crossdirect/{arch}:{env['PATH']}"
             target_chroot.mount_crossdirect(native_chroot)
         else:
diff --git a/packages/cli.py b/packages/cli.py
index c300111..3878ba4 100644
--- a/packages/cli.py
+++ b/packages/cli.py
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ def cmd_list():
     logging.info(f'Done! {len(packages)} Pkgbuilds:')
     for name in sorted(packages.keys()):
         p = packages[name]
-        print(f'name: {p.name}; ver: {p.version}; mode: {p.mode}; provides: {p.provides}; replaces: {p.replaces};'
+        print(f'name: {p.name}; ver: {p.version}; mode: {p.mode}; crossdirect: {p.crossdirect} provides: {p.provides}; replaces: {p.replaces};'
               f'local_depends: {p.local_depends}; depends: {p.depends}')
 
 
@@ -346,6 +346,7 @@ def cmd_check(paths):
 
         mode_key = '_mode'
         nodeps_key = '_nodeps'
+        crossdirect_key = '_crossdirect'
         pkgbase_key = 'pkgbase'
         pkgname_key = 'pkgname'
         arches_key = '_arches'
@@ -356,6 +357,7 @@ def cmd_check(paths):
         required = {
             mode_key: True,
             nodeps_key: False,
+            crossdirect_key: False,
             pkgbase_key: False,
             pkgname_key: True,
             'pkgdesc': False,
diff --git a/packages/pkgbuild.py b/packages/pkgbuild.py
index baeea83..3b89558 100644
--- a/packages/pkgbuild.py
+++ b/packages/pkgbuild.py
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ class Pkgbuild(PackageInfo):
     repo: str
     mode: str
     nodeps: bool
+    crossdirect: bool
     path: str
     pkgver: str
     pkgrel: str
@@ -190,6 +191,7 @@ class Pkgbuild(PackageInfo):
         self.repo = repo or ''
         self.mode = ''
         self.nodeps = False
+        self.crossdirect = True
         self.path = relative_path
         self.pkgver = ''
         self.pkgrel = ''
@@ -223,6 +225,7 @@ class Pkgbuild(PackageInfo):
         self.repo = pkg.repo
         self.mode = pkg.mode
         self.nodeps = pkg.nodeps
+        self.crossdirect = pkg.crossdirect
         self.path = pkg.path
         self.pkgver = pkg.pkgver
         self.pkgrel = pkg.pkgrel
@@ -357,7 +360,11 @@ def parse_pkgbuild(
         else:
             raise Exception(msg)
 
+    # if _crossdirect is unset (None), it defaults to True
+    crossdirect_enabled = srcinfo_cache.build_crossdirect in (None, True)
+
     base_package = Pkgbase(relative_pkg_dir, sources_refreshed=sources_refreshed, srcinfo_cache=srcinfo_cache)
+    base_package.crossdirect = crossdirect_enabled
     base_package.mode = mode
     base_package.nodeps = nodeps
     base_package.repo = relative_pkg_dir.split('/')[0]
diff --git a/packages/srcinfo_cache.py b/packages/srcinfo_cache.py
index 5cb2373..3d9737b 100644
--- a/packages/srcinfo_cache.py
+++ b/packages/srcinfo_cache.py
@@ -68,11 +68,19 @@ class SrcInitialisedFile(JsonFile):
                 raise ex
 
 
+srcinfo_meta_defaults = {
+    'build_mode': None,
+    "build_nodeps": None,
+    "build_crossdirect": None,
+}
+
+
 class SrcinfoMetaFile(JsonFile):
 
     checksums: dict[str, str]
     build_mode: Optional[str]
     build_nodeps: Optional[bool]
+    build_crossdirect: Optional[bool]
 
     _changed: bool
     _filename: ClassVar[str] = SRCINFO_METADATA_FILE
@@ -92,9 +100,8 @@ class SrcinfoMetaFile(JsonFile):
         s = SrcinfoMetaFile({
             '_relative_path': relative_pkg_dir,
             '_changed': True,
-            'build_mode': '',
-            'build_nodeps': None,
             'checksums': {},
+            **srcinfo_meta_defaults,
         })
         return s, s.refresh_all()
 
@@ -120,9 +127,11 @@ class SrcinfoMetaFile(JsonFile):
         if not force_refresh:
             logging.debug(f'{metadata._relative_path}: srcinfo checksums match!')
             lines = lines or metadata.read_srcinfo_file()
-            for build_field in ['build_mode', 'build_nodeps']:
+            for build_field in srcinfo_meta_defaults.keys():
                 if build_field not in metadata:
                     metadata.refresh_build_fields()
+                    if write:
+                        metadata.write()
                     break
         else:
             lines = metadata.refresh_all(write=write)
@@ -143,8 +152,7 @@ class SrcinfoMetaFile(JsonFile):
             self._changed = True
 
     def refresh_build_fields(self):
-        self['build_mode'] = None
-        self['build_nodeps'] = None
+        self.update(srcinfo_meta_defaults)
         with open(os.path.join(config.get_path('pkgbuilds'), self._relative_path, 'PKGBUILD'), 'r') as file:
             lines = file.read().split('\n')
         for line in lines:
@@ -156,6 +164,8 @@ class SrcinfoMetaFile(JsonFile):
                 self.build_mode = val
             elif key == '_nodeps':
                 self.build_nodeps = val.lower() == 'true'
+            elif key == '_crossdirect':
+                self.build_crossdirect = val.lower() == 'true'
             else:
                 continue