diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/diy.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/diy.py
index a78a3fc80b2..20e22066573 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/diy.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/diy.py
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ def setup_parser(subparser):
     subparser.add_argument(
         '-q', '--quiet', action='store_true', dest='quiet',
         help="do not display verbose build output while installing")
+    subparser.add_argument(
+        '-u', '--until', type=str, dest='until', default=None,
+        help="phase to stop after when installing (default None)")
     subparser.add_argument(
         'spec', nargs=argparse.REMAINDER,
         help="specs to use for install. must contain package AND version")
@@ -90,4 +93,5 @@ def diy(self, args):
         install_deps=not args.ignore_deps,
         verbose=not args.quiet,
         keep_stage=True,   # don't remove source dir for DIY.
-        dirty=args.dirty)
+        dirty=args.dirty,
+        stop_at=args.until)
diff --git a/share/spack/spack-completion.bash b/share/spack/spack-completion.bash
index c90b35338d8..362fe1e0bfd 100755
--- a/share/spack/spack-completion.bash
+++ b/share/spack/spack-completion.bash
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ function _spack_diy {
         compgen -W "-h --help -j --jobs -d --source-path
                     -i --ignore-dependencies -n --no-checksum
                     --keep-prefix --skip-patch -q --quiet --clean
-                    --dirty" -- "$cur"
+                    --dirty -u --until" -- "$cur"
     else
         compgen -W "$(_all_packages)" -- "$cur"
     fi