diff --git a/tools/catalog.js b/tools/catalog.js
index 0eb2caf7b5..6521645563 100644
--- a/tools/catalog.js
+++ b/tools/catalog.js
@@ -75,27 +75,52 @@ _.extend(Catalog.prototype, {
   //    'foo' that we find through the package server. Directories
   //    that don't exist (or paths that aren't directories) will be
   //    silently ignored.
+  // - bootstrapLocalPackageDirs: like 'localPackageDirs', but
+  //   containing the packages that we can call 'unipackage.load' to
+  //   load the packages that we need to talk to the server. Packages
+  //   inside `bootstrapLocalPackageDirs` cannot use troposphere
+  //   packages.
   initialize: function (options) {
     var self = this;
 
     options = options || {};
 
-    // Trim down localPackageDirs to just those that actually exist
-    // (and that are actually directories)
-    self.localPackageDirs = _.filter(options.localPackageDirs || [],
-                                     isDirectory);
+    var trimPackageDirs = function (packageDirs) {
+      // Trim down local package dirs to just those that actually exist
+      // (and that are actually directories)
+      return _.filter(packageDirs || [], isDirectory);
+    };
+
+    var bootstrapPackageDirs = trimPackageDirs(
+      options.bootstrapLocalPackageDirs);
+    var localPackageDirs = trimPackageDirs(
+      options.localPackageDirs);
+    var allLocalPackageDirs = bootstrapPackageDirs.concat(localPackageDirs);
+
+    self.localPackageDirs = bootstrapPackageDirs;
     self._recomputeEffectiveLocalPackages();
 
-    // First, initialize the catalog with just the local
-    // packages. This is just enough (at least if we're running from a
-    // checkout) that we're able to call unipackage.load to load the
-    // packages that we need to talk to the server.
+    // First, initialize the catalog with just the local packages for
+    // bootstrapping. This is just enough (at least if we're running
+    // from a checkout) that we're able to call unipackage.load to load
+    // the packages that we need to talk to the server.
     self.packages = [];
     self.versions = [];
     self.builds = [];
     console.log("XXX Loading local packages for bootstrapping");
     self._addLocalPackageOverrides(true /* setInitialized */);
 
+    // Now we can include options.localPackageDirs. We do this
+    // separately from the bootstrapping packages because packages in
+    // options.localPackageDirs (app packages, for example) are allowed
+    // to use troposphere packages, so we have to be able to talk to the
+    // server before we load them.
+    self.localPackageDirs = allLocalPackageDirs;
+    self._recomputeEffectiveLocalPackages();
+    // We don't need to call _addLocalPackageOverrides here; that will
+    // be called as part of catalog initialization, which is the next
+    // step.
+
     // OK, now initialize the catalog for real, with both local and
     // package server packages.
     console.log("XXX Loading catalog for real");
diff --git a/tools/main.js b/tools/main.js
index 797465aaa8..fc0894beca 100644
--- a/tools/main.js
+++ b/tools/main.js
@@ -678,10 +678,13 @@ Fiber(function () {
     localPackageDirs = localPackageDirs.concat(
       process.env.PACKAGE_DIRS.split(':'));
 
+  var bootstrapPackageDirs = [];
+
   if (releaseName === null) {
     // Running from a checkout, so use the Meteor core packages from
     // the checkout.
-    localPackageDirs.push(path.join(files.getCurrentToolsDir(), 'packages'));
+    bootstrapPackageDirs.push(path.join(
+      files.getCurrentToolsDir(), 'packages'));
   }
 
   // Initialize the singleton Catalog. Only after this point is the
@@ -691,8 +694,9 @@ Fiber(function () {
   // attempt to contact the server for more recent data. Otherwise, the catalog
   // will attempt to synchronize with the remote package server.
   catalog.initialize({
-      localPackageDirs: localPackageDirs,
-      offline: _.has(rawOptions, '--no-net')
+    bootstrapLocalPackageDirs: bootstrapPackageDirs,
+    localPackageDirs: localPackageDirs,
+    offline: _.has(rawOptions, '--no-net')
   });
   // We need to delete the option or we will throw an error.
   // XXX: This seems like a hack?