diff --git a/common/buildcraft/builders/TileArchitect.java b/common/buildcraft/builders/TileArchitect.java
index b41653b5..c8a838c0 100644
--- a/common/buildcraft/builders/TileArchitect.java
+++ b/common/buildcraft/builders/TileArchitect.java
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ public class TileArchitect extends TileBuildCraft implements IInventory, IBoxPro
 							xCoord, yCoord, zCoord)].getOpposite();
 
 					writingBlueprint.rotate = readConfiguration.rotate;
+					writingBlueprint.excavate = readConfiguration.excavate;
 
 					if (writingBlueprint.rotate) {
 						if (o == ForgeDirection.EAST) {
diff --git a/common/buildcraft/builders/gui/GuiArchitect.java b/common/buildcraft/builders/gui/GuiArchitect.java
index 85cbee18..9593c497 100644
--- a/common/buildcraft/builders/gui/GuiArchitect.java
+++ b/common/buildcraft/builders/gui/GuiArchitect.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ public class GuiArchitect extends GuiBuildCraft {
 	private GuiButton optionRotate;
 	private GuiButton optionReadMods;
 	private GuiButton optionReadBlocks;
+	private GuiButton optionExcavate;
 
 	public GuiArchitect(IInventory playerInventory, TileArchitect architect) {
 		super(new ContainerArchitect(playerInventory, architect), architect, TEXTURE);
@@ -57,6 +58,9 @@ public class GuiArchitect extends GuiBuildCraft {
 		optionReadBlocks = new GuiButton(1, x + 5, y + 55, 77, 20, "");
 		buttonList.add(optionReadBlocks);
 
+		optionExcavate = new GuiButton(2, x + 5, y + 80, 77, 20, "");
+		buttonList.add(optionExcavate);
+
 		updateButtons();
 	}
 
@@ -68,6 +72,8 @@ public class GuiArchitect extends GuiBuildCraft {
 			conf.rotate = !conf.rotate;
 		} else if (button == optionReadBlocks) {
 			conf.readTiles = !conf.readTiles;
+		} else if (button == optionExcavate) {
+			conf.excavate = !conf.excavate;
 		}
 
 		architect.rpcSetConfiguration(conf);
@@ -89,6 +95,12 @@ public class GuiArchitect extends GuiBuildCraft {
 		} else {
 			optionReadBlocks.displayString = "Blocks: Simple";
 		}
+
+		if (conf.excavate) {
+			optionExcavate.displayString = "Excavate: On";
+		} else {
+			optionExcavate.displayString = "Excavate: Off";
+		}
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BlueprintBase.java b/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BlueprintBase.java
index 2f3fa7d0..a68aa2c6 100644
--- a/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BlueprintBase.java
+++ b/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BlueprintBase.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ public abstract class BlueprintBase {
 	private String version = "";
 	protected MappingRegistry mapping = new MappingRegistry();
 	public boolean rotate = true;
+	public boolean excavate = true;
 
 	private byte [] data;
 
@@ -131,6 +132,7 @@ public abstract class BlueprintBase {
 		nbt.setInteger("anchorY", anchorY);
 		nbt.setInteger("anchorZ", anchorZ);
 		nbt.setBoolean("rotate", rotate);
+		nbt.setBoolean("excavate", excavate);
 
 		if (author != null) {
 			nbt.setString("author", author);
@@ -175,6 +177,12 @@ public abstract class BlueprintBase {
 			rotate = true;
 		}
 
+		if (nbt.hasKey("excavate")) {
+			excavate = nbt.getBoolean("excavate");
+		} else {
+			excavate = true;
+		}
+
 		contents = new SchematicBlockBase [sizeX][sizeY][sizeZ];
 
 		try {
diff --git a/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BlueprintReadConfiguration.java b/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BlueprintReadConfiguration.java
index 9368960d..28820d4e 100755
--- a/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BlueprintReadConfiguration.java
+++ b/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BlueprintReadConfiguration.java
@@ -19,14 +19,19 @@ public class BlueprintReadConfiguration {
 	@NetworkData
 	public boolean readTiles = true;
 
+	@NetworkData
+	public boolean excavate = true;
+
 	public void writeToNBT(NBTTagCompound nbttagcompound) {
 		nbttagcompound.setBoolean("rotate", rotate);
 		nbttagcompound.setBoolean("readAllBlocks", readTiles);
+		nbttagcompound.setBoolean("excavate", excavate);
 	}
 
 	public void readFromNBT(NBTTagCompound nbttagcompound) {
 		rotate = nbttagcompound.getBoolean("rotate");
 		readTiles = nbttagcompound.getBoolean("readAllBlocks");
+		excavate = nbttagcompound.getBoolean("excavate");
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BptBuilderBlueprint.java b/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BptBuilderBlueprint.java
index 35984b27..66d526b3 100644
--- a/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BptBuilderBlueprint.java
+++ b/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BptBuilderBlueprint.java
@@ -58,9 +58,14 @@ public class BptBuilderBlueprint extends BptBuilderBase {
 					int yCoord = j + y - blueprint.anchorY;
 					int zCoord = k + z - blueprint.anchorZ;
 
-					if (!clearedLocations.contains(new BlockIndex(xCoord, yCoord, zCoord))) {
+					if (!clearedLocations.contains(new BlockIndex(xCoord,
+							yCoord, zCoord))) {
 						SchematicBlock slot = (SchematicBlock) blueprint.contents[i][j][k];
 
+						if (slot == null && !blueprint.excavate) {
+							continue;
+						}
+
 						if (slot == null) {
 							slot = new SchematicBlock();
 							slot.meta = 0;
@@ -90,7 +95,6 @@ public class BptBuilderBlueprint extends BptBuilderBase {
 					int yCoord = j + y - blueprint.anchorY;
 					int zCoord = k + z - blueprint.anchorZ;
 
-
 					SchematicBlock slot = (SchematicBlock) blueprint.contents[i][j][k];
 
 					if (slot == null) {
diff --git a/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BptBuilderTemplate.java b/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BptBuilderTemplate.java
index f8bd09f2..881e40c7 100644
--- a/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BptBuilderTemplate.java
+++ b/common/buildcraft/core/blueprints/BptBuilderTemplate.java
@@ -32,25 +32,29 @@ public class BptBuilderTemplate extends BptBuilderBase {
 
 	@Override
 	protected void initialize () {
-		for (int j = blueprint.sizeY - 1; j >= 0; --j) {
-			for (int i = 0; i < blueprint.sizeX; ++i) {
-				for (int k = 0; k < blueprint.sizeZ; ++k) {
-					int xCoord = i + x - blueprint.anchorX;
-					int yCoord = j + y - blueprint.anchorY;
-					int zCoord = k + z - blueprint.anchorZ;
+		if (blueprint.excavate) {
+			for (int j = blueprint.sizeY - 1; j >= 0; --j) {
+				for (int i = 0; i < blueprint.sizeX; ++i) {
+					for (int k = 0; k < blueprint.sizeZ; ++k) {
+						int xCoord = i + x - blueprint.anchorX;
+						int yCoord = j + y - blueprint.anchorY;
+						int zCoord = k + z - blueprint.anchorZ;
 
-					SchematicBlockBase slot = blueprint.contents[i][j][k];
+						SchematicBlockBase slot = blueprint.contents[i][j][k];
 
-					if (slot == null && !clearedLocations.contains(new BlockIndex(xCoord, yCoord, zCoord))) {
-						BuildingSlotBlock b = new BuildingSlotBlock();
+						if (slot == null
+								&& !clearedLocations.contains(new BlockIndex(
+										xCoord, yCoord, zCoord))) {
+							BuildingSlotBlock b = new BuildingSlotBlock();
 
-						b.schematic = null;
-						b.x = xCoord;
-						b.y = yCoord;
-						b.z = zCoord;
-						b.mode = Mode.ClearIfInvalid;
+							b.schematic = null;
+							b.x = xCoord;
+							b.y = yCoord;
+							b.z = zCoord;
+							b.mode = Mode.ClearIfInvalid;
 
-						buildList.add(b);
+							buildList.add(b);
+						}
 					}
 				}
 			}