diff --git a/package/mender/device_type b/package/mender/device_type
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a097ef2b3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/mender/device_type
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+device_type=BUILDROOT_DEVICE
diff --git a/package/mender/mender.mk b/package/mender/mender.mk
index 0377270a43..0d719382f8 100644
--- a/package/mender/mender.mk
+++ b/package/mender/mender.mk
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ define MENDER_INSTALL_CONFIG_FILES
 	$(INSTALL) -D -m 0755 package/mender/artifact_info \
 			$(TARGET_DIR)/etc/mender/artifact_info
 
+	$(INSTALL) -D -m 0755 package/mender/device_type \
+			$(TARGET_DIR)/etc/mender/device_type
+
 	ln -snf /var/run/mender $(TARGET_DIR)/var/lib/mender
 endef