diff --git a/src/dist/dist.rs b/src/dist/dist.rs
index c892e724a8..699d7a5a0e 100644
--- a/src/dist/dist.rs
+++ b/src/dist/dist.rs
@@ -498,6 +498,7 @@ pub(crate) struct Manifest<'a>(temp::File<'a>, String);
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Profile {
+    Empty,
     Minimal,
     Default,
     Complete,
@@ -508,6 +509,7 @@ impl FromStr for Profile {
 
     fn from_str(name: &str) -> Result<Self> {
         match name {
+            "empty" | "e" => Ok(Self::Empty),
             "minimal" | "m" => Ok(Self::Minimal),
             "default" | "d" | "" => Ok(Self::Default),
             "complete" | "c" => Ok(Self::Complete),
@@ -522,7 +524,7 @@ impl FromStr for Profile {
 
 impl Profile {
     pub(crate) fn names() -> &'static [&'static str] {
-        &["minimal", "default", "complete"]
+        &["empty", "minimal", "default", "complete"]
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn default_name() -> &'static str {
@@ -579,6 +581,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for ToolchainDesc {
 impl fmt::Display for Profile {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         match *self {
+            Self::Empty => write!(f, "empty"),
             Self::Minimal => write!(f, "minimal"),
             Self::Default => write!(f, "default"),
             Self::Complete => write!(f, "complete"),
@@ -813,8 +816,8 @@ fn try_update_from_dist_<'a>(
             ));
 
             let profile_components = match profile {
+                Some(Profile::Empty) | None => Vec::new(),
                 Some(profile) => m.get_profile_components(profile, &toolchain.target)?,
-                None => Vec::new(),
             };
 
             let mut all_components: HashSet<Component> = profile_components.into_iter().collect();
@@ -854,6 +857,7 @@ fn try_update_from_dist_<'a>(
             let changes = Changes {
                 explicit_add_components,
                 remove_components: Vec::new(),
+                permit_empty: profile == Some(Profile::Empty),
             };
 
             *fetched = m.date.clone();
diff --git a/src/dist/manifestation.rs b/src/dist/manifestation.rs
index 7fb33df053..0623610e47 100644
--- a/src/dist/manifestation.rs
+++ b/src/dist/manifestation.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ pub struct Manifestation {
 pub struct Changes {
     pub explicit_add_components: Vec<Component>,
     pub remove_components: Vec<Component>,
+    pub permit_empty: bool,
 }
 
 impl Changes {
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ impl Manifestation {
         let mut update =
             Update::build_update(self, new_manifest, &changes, &config, notify_handler)?;
 
-        if update.nothing_changes() {
+        if update.nothing_changes() && !changes.permit_empty {
             return Ok(UpdateStatus::Unchanged);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/toolchain.rs b/src/toolchain.rs
index 951dbf31f3..c1e23740f9 100644
--- a/src/toolchain.rs
+++ b/src/toolchain.rs
@@ -580,6 +580,7 @@ impl<'a> DistributableToolchain<'a> {
             let changes = Changes {
                 explicit_add_components: vec![component],
                 remove_components: vec![],
+                permit_empty: false,
             };
 
             desc.manifestation.update(
@@ -855,6 +856,7 @@ impl<'a> DistributableToolchain<'a> {
             let changes = Changes {
                 explicit_add_components: vec![],
                 remove_components: vec![component],
+                permit_empty: false,
             };
 
             desc.manifestation.update(
diff --git a/tests/cli-inst-interactive.rs b/tests/cli-inst-interactive.rs
index b75203f49a..a6caf26012 100644
--- a/tests/cli-inst-interactive.rs
+++ b/tests/cli-inst-interactive.rs
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ fn installer_shows_default_profile() {
         println!("-- stderr --\n {}", out.stderr);
         assert!(out.stdout.contains(
             r"
-Profile (which tools and data to install)? (minimal/default/complete) [default]
+Profile (which tools and data to install)? (empty/minimal/default/complete) [default]
 "
         ));
     });
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ fn installer_shows_default_profile_when_set_in_args() {
         println!("-- stderr --\n {}", out.stderr);
         assert!(out.stdout.contains(
             r"
-Profile (which tools and data to install)? (minimal/default/complete) [minimal]
+Profile (which tools and data to install)? (empty/minimal/default/complete) [minimal]
 "
         ));
     });
diff --git a/tests/cli-v2.rs b/tests/cli-v2.rs
index 85060a6e4a..6ff8898b7f 100644
--- a/tests/cli-v2.rs
+++ b/tests/cli-v2.rs
@@ -1536,3 +1536,135 @@ fn regression_2601() {
         );
     });
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_profile_can_be_installed() {
+    setup(&|config| {
+        expect_ok(
+            config,
+            &[
+                "rustup",
+                "toolchain",
+                "install",
+                "--profile",
+                "empty",
+                "nightly",
+            ],
+        );
+        // In theory there should be no installed components, but the toolchain should be present
+        expect_ok_ex(
+            config,
+            &[
+                "rustup",
+                "component",
+                "list",
+                "--installed",
+                "--toolchain",
+                "nightly",
+            ],
+            "",
+            "",
+        );
+    });
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_profile_can_be_uninstalled() {
+    setup(&|config| {
+        expect_ok(
+            config,
+            &[
+                "rustup",
+                "toolchain",
+                "install",
+                "--profile",
+                "empty",
+                "nightly",
+            ],
+        );
+        // In theory there should be no installed components, but the toolchain should be present
+        expect_ok(config, &["rustup", "toolchain", "uninstall", "nightly"]);
+    });
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_profile_can_manipulate_components() {
+    setup(&|config| {
+        expect_ok(
+            config,
+            &[
+                "rustup",
+                "toolchain",
+                "install",
+                "--profile",
+                "empty",
+                "nightly",
+            ],
+        );
+        // In theory there should be no installed components, but the toolchain should be present
+        expect_ok_ex(
+            config,
+            &[
+                "rustup",
+                "component",
+                "list",
+                "--installed",
+                "--toolchain",
+                "nightly",
+            ],
+            "",
+            "",
+        );
+        // Install rust-src and check for it
+        expect_ok(
+            config,
+            &[
+                "rustup",
+                "component",
+                "add",
+                "--toolchain",
+                "nightly",
+                "rust-src",
+            ],
+        );
+        expect_ok_ex(
+            config,
+            &[
+                "rustup",
+                "component",
+                "list",
+                "--installed",
+                "--toolchain",
+                "nightly",
+            ],
+            "rust-src\n",
+            "",
+        );
+
+        // Remove rust-src and check we're back to blank
+        expect_ok(
+            config,
+            &[
+                "rustup",
+                "component",
+                "remove",
+                "--toolchain",
+                "nightly",
+                "rust-src",
+            ],
+        );
+        expect_ok_ex(
+            config,
+            &[
+                "rustup",
+                "component",
+                "list",
+                "--installed",
+                "--toolchain",
+                "nightly",
+            ],
+            "",
+            "",
+        );
+    });
+}
diff --git a/tests/dist.rs b/tests/dist.rs
index 4636de73b3..470d8efaf4 100644
--- a/tests/dist.rs
+++ b/tests/dist.rs
@@ -459,6 +459,7 @@ fn update_from_dist(
     let changes = Changes {
         explicit_add_components: add_components,
         remove_components: remove.to_owned(),
+        permit_empty: false,
     };
 
     manifestation.update(