--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/controller/building.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/controller/building.py
@@ -41,16 +41,19 @@ from ..backend import (
 )
 from ..testing import (
     install_test_files,
 )
 from ..compilation.warnings import (
     WarningsCollector,
     WarningsDatabase,
 )
+from ..shellutil import (
+    quote as shell_quote,
+)
 from ..util import (
     mkdir,
     resolve_target_to_make,
 )
 
 
 FINDER_SLOW_MESSAGE = '''
 ===================
@@ -1267,16 +1270,41 @@ class BuildDriver(MozbuildObject):
                         'https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Developer_Guide/So_You_Just_Built_Firefox')
             except Exception:
                 # Ignore Exceptions in case we can't find config.status (such
                 # as when doing OSX Universal builds)
                 pass
 
         return status
 
+    def configure(self, options=None, buildstatus_messages=False,
+                  line_handler=None):
+        def on_line(line):
+            self.log(logging.INFO, 'build_output', {'line': line}, '{line}')
+
+        line_handler = line_handler or on_line
+
+        options = ' '.join(shell_quote(o) for o in options or ())
+        append_env = {b'CONFIGURE_ARGS': options.encode('utf-8')}
+
+        # Only print build status messages when we have an active
+        # monitor.
+        if not buildstatus_messages:
+            append_env[b'NO_BUILDSTATUS_MESSAGES'] =  b'1'
+        status = self._run_make(srcdir=True, filename='client.mk',
+            target='configure', line_handler=line_handler, log=False,
+            print_directory=False, allow_parallel=False, ensure_exit_code=False,
+            append_env=append_env)
+
+        if not status:
+            print('Configure complete!')
+            print('Be sure to run |mach build| to pick up any changes');
+
+        return status
+
     def install_tests(self, test_objs):
         """Install test files."""
 
         if self.is_clobber_needed():
             print(INSTALL_TESTS_CLOBBER.format(
                   clobber_file=os.path.join(self.topobjdir, 'CLOBBER')))
             sys.exit(1)
 

--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/mach_commands.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/mach_commands.py
@@ -1,16 +1,15 @@
 # This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
 # License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
 # file, # You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 
 import argparse
-import collections
 import hashlib
 import itertools
 import json
 import logging
 import operator
 import os
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -35,17 +34,16 @@ from mozbuild.base import (
     MachCommandConditions as conditions,
     MozbuildObject,
 )
 from mozbuild.util import ensureParentDir
 
 from mozbuild.backend import (
     backends,
 )
-from mozbuild.shellutil import quote as shell_quote
 
 
 BUILD_WHAT_HELP = '''
 What to build. Can be a top-level make target or a relative directory. If
 multiple options are provided, they will be built serially. Takes dependency
 information from `topsrcdir/build/dumbmake-dependencies` to build additional
 targets as needed. BUILDING ONLY PARTS OF THE TREE CAN RESULT IN BAD TREE
 STATE. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.
@@ -171,40 +169,27 @@ class Build(MachCommandBase):
             keep_going=keep_going,
             mach_context=self._mach_context)
 
     @Command('configure', category='build',
         description='Configure the tree (run configure and config.status).')
     @CommandArgument('options', default=None, nargs=argparse.REMAINDER,
                      help='Configure options')
     def configure(self, options=None, buildstatus_messages=False, line_handler=None):
-        self.log_manager.enable_all_structured_loggers()
-
-        def on_line(line):
-            self.log(logging.INFO, 'build_output', {'line': line}, '{line}')
-
-        line_handler = line_handler or on_line
-
-        options = ' '.join(shell_quote(o) for o in options or ())
-        append_env = {b'CONFIGURE_ARGS': options.encode('utf-8')}
+        from mozbuild.controller.building import (
+            BuildDriver,
+        )
 
-        # Only print build status messages when we have an active
-        # monitor.
-        if not buildstatus_messages:
-            append_env[b'NO_BUILDSTATUS_MESSAGES'] =  b'1'
-        status = self._run_make(srcdir=True, filename='client.mk',
-            target='configure', line_handler=line_handler, log=False,
-            print_directory=False, allow_parallel=False, ensure_exit_code=False,
-            append_env=append_env)
+        self.log_manager.enable_all_structured_loggers()
+        driver = self._spawn(BuildDriver)
 
-        if not status:
-            print('Configure complete!')
-            print('Be sure to run |mach build| to pick up any changes');
-
-        return status
+        return driver.configure(
+            options=options,
+            buildstatus_messages=buildstatus_messages,
+            line_handler=line_handler)
 
     @Command('resource-usage', category='post-build',
         description='Show information about system resource usage for a build.')
     @CommandArgument('--address', default='localhost',
         help='Address the HTTP server should listen on.')
     @CommandArgument('--port', type=int, default=0,
         help='Port number the HTTP server should listen on.')
     @CommandArgument('--browser', default='firefox',