diff --git a/packages/api/core/src/api/index.ts b/packages/api/core/src/api/index.ts
index 453bd47284..8d999865c7 100644
--- a/packages/api/core/src/api/index.ts
+++ b/packages/api/core/src/api/index.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import _package, { PackageOptions } from './package';
 import publish, { PublishOptions } from './publish';
 import start, { StartOptions } from './start';
 
+import { fromBuildIdentifier } from '../util/forge-config';
+
 export class ForgeAPI {
   /**
    * Attempt to import a given module directory to the Electron Forge standard.
@@ -72,7 +74,21 @@ export class ForgeAPI {
   }
 }
 
+export class ForgeUtils {
+  /**
+   * Helper for creating a dynamic config value that will get it's real value
+   * based on the "buildIdentifier" in your forge config.
+   *
+   * Usage:
+   * `fromBuildIdentifier({ stable: 'App', beta: 'App Beta' })`
+   */
+  fromBuildIdentifier<T>(map: { [key: string]: T | undefined }) {
+    return fromBuildIdentifier(map);
+  }
+}
+
 const api = new ForgeAPI();
+const utils = new ForgeUtils();
 
 export {
   ForgeMakeResult,
@@ -86,4 +102,5 @@ export {
   PublishOptions,
   StartOptions,
   api,
+  utils,
 };
diff --git a/packages/api/core/src/util/forge-config.ts b/packages/api/core/src/util/forge-config.ts
index 4950245f65..febcd398aa 100644
--- a/packages/api/core/src/util/forge-config.ts
+++ b/packages/api/core/src/util/forge-config.ts
@@ -8,31 +8,40 @@ import PluginInterface from './plugin-interface';
 
 const underscoreCase = (str: string) => str.replace(/(.)([A-Z][a-z]+)/g, '$1_$2').replace(/([a-z0-9])([A-Z])/g, '$1_$2').toUpperCase();
 
-const proxify = <T extends object>(object: T, envPrefix: string): T => {
-  const newObject: T = {} as any;
+const proxify = <T extends object>(buildIdentifier: string | (() => string), object: T, envPrefix: string): T => {
+  let newObject: T = {} as any;
+  if (Array.isArray(object)) {
+    newObject = [] as any;
+  }
 
   Object.keys(object).forEach((key) => {
-    if (typeof (object as any)[key] === 'object' && !Array.isArray((object as any)[key]) && key !== 'pluginInterface') {
-      (newObject as any)[key] = proxify((object as any)[key], `${envPrefix}_${underscoreCase(key)}`);
+    if (typeof (object as any)[key] === 'object' && key !== 'pluginInterface') {
+      (newObject as any)[key] = proxify(buildIdentifier, (object as any)[key], `${envPrefix}_${underscoreCase(key)}`);
     } else {
       (newObject as any)[key] = (object as any)[key];
     }
   });
 
   return new Proxy<T>(newObject, {
-    get(target, name) {
+    get(target, name, receiver) {
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-prototype-builtins
       if (!target.hasOwnProperty(name) && typeof name === 'string') {
         const envValue = process.env[`${envPrefix}_${underscoreCase(name)}`];
         if (envValue) return envValue;
       }
-      return (target as any)[name];
+      const value = Reflect.get(target, name, receiver);
+
+      if (value && typeof value === 'object' && value.__isMagicBuildIdentifierMap) {
+        const identifier = typeof buildIdentifier === 'function' ? buildIdentifier() : buildIdentifier;
+        return value.map[identifier];
+      }
+      return value;
     },
     getOwnPropertyDescriptor(target, name) {
       const envValue = process.env[`${envPrefix}_${underscoreCase(name as string)}`];
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-prototype-builtins
       if (target.hasOwnProperty(name)) {
-        return Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(target, name);
+        return Reflect.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(target, name);
       } else if (envValue) {
         return { writable: true, enumerable: true, configurable: true, value: envValue };
       }
@@ -51,6 +60,13 @@ export function setInitialForgeConfig(packageJSON: any) {
   /* eslint-enable no-param-reassign */
 }
 
+export function fromBuildIdentifier<T>(map: { [key: string]: T | undefined }) {
+  return {
+    __isMagicBuildIdentifierMap: true,
+    map,
+  };
+}
+
 export default async (dir: string) => {
   const packageJSON = await readPackageJSON(dir);
   let forgeConfig: ForgeConfig | string = packageJSON.config.forge;
@@ -91,5 +107,5 @@ export default async (dir: string) => {
 
   forgeConfig.pluginInterface = new PluginInterface(dir, forgeConfig);
 
-  return proxify<ForgeConfig>(forgeConfig, 'ELECTRON_FORGE');
+  return proxify<ForgeConfig>(forgeConfig.buildIdentifier || '', forgeConfig, 'ELECTRON_FORGE');
 };
diff --git a/packages/api/core/test/fast/forge-config_spec.ts b/packages/api/core/test/fast/forge-config_spec.ts
index ef93223101..916b5c3e8d 100644
--- a/packages/api/core/test/fast/forge-config_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/api/core/test/fast/forge-config_spec.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ const defaults = {
   plugins: [],
 };
 
-describe('forge-config', () => {
+describe.only('forge-config', () => {
   it('should resolve the object in package.json with defaults  if one exists', async () => {
     const config = await findConfig(path.resolve(__dirname, '../fixture/dummy_app'));
     delete config.pluginInterface;
@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@ describe('forge-config', () => {
   it('should resolve the JS file exports in config.forge points to a JS file', async () => {
     const config = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(await findConfig(path.resolve(__dirname, '../fixture/dummy_js_conf'))));
     delete config.pluginInterface;
+    delete config.sub;
+    delete config.topLevelProp;
+    delete config.topLevelUndef;
     expect(config).to.be.deep.equal(Object.assign({}, defaults, {
+      buildIdentifier: 'beta',
       packagerConfig: { foo: 'bar', baz: {} },
       s3: {},
       electronReleaseServer: {},
@@ -78,4 +82,31 @@ describe('forge-config', () => {
     delete process.env.ELECTRON_FORGE_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY;
     delete process.env.ELECTRON_FORGE_ELECTRON_RELEASE_SERVER_BASE_URL;
   });
+
+  it('should resolve values fromBuildIdentifier', async () => {
+    const conf: any = await findConfig(path.resolve(__dirname, '../fixture/dummy_js_conf'));
+    expect(conf.topLevelProp).to.equal('foo');
+    expect(conf.sub).to.deep.equal({
+      prop: {
+        deep: {
+          prop: 'bar'
+        },
+        inArray: [
+          'arr',
+          'natural',
+          'array'
+        ]
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should resolve undefined from fromBuildIdentifier if no value is provided', async () => {
+    const conf: any = await findConfig(path.resolve(__dirname, '../fixture/dummy_js_conf'));
+    expect(conf.topLevelUndef).to.equal(undefined);
+  });
+
+  it('should leave arrays intact', async () => {
+    const conf: any = await findConfig(path.resolve(__dirname, '../fixture/dummy_js_conf'));
+    expect(Array.isArray(conf.sub.prop.inArray)).to.equal(true, 'original array should be recognized as array');
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/api/core/test/fixture/dummy_js_conf/forge.config.js b/packages/api/core/test/fixture/dummy_js_conf/forge.config.js
index 2db35a8e21..a1f1f8c5c9 100644
--- a/packages/api/core/test/fixture/dummy_js_conf/forge.config.js
+++ b/packages/api/core/test/fixture/dummy_js_conf/forge.config.js
@@ -1,8 +1,25 @@
+const { fromBuildIdentifier } = require('../../../src/api');
+
 module.exports = {
+  buildIdentifier: 'beta',
   makers: [],
   publishers: [],
   packagerConfig: { foo: 'bar', baz: {} },
   s3: {},
   electronReleaseServer: {},
   magicFn: () => 'magic result',
+  topLevelProp: fromBuildIdentifier({ beta: 'foo' }),
+  topLevelUndef: fromBuildIdentifier({ stable: 'heya' }),
+  sub: {
+    prop: {
+      inArray: [
+        fromBuildIdentifier({ beta: 'arr' }),
+        'natural',
+        'array',
+      ],
+      deep: {
+        prop: fromBuildIdentifier({ beta: 'bar' }),
+      },
+    },
+  },
 };