diff --git a/osbuild/__init__.py b/osbuild/__init__.py
index 3a31d842..2ae3229d 100644
--- a/osbuild/__init__.py
+++ b/osbuild/__init__.py
@@ -374,20 +374,15 @@ class Assembler:
 
 
 class Pipeline:
-    def __init__(self, base=None):
+    def __init__(self, build=None, base=None):
         self.base = base
-        self.build = None
+        self.build = build
         self.stages = []
         self.assembler = None
 
     def get_id(self):
         return self.stages[-1].id if self.stages else self.base
 
-    def set_build(self, pipeline):
-        if self.stages:
-            raise ValueError("Must set build before stages.")
-        self.build = pipeline
-
     def add_stage(self, name, options=None):
         build = self.build.get_id() if self.build else None
         stage = Stage(name, build, self.get_id(), options or {})
@@ -474,11 +469,12 @@ class Pipeline:
 
 
 def load(description):
-    pipeline = Pipeline(description.get("base"))
-
-    b = description.get("build")
-    if b:
-        pipeline.set_build(load(b))
+    build_description = description.get("build")
+    if build_description:
+        build = load(build_description)
+    else:
+        build = None
+    pipeline = Pipeline(build, description.get("base"))
 
     for s in description.get("stages", []):
         pipeline.add_stage(s["name"], s.get("options", {}))
diff --git a/test/test_osbuild.py b/test/test_osbuild.py
index 1142bb28..63d2024c 100644
--- a/test/test_osbuild.py
+++ b/test/test_osbuild.py
@@ -47,8 +47,7 @@ class TestDescriptions(unittest.TestCase):
         build = osbuild.Pipeline()
         build.add_stage("org.osbuild.test", { "one": 1 })
 
-        pipeline = osbuild.Pipeline()
-        pipeline.set_build(build)
+        pipeline = osbuild.Pipeline(build)
         pipeline.add_stage("org.osbuild.test", { "one": 2 })
         pipeline.set_assembler("org.osbuild.test")