diff --git a/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc b/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc
index 7b97e575a..7dcd2a6eb 100644
--- a/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc
@@ -246,17 +246,22 @@ void DerivationGoal::haveDerivation()
        through substitutes.  If that doesn't work, we'll build
        them. */
     if (settings.useSubstitutes && parsedDrv->substitutesAllowed())
-        for (auto & [_, status] : initialOutputs) {
+        for (auto & [outputName, status] : initialOutputs) {
             if (!status.wanted) continue;
-            if (!status.known) {
-                warn("do not know how to query for unknown floating content-addressed derivation output yet");
-                /* Nothing to wait for; tail call */
-                return DerivationGoal::gaveUpOnSubstitution();
-            }
-            addWaitee(upcast_goal(worker.makePathSubstitutionGoal(
-                status.known->path,
-                buildMode == bmRepair ? Repair : NoRepair,
-                getDerivationCA(*drv))));
+            if (!status.known)
+                addWaitee(
+                    upcast_goal(
+                        worker.makeDrvOutputSubstitutionGoal(
+                            DrvOutput{status.outputHash, outputName},
+                            buildMode == bmRepair ? Repair : NoRepair
+                        )
+                    )
+                );
+            else
+                addWaitee(upcast_goal(worker.makePathSubstitutionGoal(
+                    status.known->path,
+                    buildMode == bmRepair ? Repair : NoRepair,
+                    getDerivationCA(*drv))));
         }
 
     if (waitees.empty()) /* to prevent hang (no wake-up event) */
diff --git a/src/libstore/build/drv-output-substitution-goal.cc b/src/libstore/build/drv-output-substitution-goal.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a5ac4c49d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libstore/build/drv-output-substitution-goal.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+#include "drv-output-substitution-goal.hh"
+#include "worker.hh"
+#include "substitution-goal.hh"
+
+namespace nix {
+
+DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal::DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal(const DrvOutput& id, Worker & worker, RepairFlag repair, std::optional<ContentAddress> ca)
+    : Goal(worker)
+    , id(id)
+{
+    state = &DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal::init;
+    name = fmt("substitution of '%s'", id.to_string());
+    trace("created");
+}
+
+
+void DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal::init()
+{
+    trace("init");
+    subs = settings.useSubstitutes ? getDefaultSubstituters() : std::list<ref<Store>>();
+    tryNext();
+}
+
+void DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal::tryNext()
+{
+    trace("Trying next substituter");
+
+    if (subs.size() == 0) {
+        /* None left.  Terminate this goal and let someone else deal
+           with it. */
+        debug("drv output '%s' is required, but there is no substituter that can provide it", id.to_string());
+
+        /* Hack: don't indicate failure if there were no substituters.
+           In that case the calling derivation should just do a
+           build. */
+        amDone(substituterFailed ? ecFailed : ecNoSubstituters);
+
+        if (substituterFailed) {
+            worker.failedSubstitutions++;
+            worker.updateProgress();
+        }
+
+        return;
+    }
+
+    auto sub = subs.front();
+    subs.pop_front();
+
+    // FIXME: Make async
+    outputInfo = sub->queryRealisation(id);
+    if (!outputInfo) {
+        tryNext();
+        return;
+    }
+
+    addWaitee(worker.makePathSubstitutionGoal(outputInfo->outPath));
+
+    if (waitees.empty()) outPathValid();
+    else state = &DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal::outPathValid;
+}
+
+void DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal::outPathValid()
+{
+    assert(outputInfo);
+    trace("Output path substituted");
+
+    if (nrFailed > 0) {
+        debug("The output path of the derivation output '%s' could not be substituted", id.to_string());
+        amDone(nrNoSubstituters > 0 || nrIncompleteClosure > 0 ? ecIncompleteClosure : ecFailed);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    worker.store.registerDrvOutput(*outputInfo);
+    finished();
+}
+
+void DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal::finished()
+{
+    trace("finished");
+    amDone(ecSuccess);
+}
+
+string DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal::key()
+{
+    /* "a$" ensures substitution goals happen before derivation
+       goals. */
+    return "a$" + std::string(id.to_string());
+}
+
+void DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal::work()
+{
+    (this->*state)();
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/src/libstore/build/drv-output-substitution-goal.hh b/src/libstore/build/drv-output-substitution-goal.hh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..63ab53d89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libstore/build/drv-output-substitution-goal.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "store-api.hh"
+#include "goal.hh"
+#include "realisation.hh"
+
+namespace nix {
+
+class Worker;
+
+// Substitution of a derivation output.
+// This is done in three steps:
+// 1. Fetch the output info from a substituter
+// 2. Substitute the corresponding output path
+// 3. Register the output info
+class DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal : public Goal {
+private:
+    // The drv output we're trying to substitue
+    DrvOutput id;
+
+    // The realisation corresponding to the given output id.
+    // Will be filled once we can get it.
+    std::optional<Realisation> outputInfo;
+
+    /* The remaining substituters. */
+    std::list<ref<Store>> subs;
+
+    /* Whether a substituter failed. */
+    bool substituterFailed = false;
+
+public:
+    DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal(const DrvOutput& id, Worker & worker, RepairFlag repair = NoRepair, std::optional<ContentAddress> ca = std::nullopt);
+
+    typedef void (DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal::*GoalState)();
+    GoalState state;
+
+    void init();
+    void tryNext();
+    void outPathValid();
+    void finished();
+
+    void timedOut(Error && ex) override { abort(); };
+
+    string key() override;
+
+    void work() override;
+
+};
+
+}
diff --git a/src/libstore/build/worker.cc b/src/libstore/build/worker.cc
index 619b1d69c..616b17e61 100644
--- a/src/libstore/build/worker.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/build/worker.cc
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "machines.hh"
 #include "worker.hh"
 #include "substitution-goal.hh"
+#include "drv-output-substitution-goal.hh"
 #include "local-derivation-goal.hh"
 #include "hook-instance.hh"
 
@@ -90,8 +91,20 @@ std::shared_ptr<PathSubstitutionGoal> Worker::makePathSubstitutionGoal(const Sto
     return goal;
 }
 
-template<typename G>
-static void removeGoal(std::shared_ptr<G> goal, std::map<StorePath, std::weak_ptr<G>> & goalMap)
+std::shared_ptr<DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal> Worker::makeDrvOutputSubstitutionGoal(const DrvOutput& id, RepairFlag repair, std::optional<ContentAddress> ca)
+{
+    std::weak_ptr<DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal> & goal_weak = drvOutputSubstitutionGoals[id];
+    auto goal = goal_weak.lock(); // FIXME
+    if (!goal) {
+        goal = std::make_shared<DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal>(id, *this, repair, ca);
+        goal_weak = goal;
+        wakeUp(goal);
+    }
+    return goal;
+}
+
+template<typename K, typename G>
+static void removeGoal(std::shared_ptr<G> goal, std::map<K, std::weak_ptr<G>> & goalMap)
 {
     /* !!! inefficient */
     for (auto i = goalMap.begin();
@@ -111,6 +124,8 @@ void Worker::removeGoal(GoalPtr goal)
         nix::removeGoal(drvGoal, derivationGoals);
     else if (auto subGoal = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<PathSubstitutionGoal>(goal))
         nix::removeGoal(subGoal, substitutionGoals);
+    else if (auto subGoal = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal>(goal))
+        nix::removeGoal(subGoal, drvOutputSubstitutionGoals);
     else
         assert(false);
     if (topGoals.find(goal) != topGoals.end()) {
@@ -474,5 +489,8 @@ void Worker::markContentsGood(const StorePath & path)
 GoalPtr upcast_goal(std::shared_ptr<PathSubstitutionGoal> subGoal) {
     return subGoal;
 }
+GoalPtr upcast_goal(std::shared_ptr<DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal> subGoal) {
+    return subGoal;
+}
 
 }
diff --git a/src/libstore/build/worker.hh b/src/libstore/build/worker.hh
index 42acf8542..918de35f6 100644
--- a/src/libstore/build/worker.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/build/worker.hh
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "lock.hh"
 #include "store-api.hh"
 #include "goal.hh"
+#include "realisation.hh"
 
 #include <future>
 #include <thread>
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ namespace nix {
 /* Forward definition. */
 struct DerivationGoal;
 struct PathSubstitutionGoal;
+class DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal;
 
 /* Workaround for not being able to declare a something like
 
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@ struct PathSubstitutionGoal;
    a place where `PathSubstitutionGoal` is concrete, and use it in a place where it
    is opaque. */
 GoalPtr upcast_goal(std::shared_ptr<PathSubstitutionGoal> subGoal);
+GoalPtr upcast_goal(std::shared_ptr<DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal> subGoal);
 
 typedef std::chrono::time_point<std::chrono::steady_clock> steady_time_point;
 
@@ -73,6 +76,7 @@ private:
        same derivation / path. */
     std::map<StorePath, std::weak_ptr<DerivationGoal>> derivationGoals;
     std::map<StorePath, std::weak_ptr<PathSubstitutionGoal>> substitutionGoals;
+    std::map<DrvOutput, std::weak_ptr<DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal>> drvOutputSubstitutionGoals;
 
     /* Goals waiting for busy paths to be unlocked. */
     WeakGoals waitingForAnyGoal;
@@ -147,6 +151,7 @@ public:
 
     /* substitution goal */
     std::shared_ptr<PathSubstitutionGoal> makePathSubstitutionGoal(const StorePath & storePath, RepairFlag repair = NoRepair, std::optional<ContentAddress> ca = std::nullopt);
+    std::shared_ptr<DrvOutputSubstitutionGoal> makeDrvOutputSubstitutionGoal(const DrvOutput & id, RepairFlag repair = NoRepair, std::optional<ContentAddress> ca = std::nullopt);
 
     /* Remove a dead goal. */
     void removeGoal(GoalPtr goal);