diff --git a/Lib/gftools/builder/operations/instantiateUfo.py b/Lib/gftools/builder/operations/instantiateUfo.py
index 94986bd40..11e00fe1f 100644
--- a/Lib/gftools/builder/operations/instantiateUfo.py
+++ b/Lib/gftools/builder/operations/instantiateUfo.py
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ def targets(self):
     def variables(self):
         vars = super().variables
         vars["args"] += " --ufo-structure=json "
+        if self.original["expandFeaturesToInstances"]:
+            vars["args"] += " --expand-features-to-instances "
         if self.first_source.is_glyphs:
             vars["args"] += f"--instance-dir {escape_path(str(self.instance_dir))}"
         else:
diff --git a/Lib/gftools/builder/recipeproviders/googlefonts.py b/Lib/gftools/builder/recipeproviders/googlefonts.py
index 4ab8a4961..64f48869d 100644
--- a/Lib/gftools/builder/recipeproviders/googlefonts.py
+++ b/Lib/gftools/builder/recipeproviders/googlefonts.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
     "checkCompatibility": True,
     "overlaps": "booleanOperations",
     "splitItalic": True,
+    "expandFeaturesToInstances": True,
 }
 
 
@@ -193,8 +194,6 @@ def fontmake_args(self, source, variable=False):
             args += " --keep-direction"
         if self.config.get("removeOutlineOverlaps") is False:
             args += " --keep-overlaps"
-        if self.config.get("expandFeaturesToInstances"):
-            args += " --expand-features-to-instances"
         if self.config.get("extraFontmakeArgs") is not None:
             args += " " + str(self.config["extraFontmakeArgs"])
         if variable:
@@ -340,6 +339,9 @@ def build_a_static(self, source: File, instance: InstanceDescriptor, output):
                     "operation": "instantiateUfo",
                     "instance_name": instancename,
                     "glyphData": self.config.get("glyphData"),
+                    "expandFeaturesToInstances": self.config.get(
+                        "expandFeaturesToInstances"
+                    ),
                 }
             )
         steps += (