diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
index abc4cfc7405a..52d0ddd06e09 100644
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ See docs/process.md for more on how version tagging works.
   #21276)
 - Added concept of external ports which live outside emscripten and are
   loaded on demand using the syntax `--use-port=/path/to/my_port.py` (#21316)
+- `embuilder` can now build ports with options as well as external ports using
+  the same syntax introduced with `--use-port`
+  (ex: `embuilder sdl2_image:formats=png,jpg`) (#21345) 
 - Allow comments in response files. Any line starting with `#` is now ignored.
   This is useful when listing exported symbols. (#21330)
 
diff --git a/docs/emcc.txt b/docs/emcc.txt
index e9fd0167bf89..55afc30fa550 100644
--- a/docs/emcc.txt
+++ b/docs/emcc.txt
@@ -471,9 +471,12 @@ Options that are modified or new in *emcc* are listed below:
 
 "--use-port=<port>"
    [compile+link] Use the specified port. If you need to use more than
-   one port you can use this argument multiple times. For example: "--
-   use-port=sdl2 --use-port=bzip2". To get the list of available
-   ports, use "--show-ports".
+   one port you can use this option multiple times (ex: "--use-
+   port=sdl2 --use-port=bzip2"). A port can have options separated by
+   ":" (ex: "--use-port=sdl2_image:formats=png,jpg"). To use an
+   external port, you provide the path to the port directly (ex: "--
+   use-port=/path/to/my_port.py"). To get the list of available ports,
+   use "--show-ports".
 
 "--clear-ports"
    [general] Manually clears the local copies of ports from the
diff --git a/site/source/docs/tools_reference/emcc.rst b/site/source/docs/tools_reference/emcc.rst
index a9116455881c..8dc995529543 100644
--- a/site/source/docs/tools_reference/emcc.rst
+++ b/site/source/docs/tools_reference/emcc.rst
@@ -461,9 +461,13 @@ Options that are modified or new in *emcc* are listed below:
 
 ``--use-port=<port>``
   [compile+link]
-  Use the specified port. If you need to use more than one port you can use this
-  argument multiple times. For example: ``--use-port=sdl2 --use-port=bzip2``.
-  To get the list of available ports, use ``--show-ports``.
+  Use the specified port. If you need to use more than one port you can use
+  this option multiple times (ex: ``--use-port=sdl2 --use-port=bzip2``). A port
+  can have options separated by ``:``
+  (ex: ``--use-port=sdl2_image:formats=png,jpg``). To use an  external port,
+  you provide the path to the port directly
+  (ex: ``--use-port=/path/to/my_port.py``). To get the list of available ports,
+  use ``--show-ports``.
 
 .. _emcc-clear-ports:
 
diff --git a/tools/ports/__init__.py b/tools/ports/__init__.py
index 2241991ece9f..6aa46a834b47 100644
--- a/tools/ports/__init__.py
+++ b/tools/ports/__init__.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 import shutil
 import glob
 import importlib.util
-import sys
 from typing import Set
 from tools import cache
 from tools import config
@@ -67,19 +66,14 @@ def init_port(name, port):
   validate_port(port)
 
 
-def load_port_by_name(name):
-  port = __import__(name, globals(), level=1, fromlist=[None])
-  init_port(name, port)
-
-
-def load_port_by_path(path):
-  name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(path))[0]
+def load_port(path, name=None):
+  if not name:
+    name = shared.unsuffixed_basename(path)
   if name in ports_by_name:
     utils.exit_with_error(f'port path [`{path}`] is invalid: duplicate port name `{name}`')
   module_name = f'tools.ports.{name}'
   spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, path)
   port = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
-  sys.modules[module_name] = port
   spec.loader.exec_module(port)
   init_port(name, port)
   return name
@@ -100,15 +94,14 @@ def read_ports():
   for filename in os.listdir(ports_dir):
     if not filename.endswith('.py') or filename == '__init__.py':
       continue
-    filename = os.path.splitext(filename)[0]
-    load_port_by_name(filename)
+    load_port(os.path.join(ports_dir, filename))
 
   contrib_dir = os.path.join(ports_dir, 'contrib')
   for filename in os.listdir(contrib_dir):
     if not filename.endswith('.py') or filename == '__init__.py':
       continue
-    filename = os.path.splitext(filename)[0]
-    load_port_by_name('contrib.' + filename)
+    name = 'contrib.' + shared.unsuffixed(filename)
+    load_port(os.path.join(contrib_dir, filename), name)
 
 
 def get_all_files_under(dirname):
@@ -426,7 +419,7 @@ def error_handler(message):
     port_file_path = name
     if not os.path.isfile(port_file_path):
       error_handler(f'not a valid port path: {port_file_path}')
-    name = load_port_by_path(port_file_path)
+    name = load_port(port_file_path)
   elif name not in ports_by_name:
     error_handler(f'invalid port name: `{name}`')
   ports_needed.add(name)