diff --git a/recipes/README.recipes.md b/recipes/README.recipes.md
index a751904ea..0daabdab9 100644
--- a/recipes/README.recipes.md
+++ b/recipes/README.recipes.md
@@ -47,14 +47,14 @@ Recipe module to ensure a checkout is consistent on a bot.
 
 Wrapper for easy calling of bot_update.
 
-— **def [apply\_gerrit\_ref](/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py#49)(self, root, gerrit_no_reset=False, gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref=False, \*\*kwargs):**
+— **def [apply\_gerrit\_ref](/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py#49)(self, root, gerrit_no_reset=False, gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref=False, gerrit_repo=None, gerrit_ref=None, \*\*kwargs):**
 
-— **def [deapply\_patch](/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py#427)(self, bot_update_step):**
+— **def [deapply\_patch](/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py#428)(self, bot_update_step):**
 
 Deapplies a patch, taking care of DEPS and solution revisions properly.
     
 
-— **def [ensure\_checkout](/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py#69)(self, gclient_config=None, suffix=None, patch=True, update_presentation=True, patch_root=None, no_shallow=False, with_branch_heads=False, with_tags=False, refs=None, patch_oauth2=False, oauth2_json=False, use_site_config_creds=True, clobber=False, root_solution_revision=None, rietveld=None, issue=None, patchset=None, gerrit_no_reset=False, gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref=False, disable_syntax_validation=False, \*\*kwargs):**
+— **def [ensure\_checkout](/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py#70)(self, gclient_config=None, suffix=None, patch=True, update_presentation=True, patch_root=None, no_shallow=False, with_branch_heads=False, with_tags=False, refs=None, patch_oauth2=False, oauth2_json=False, use_site_config_creds=True, clobber=False, root_solution_revision=None, rietveld=None, issue=None, patchset=None, gerrit_no_reset=False, gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref=False, disable_syntax_validation=False, \*\*kwargs):**
 
 Args:
   use_site_config_creds: If the oauth2 credentials are in the buildbot
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ Args:
     Needed as migration paths for recipes dealing with older revisions,
     such as bisect.
 
-— **def [get\_project\_revision\_properties](/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py#404)(self, project_name, gclient_config=None):**
+— **def [get\_project\_revision\_properties](/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py#405)(self, project_name, gclient_config=None):**
 
 Returns all property names used for storing the checked-out revision of
 a given project.
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py b/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py
index 883f99bab..2e9d9e629 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/api.py
@@ -47,12 +47,13 @@ class BotUpdateApi(recipe_api.RecipeApi):
   # DO NOT USE.
   # TODO(tandrii): refactor this into tryserver.maybe_apply_patch
   def apply_gerrit_ref(self, root, gerrit_no_reset=False,
-                       gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref=False, **kwargs):
+                       gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref=False,
+                       gerrit_repo=None, gerrit_ref=None, **kwargs):
     apply_gerrit_path = self.resource('apply_gerrit.py')
     kwargs.setdefault('infra_step', True)
     cmd = [
-        '--gerrit_repo', self._repository,
-        '--gerrit_ref', self._gerrit_ref or '',
+        '--gerrit_repo', gerrit_repo or self._repository,
+        '--gerrit_ref', gerrit_ref or self._gerrit_ref or '',
         '--root', str(root),
     ]
     if gerrit_no_reset:
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/examples/full.expected/apply_gerrit_ref_custom.json b/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/examples/full.expected/apply_gerrit_ref_custom.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1c948dba4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/examples/full.expected/apply_gerrit_ref_custom.json
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+[
+  {
+    "cmd": [
+      "python",
+      "-u",
+      "RECIPE_MODULE[depot_tools::bot_update]/resources/apply_gerrit.py",
+      "--gerrit_repo",
+      "https://custom/repo",
+      "--gerrit_ref",
+      "refs/changes/custom/1234567/1",
+      "--root",
+      "/tmp/test/root",
+      "--gerrit_no_reset",
+      "--gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref"
+    ],
+    "env_prefixes": {
+      "PATH": [
+        "RECIPE_PACKAGE_REPO[depot_tools]"
+      ]
+    },
+    "infra_step": true,
+    "name": "apply_gerrit"
+  },
+  {
+    "name": "$result",
+    "recipe_result": null,
+    "status_code": 0
+  }
+]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/examples/full.py b/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/examples/full.py
index af532528d..661bb5e2e 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/examples/full.py
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/bot_update/examples/full.py
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ def RunSteps(api):
     api.bot_update.apply_gerrit_ref(
         root='/tmp/test/root',
         gerrit_no_reset=gerrit_no_reset,
-        gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref=gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref)
+        gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref=gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref,
+        gerrit_repo=api.properties.get('gerrit_custom_repo'),
+        gerrit_ref=api.properties.get('gerrit_custom_ref'),
+    )
   else:
     bot_update_step = api.bot_update.ensure_checkout(
         no_shallow=no_shallow,
@@ -156,6 +159,14 @@ def GenTests(api):
       gerrit_no_reset=1,
       test_apply_gerrit_ref=True,
   )
+  yield api.test('apply_gerrit_ref_custom') + api.properties(
+      repository='chromium',
+      gerrit_no_rebase_patch_ref=True,
+      gerrit_no_reset=1,
+      gerrit_custom_repo='https://custom/repo',
+      gerrit_custom_ref='refs/changes/custom/1234567/1',
+      test_apply_gerrit_ref=True,
+  )
   yield api.test('tryjob_v8') + api.properties(
       issue=12345,
       patchset=654321,