diff --git a/docs/reference/module-types/container.md b/docs/reference/module-types/container.md
index 2310508bd1..278398f0e9 100644
--- a/docs/reference/module-types/container.md
+++ b/docs/reference/module-types/container.md
@@ -222,6 +222,14 @@ Specify build arguments to use when building the container image.
 | -------- | -------- | ------- |
 | `object` | No       | `{}`    |
 
+### `extraFlags`
+
+Specify extra flags to use when building the container image. Note that arguments may not be portable across implementations.
+
+| Type            | Required |
+| --------------- | -------- |
+| `array[string]` | No       |
+
 ### `image`
 
 Specify the image name for the container. Should be a valid Docker image identifier. If specified and the module does not contain a Dockerfile, this image will be used to deploy services for this module. If specified and the module does contain a Dockerfile, this identifier is used when pushing the built image.
@@ -962,6 +970,7 @@ build:
           target: <same as source path>
   targetImage:
 buildArgs: {}
+extraFlags:
 image:
 hotReload:
   sync:
diff --git a/docs/reference/module-types/maven-container.md b/docs/reference/module-types/maven-container.md
index 96eaeae437..4e3c3c67b1 100644
--- a/docs/reference/module-types/maven-container.md
+++ b/docs/reference/module-types/maven-container.md
@@ -227,6 +227,14 @@ Specify build arguments to use when building the container image.
 | -------- | -------- | ------- |
 | `object` | No       | `{}`    |
 
+### `extraFlags`
+
+Specify extra flags to use when building the container image. Note that arguments may not be portable across implementations.
+
+| Type            | Required |
+| --------------- | -------- |
+| `array[string]` | No       |
+
 ### `image`
 
 Specify the image name for the container. Should be a valid Docker image identifier. If specified and the module does not contain a Dockerfile, this image will be used to deploy services for this module. If specified and the module does contain a Dockerfile, this identifier is used when pushing the built image.
@@ -997,6 +1005,7 @@ build:
           target: <same as source path>
   targetImage:
 buildArgs: {}
+extraFlags:
 image:
 hotReload:
   sync:
diff --git a/garden-service/src/plugins/container/build.ts b/garden-service/src/plugins/container/build.ts
index 71fa9d137d..a75cffa765 100644
--- a/garden-service/src/plugins/container/build.ts
+++ b/garden-service/src/plugins/container/build.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ export async function buildContainerModule({ module, log }: BuildModuleParams<Co
 
   const cmdOpts = ["build", "-t", identifier, ...getDockerBuildFlags(module)]
 
+  cmdOpts.push(...module.spec.extraFlags || [])
+
   if (module.spec.dockerfile) {
     cmdOpts.push("--file", containerHelpers.getDockerfileBuildPath(module))
   }
diff --git a/garden-service/src/plugins/container/config.ts b/garden-service/src/plugins/container/config.ts
index 1171e5f38d..887e6959b5 100644
--- a/garden-service/src/plugins/container/config.ts
+++ b/garden-service/src/plugins/container/config.ts
@@ -392,6 +392,7 @@ export interface ContainerBuildSpec extends BaseBuildSpec {
 export interface ContainerModuleSpec extends ModuleSpec {
   build: ContainerBuildSpec,
   buildArgs: PrimitiveMap,
+  extraFlags: string[],
   image?: string,
   dockerfile?: string,
   hotReload?: ContainerHotReloadSpec,
@@ -420,6 +421,12 @@ export const containerModuleSpecSchema = joi.object()
       .pattern(/.+/, joiPrimitive())
       .default(() => ({}), "{}")
       .description("Specify build arguments to use when building the container image."),
+    extraFlags: joi.array()
+      .items(joi.string())
+      .description(deline`
+        Specify extra flags to use when building the container image.
+        Note that arguments may not be portable across implementations.`,
+      ),
     // TODO: validate the image name format
     image: joi.string()
       .description(deline`
diff --git a/garden-service/src/plugins/local/local-google-cloud-functions.ts b/garden-service/src/plugins/local/local-google-cloud-functions.ts
index ebcf728bea..83836b3889 100644
--- a/garden-service/src/plugins/local/local-google-cloud-functions.ts
+++ b/garden-service/src/plugins/local/local-google-cloud-functions.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ export const gardenPlugin = (): GardenPlugin => ({
             dependencies: [],
           },
           buildArgs: {},
+          extraFlags: [],
           services: [],
           tasks: [],
           tests: [],
diff --git a/garden-service/src/plugins/openfaas/config.ts b/garden-service/src/plugins/openfaas/config.ts
index 341ae25813..ca920504f2 100644
--- a/garden-service/src/plugins/openfaas/config.ts
+++ b/garden-service/src/plugins/openfaas/config.ts
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ export function getContainerModule(module: OpenFaasModule): ContainerModule {
       ...module.spec,
       buildArgs: {},
       dockerfile: "Dockerfile",
+      extraFlags: [],
       services: [],
       tasks: [],
       tests: [],
diff --git a/garden-service/test/unit/src/plugins/container/container.ts b/garden-service/test/unit/src/plugins/container/container.ts
index 2dcb1fe72c..b54c6930f7 100644
--- a/garden-service/test/unit/src/plugins/container/container.ts
+++ b/garden-service/test/unit/src/plugins/container/container.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ describe("plugins.container", () => {
     spec: {
       build: { dependencies: [] },
       buildArgs: {},
+      extraFlags: [],
       services: [],
       tasks: [],
       tests: [],
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ describe("plugins.container", () => {
         spec: {
           build: { dependencies: [] },
           buildArgs: {},
+          extraFlags: [],
           services: [{
             name: "service-a",
             annotations: {},
@@ -173,6 +175,7 @@ describe("plugins.container", () => {
         {
           build: { dependencies: [] },
           buildArgs: {},
+          extraFlags: [],
           services:
             [{
               name: "service-a",
@@ -302,6 +305,7 @@ describe("plugins.container", () => {
         spec: {
           build: { dependencies: [] },
           buildArgs: {},
+          extraFlags: [],
           services: [{
             name: "service-a",
             annotations: {},
@@ -363,6 +367,7 @@ describe("plugins.container", () => {
         spec: {
           build: { dependencies: [] },
           buildArgs: {},
+          extraFlags: [],
           services: [{
             name: "service-a",
             annotations: {},
@@ -418,6 +423,7 @@ describe("plugins.container", () => {
         spec: {
           build: { dependencies: [] },
           buildArgs: {},
+          extraFlags: [],
           services: [{
             name: "service-a",
             annotations: {},
diff --git a/garden-service/test/unit/src/plugins/container/helpers.ts b/garden-service/test/unit/src/plugins/container/helpers.ts
index 51736fed07..9c0b4a08a0 100644
--- a/garden-service/test/unit/src/plugins/container/helpers.ts
+++ b/garden-service/test/unit/src/plugins/container/helpers.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ describe("containerHelpers", () => {
     spec: {
       build: { dependencies: [] },
       buildArgs: {},
+      extraFlags: [],
       services: [],
       tasks: [],
       tests: [],
@@ -233,6 +234,7 @@ describe("containerHelpers", () => {
         spec: {
           build: { dependencies: [] },
           buildArgs: {},
+          extraFlags: [],
           image: "some/image",
           services: [],
           tasks: [],