diff --git a/src/ibek/globals.py b/src/ibek/globals.py
index e458a38a4..90c799e18 100644
--- a/src/ibek/globals.py
+++ b/src/ibek/globals.py
@@ -124,9 +124,14 @@ def IOC_LIBS(self):
 
     @property
     def RUNTIME_DEBS(self):
-        """ibek-support list of declared libs"""
+        """ibek-support list of declared deb packages to install in runtime stage"""
         return self.SUPPORT / "configure" / "runtime_debs"
 
+    @property
+    def RUNTIME_FILES(self):
+        """ibek-support list of files to copy to the runtime stage"""
+        return self.SUPPORT / "configure" / "runtime_files_list"
+
 
 # Folder containing templates for IOC src etc.
 TEMPLATES = Path(__file__).parent / "templates"
diff --git a/src/ibek/ioc_cmds/assets.py b/src/ibek/ioc_cmds/assets.py
index fb004e84c..b28d84e10 100644
--- a/src/ibek/ioc_cmds/assets.py
+++ b/src/ibek/ioc_cmds/assets.py
@@ -47,11 +47,11 @@ def extract_assets(
     """
 
     if GLOBALS.STATIC_BUILD:
-        # static builds only need database files from support modules
-        asset_matches = "db"
+        # static builds only need database and .proto files from support modules
+        asset_matches = "db|*/protocol"
     else:
-        # dynamically linked builds need binaries
-        asset_matches = "bin|db|lib"
+        # dynamically linked builds need binaries and protocol files
+        asset_matches = "bin|db|lib|*/protocol"
 
     # chdir out of the folders we will move
     os.chdir(source)
@@ -66,18 +66,21 @@ def extract_assets(
             Path.readlink(
                 GLOBALS.IOC_FOLDER
             ).parent,  # get contents of IOC folder and its source (parent)
-            Path("/venv"),  # get the virtualenv
-        ] + list(
-            source.glob("ibek*")
-        )  # get ibek-support and related folders
+            GLOBALS.EPICS_ROOT.parent / "venv",  # virtualenv is a peer to /epics
+        ]
     else:
         default_assets = []
 
     # folder names with binary files in them
     binary = ["bin", "lib"]
 
+    # get the list of additional files supplied by add_runtime_files
+    if GLOBALS.RUNTIME_FILES.exists():
+        with GLOBALS.RUNTIME_FILES.open("r") as f:
+            runtime_files = [Path(line.strip()) for line in f.readlines()]
+
     # move the default assets and extras in their entirety
-    extra_files = default_assets + extras
+    extra_files = default_assets + extras + runtime_files
     for asset in extra_files:
         src = source / asset
         if src.exists():
diff --git a/src/ibek/support_cmds/commands.py b/src/ibek/support_cmds/commands.py
index 939e56074..6a2d304e0 100644
--- a/src/ibek/support_cmds/commands.py
+++ b/src/ibek/support_cmds/commands.py
@@ -340,3 +340,17 @@ def generate_schema(
         typer.echo(Support.get_schema())
     else:
         output.write_text(Support.get_schema())
+
+
+@support_cli.command()
+def add_runtime_files(
+    files: List[str] = typer.Argument(
+        None, help="list of file or folders to add to the runtime image"
+    ),
+):
+    """
+    Adds to the list of folders or filesthat are copied over to the runtime
+    stage of the container build.
+    """
+    files = files or []
+    add_list_to_file(GLOBALS.RUNTIME_FILES, files)
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 5aff5f951..6921e0bea 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -63,15 +63,26 @@ def entity_factory():
 def tmp_epics_root(samples: Path, tmp_path: Path, mocker: MockerFixture):
     # create an partially populated epics_root structure in a temporary folder
     epics = tmp_path / "epics"
+    epics_source = samples / "epics"
     epics.mkdir()
-    shutil.copytree(samples / "epics" / "pvi-defs", epics / "pvi-defs")
-    shutil.copytree(samples / "epics" / "support", epics / "support")
-    Path.mkdir(epics / "opi")
-    Path.mkdir(epics / "epics-base")
-    Path.mkdir(epics / "ioc/config", parents=True)
-    Path.mkdir(epics / "ibek-defs")
-    Path.mkdir(epics / "runtime")
-
+    # a dummy venv for testing extract_assets
+    Path.mkdir(tmp_path / "venv")
+
+    # create the minimal structure under epics root
+    files = epics_source.glob("*")
+    for f in files:
+        if f.is_dir():
+            shutil.copytree(f, epics / f.name)
+        else:
+            shutil.copy(f, epics / f.name)
+    Path.mkdir(epics / "opi", exist_ok=True)
+    Path.mkdir(epics / "epics-base", exist_ok=True)
+    Path.mkdir(epics / "generic-source" / "ioc" / "config", parents=True)
+    (epics / "ioc").symlink_to(epics / "generic-source" / "ioc")
+    Path.mkdir(epics / "ibek-defs", exist_ok=True)
+    Path.mkdir(epics / "runtime", exist_ok=True)
+
+    # patch the global EPICS_ROOT to point to this temporary folder
     mocker.patch.object(GLOBALS, "_EPICS_ROOT", epics)
 
     # this should not be needed - what gives?
diff --git a/tests/samples/epics/runtime_file b/tests/samples/epics/runtime_file
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c50f7a6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/samples/epics/runtime_file
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+dummy file for testing add_runtime_files
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/samples/epics/runtime_folder/text1.txt b/tests/samples/epics/runtime_folder/text1.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c50f7a6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/samples/epics/runtime_folder/text1.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+dummy file for testing add_runtime_files
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/samples/epics/runtime_folder/text2.txt b/tests/samples/epics/runtime_folder/text2.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c50f7a6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/samples/epics/runtime_folder/text2.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+dummy file for testing add_runtime_files
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_unit.py b/tests/test_unit.py
index f2e800ddf..248305a9f 100644
--- a/tests/test_unit.py
+++ b/tests/test_unit.py
@@ -3,15 +3,19 @@
 """
 
 import dataclasses
+import shutil
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import jinja2
 import pytest
 
 from ibek.commands import semver_compare
 from ibek.ioc import id_to_entity
+from ibek.ioc_cmds.assets import extract_assets
 from ibek.ioc_factory import IocFactory
 from ibek.parameters import IdParam, ObjectParam
 from ibek.support import EntityModel, Support
+from ibek.support_cmds.commands import add_runtime_files
 from ibek.utils import UTILS
 
 
@@ -89,3 +93,25 @@ def test_strict():
     my_template = "{{ person.name ~ ' of age ' ~ person.height }}"
     with pytest.raises(jinja2.exceptions.UndefinedError):
         text = UTILS.render({"person": p}, my_template)
+
+
+def test_extract_assets(tmp_epics_root: Path, samples: Path):
+    """
+    Test the extract_assets function
+    """
+    runtime_files = [
+        str(tmp_epics_root / "runtime_file"),
+        str(tmp_epics_root / "runtime_folder"),
+    ]
+    add_runtime_files(runtime_files)
+
+    dest = Path("/tmp/ibek_test_assests")
+    shutil.rmtree(dest, ignore_errors=True)
+    dest.mkdir()
+
+    extract_assets(dest, tmp_epics_root, [], True)
+    new_epics_root = list(dest.glob("tmp/*/*/*/epics"))[0]
+
+    assert Path.exists(new_epics_root / "runtime_file")
+    assert Path.exists(new_epics_root / "runtime_folder/text1.txt")
+    assert Path.exists(new_epics_root / "runtime_folder/text2.txt")