diff --git a/hack/build.sh b/hack/build.sh
index 604c620e463..1b4add595ba 100755
--- a/hack/build.sh
+++ b/hack/build.sh
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ export CGO_ENABLED=0
 case "${MODE}" in
 release)
 	TAGS="${TAGS} release"
+	if test -n "${OPENSHIFT_INSTALL_RELEASE_IMAGE}"
+	then
+		LDFLAGS="${LDFLAGS} -X github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/ignition/bootstrap.defaultReleaseImage=${OPENSHIFT_INSTALL_RELEASE_IMAGE}"
+	fi
 	if test "${SKIP_GENERATION}" != y
 	then
 		go generate ./data
diff --git a/pkg/asset/ignition/bootstrap/bootstrap.go b/pkg/asset/ignition/bootstrap/bootstrap.go
index e685af4877e..74f9c2b666f 100644
--- a/pkg/asset/ignition/bootstrap/bootstrap.go
+++ b/pkg/asset/ignition/bootstrap/bootstrap.go
@@ -30,10 +30,13 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	rootDir              = "/opt/tectonic"
-	defaultReleaseImage  = "registry.svc.ci.openshift.org/openshift/origin-release:v4.0"
 	bootstrapIgnFilename = "bootstrap.ign"
 )
 
+var (
+	defaultReleaseImage = "registry.svc.ci.openshift.org/openshift/origin-release:v4.0"
+)
+
 // bootstrapTemplateData is the data to use to replace values in bootstrap
 // template files.
 type bootstrapTemplateData struct {