diff --git a/pkg/build/api/types.go b/pkg/build/api/types.go
index d805ce818b20..475bf79f7b72 100644
--- a/pkg/build/api/types.go
+++ b/pkg/build/api/types.go
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ type BuildParameters struct {
 
 	// Output describes the Docker image the Strategy should produce.
 	Output BuildOutput `json:"output,omitempty" yaml:"output,omitempty"`
+
+	UpstreamImage string `json:"upstreamImage,omitempty" yaml:"upstreamImage,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // BuildStatus represents the status of a build at a point in time.
diff --git a/pkg/build/api/v1beta1/types.go b/pkg/build/api/v1beta1/types.go
index 2d79b65dbb95..87443fd8cf6f 100644
--- a/pkg/build/api/v1beta1/types.go
+++ b/pkg/build/api/v1beta1/types.go
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ type BuildParameters struct {
 
 	// Output describes the Docker image the Strategy should produce.
 	Output BuildOutput `json:"output,omitempty" yaml:"output,omitempty"`
+
+	UpstreamImage string `json:"upstreamImage,omitempty" yaml:"upstreamImage,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // BuildStatus represents the status of a build at a point in time.
diff --git a/pkg/build/builder/docker.go b/pkg/build/builder/docker.go
index 6da46b2af903..e60c26123daa 100644
--- a/pkg/build/builder/docker.go
+++ b/pkg/build/builder/docker.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -54,10 +55,10 @@ func (d *DockerBuilder) Build() error {
 	if err = d.fetchSource(buildDir); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err = d.dockerBuild(buildDir); err != nil {
+	if err = d.addBuildParameters(buildDir); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err = d.addImageVars(); err != nil {
+	if err = d.dockerBuild(buildDir); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	if d.build.Parameters.Output.Registry != "" || d.authPresent {
@@ -125,40 +126,52 @@ func (d *DockerBuilder) fetchSource(dir string) error {
 	return d.git.Checkout(dir, d.build.Parameters.Source.Git.Ref)
 }
 
-// dockerBuild performs a docker build on the source that has been retrieved
-func (d *DockerBuilder) dockerBuild(dir string) error {
-	var noCache bool
-	if d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy != nil {
-		if d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy.ContextDir != "" {
-			dir = filepath.Join(dir, d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy.ContextDir)
-		}
-		noCache = d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy.NoCache
-	}
-	return buildImage(d.dockerClient, dir, noCache, imageTag(d.build), d.tar)
-}
+// addBuildParameters checks if an UpstreamImage is set to replace the default base image.
+// If that's the case then change the Dockerfile to make the build with the given image.
+// Also append the environment variables in the Dockerfile.
+func (d *DockerBuilder) addBuildParameters(dir string) error {
+	dockerfilePath := filepath.Join(dir, d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy.ContextDir, "Dockerfile")
 
-// addImageVars creates a new Dockerfile which adds certain environment
-// variables to the previously tagged image
-func (d *DockerBuilder) addImageVars() error {
-	var noCache bool
-	envVars := getBuildEnvVars(d.build)
-	tempDir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "overlay")
+	fileStat, err := os.Lstat(dockerfilePath)
+	filePerm := fileStat.Mode()
+
+	fileData, err := ioutil.ReadFile(dockerfilePath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	overlay, err := os.Create(filepath.Join(tempDir, "Dockerfile"))
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+
+	var newFileData string
+
+	if d.build.Parameters.UpstreamImage != "" {
+		re := regexp.MustCompile(`^FROM \w+.+/+\w+`)
+		newFileData = re.ReplaceAllString(string(fileData), fmt.Sprintf("FROM %s\n", d.build.Parameters.UpstreamImage))
 	}
-	overlay.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("FROM %s\n", imageTag(d.build)))
+
+	envVars := getBuildEnvVars(d.build)
 	for k, v := range envVars {
-		overlay.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("ENV %s %s\n", k, v))
+		newFileData = newFileData + fmt.Sprintf("ENV %s %s\n", k, v)
 	}
-	if err = overlay.Close(); err != nil {
+
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(dockerfilePath, []byte(newFileData), filePerm)
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+
+	var noCache bool
 	if d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy != nil {
 		noCache = d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy.NoCache
 	}
-	return buildImage(d.dockerClient, tempDir, noCache, imageTag(d.build), d.tar)
+	return buildImage(d.dockerClient, dir, noCache, imageTag(d.build), d.tar)
+}
+
+// dockerBuild performs a docker build on the source that has been retrieved
+func (d *DockerBuilder) dockerBuild(dir string) error {
+	var noCache bool
+	if d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy != nil {
+		if d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy.ContextDir != "" {
+			dir = filepath.Join(dir, d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy.ContextDir)
+		}
+		noCache = d.build.Parameters.Strategy.DockerStrategy.NoCache
+	}
+	return buildImage(d.dockerClient, dir, noCache, imageTag(d.build), d.tar)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/build/builder/sti.go b/pkg/build/builder/sti.go
index f291647ffb72..157c4c577517 100644
--- a/pkg/build/builder/sti.go
+++ b/pkg/build/builder/sti.go
@@ -29,13 +29,18 @@ func NewSTIBuilder(client DockerClient, dockerSocket string, authCfg docker.Auth
 // Build executes the STI build
 func (s *STIBuilder) Build() error {
 	request := &sti.STIRequest{
-		BaseImage:    s.build.Parameters.Strategy.STIStrategy.Image,
 		DockerSocket: s.dockerSocket,
 		Source:       s.build.Parameters.Source.Git.URI,
 		Tag:          imageTag(s.build),
 		Environment:  getBuildEnvVars(s.build),
 		Clean:        s.build.Parameters.Strategy.STIStrategy.Clean,
 	}
+
+	if s.build.Parameters.UpstreamImage != "" {
+		request.BaseImage = s.build.Parameters.UpstreamImage
+	} else {
+		request.BaseImage = s.build.Parameters.Strategy.STIStrategy.Image
+	}
 	if s.build.Parameters.Revision != nil && s.build.Parameters.Revision.Git != nil &&
 		s.build.Parameters.Revision.Git.Commit != "" {
 		request.Ref = s.build.Parameters.Revision.Git.Commit