diff --git a/pmb/config/__init__.py b/pmb/config/__init__.py
index 8b509bb0..9dfee3f9 100644
--- a/pmb/config/__init__.py
+++ b/pmb/config/__init__.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ defaults = {
     "aports": os.path.normpath(pmb_src + "/aports"),
     "config": os.path.expanduser("~") + "/.config/pmbootstrap.cfg",
     "device": "samsung-i9100",
+    "extra_packages": "none",
     "timestamp_based_rebuild": True,
     "log": "$WORK/log.txt",
     "mirror_alpine": "https://nl.alpinelinux.org/alpine/",
diff --git a/pmb/config/init.py b/pmb/config/init.py
index 318c2780..0b9690b0 100644
--- a/pmb/config/init.py
+++ b/pmb/config/init.py
@@ -92,6 +92,14 @@ def init(args):
                                      default=args.timestamp_based_rebuild)
     cfg["pmbootstrap"]["timestamp_based_rebuild"] = str(answer)
 
+    # Extra packages to be installed to rootfs
+    logging.info("Additional packages that will be installed to rootfs."
+                 " Specify them in a comma separated list (e.g.: vim,file)"
+                 " or \"none\"")
+    cfg["pmbootstrap"]["extra_packages"] = pmb.helpers.cli.ask(args, "Extra packages",
+                                                               None, args.extra_packages,
+                                                               validation_regex="^(|[-\w\s]+(?:,[-\w\s]*)*)$")
+
     # Do not save aports location to config file
     del cfg["pmbootstrap"]["aports"]
 
diff --git a/pmb/install/install.py b/pmb/install/install.py
index dbb2e9bd..17e7e6ec 100644
--- a/pmb/install/install.py
+++ b/pmb/install/install.py
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ def install(args):
 
     # Explicitly call build on the install packages, to re-build them or any
     # dependency, in case the version increased
+    if args.extra_packages.lower() != "none":
+        install_packages += args.extra_packages.split(",")
     if args.add:
         install_packages += args.add.split(",")
     for pkgname in install_packages: