diff --git a/pmb/install/install.py b/pmb/install/install.py
index 3c34af7c..56076afb 100644
--- a/pmb/install/install.py
+++ b/pmb/install/install.py
@@ -82,17 +82,22 @@ def install(args, show_flash_msg=True):
     pmb.chroot.apk.install(args, pmb.config.install_native_packages,
                            build=False)
 
-    # Explicitly call build on the install packages, to re-build it or any
-    # dependency, in case the version increased
+    # List all packages to be installed (including the ones specified by --add)
+    # and upgrade the installed packages/apkindexes
     logging.info("*** (2/5) CREATE DEVICE ROOTFS (" + args.device + ") ***")
-    install_packages = pmb.config.install_device_packages + ["device-" + args.device]
+    install_packages = (pmb.config.install_device_packages + ["device-" + args.device])
+    suffix = "rootfs_" + args.device
+    pmb.chroot.apk.upgrade(args, suffix)
+
+    # Explicitly call build on the install packages, to re-build them or any
+    # dependency, in case the version increased
+    if args.add:
+        install_packages += args.add.split(",")
     for pkgname in install_packages:
         pmb.build.package(args, pkgname, args.deviceinfo["arch"])
 
     # Install all packages to device rootfs chroot
-    suffix = "rootfs_" + args.device
     pmb.chroot.apk.install(args, install_packages, suffix)
-    pmb.chroot.apk.upgrade(args, suffix)
     set_user_password(args)
 
     # Partition and fill image/sdcard
diff --git a/pmb/parse/arguments.py b/pmb/parse/arguments.py
index f6c98ad5..2b754e54 100644
--- a/pmb/parse/arguments.py
+++ b/pmb/parse/arguments.py
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ def arguments():
                          " eg. /dev/mmcblk0")
     install.add_argument("--cipher", help="cryptsetup cipher used to"
                          " encrypt the system partition, eg. aes-xts-plain64")
+    install.add_argument("--add", help="comma separated list of packages to be"
+                         " added to the rootfs (e.g. 'vim,gcc')")
 
     # Action: build / checksum / menuconfig / parse_apkbuild / aportgen
     menuconfig = sub.add_parser("menuconfig", help="run menuconfig on"