diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 1e87c52e6f..5483ddb6e9 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -30,3 +30,4 @@ dockers/docker-orchagent/Dockerfile
 dockers/docker-snmp-sv2/Dockerfile
 dockers/docker-team/Dockerfile
 dockers/docker-platform-monitor/Dockerfile
+dockers/docker-base/Dockerfile
diff --git a/rules/config b/rules/config
index d76477ce5a..5ae09a1bc9 100644
--- a/rules/config
+++ b/rules/config
@@ -31,3 +31,6 @@ USERNAME = admin
 
 # PASSWORD - password for installer build
 PASSWORD = YourPaSsWoRd
+
+# SONIC_CONFIG_DEBUG - install debug packages
+SONIC_CONFIG_DEBUG = n
diff --git a/rules/docker-base.mk b/rules/docker-base.mk
index 56e42ac97b..f041f7d05c 100644
--- a/rules/docker-base.mk
+++ b/rules/docker-base.mk
@@ -3,4 +3,12 @@
 DOCKER_BASE = docker-base.gz
 $(DOCKER_BASE)_PATH = $(DOCKERS_PATH)/docker-base
 
-SONIC_SIMPLE_DOCKER_IMAGES += $(DOCKER_BASE)
+ifeq ($(SONIC_CONFIG_DEBUG),y)
+GDB = gdb
+VIM = vim
+OPENSSH = openssh-client
+SSHPASS = sshpass
+$(DOCKER_BASE)_DBG_PACKAGES += $(GDB) $(VIM) $(OPENSSH) $(SSHPASS)
+endif
+
+SONIC_DOCKER_IMAGES += $(DOCKER_BASE)
diff --git a/slave.mk b/slave.mk
index 485f8ff920..5617a936f7 100644
--- a/slave.mk
+++ b/slave.mk
@@ -267,6 +267,7 @@ $(addprefix $(TARGET_PATH)/, $(SONIC_DOCKER_IMAGES)) : $(TARGET_PATH)/%.gz : .pl
 	sudo mount --bind $(PYTHON_WHEELS_PATH) $($*.gz_PATH)/python-wheels $(LOG)
 	# Export variables for j2. Use path for unique variable names, e.g. docker_orchagent_debs
 	$(eval export $(subst -,_,$(notdir $($*.gz_PATH)))_debs=$(shell printf "$(subst $(SPACE),\n,$(call expand,$($*.gz_DEPENDS),RDEPENDS))\n" | awk '!a[$$0]++'))
+	$(eval export $(subst -,_,$(notdir $($*.gz_PATH)))_dbgs=$(shell printf "$(subst $(SPACE),\n,$(call expand,$($*.gz_DBG_PACKAGES)))\n" | awk '!a[$$0]++'))
 	j2 $($*.gz_PATH)/Dockerfile.j2 > $($*.gz_PATH)/Dockerfile
 	docker build --no-cache -t $* $($*.gz_PATH) $(LOG)
 	docker save $* | gzip -c > $@