diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ee80cf8d6c5..96a073d67fc 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -32,4 +32,5 @@ dockers/docker-snmp-sv2/Dockerfile
 dockers/docker-team/Dockerfile
 dockers/docker-teamd/Dockerfile
 dockers/docker-config-engine/Dockerfile
+dockers/docker-base/Dockerfile
 platform/broadcom/docker-syncd-brcm/Dockerfile
diff --git a/dockers/docker-base/Dockerfile b/dockers/docker-base/Dockerfile.j2
similarity index 89%
rename from dockers/docker-base/Dockerfile
rename to dockers/docker-base/Dockerfile.j2
index 59af1f3ac6a..5bdbf8b3d5a 100644
--- a/dockers/docker-base/Dockerfile
+++ b/dockers/docker-base/Dockerfile.j2
@@ -36,9 +36,16 @@ RUN apt-get -y purge                    \
     exim4-config                        \
     exim4-daemon-light
 
+{% if docker_base_dbgs %}
+## Install common debug-packages
+RUN apt-get -y install \
+{% for dbg_pkg in docker_base_dbgs.split(' ') -%}
+    {{ dbg_pkg }}{{' '}}
+{%- endfor %}
+{% endif %}
+
 ## Clean up apt
 ## Remove /var/lib/apt/lists/*, could be obsoleted for derived images
 RUN apt-get clean -y; apt-get autoclean -y; apt-get autoremove -y;      \
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*;                                        \
     rm -rf /tmp/*;
-
diff --git a/rules/config b/rules/config
index ea4f32de148..be8b7a9d77f 100644
--- a/rules/config
+++ b/rules/config
@@ -42,3 +42,6 @@ PASSWORD = YourPaSsWoRd
 # If not set (default behavior) the default minigraph built into the image will be used.
 # ENABLE_DHCP_GRAPH_SERVICE = y
 
+# SONIC_CONFIG_DEBUG - install debug packages
+# Uncomment next line to enable:
+# SONIC_CONFIG_DEBUG = y
diff --git a/rules/docker-base.mk b/rules/docker-base.mk
index 56e42ac97b4..f041f7d05cd 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 4ea96d1f4c8..2484e323c19 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 --squash --no-cache -t $* $($*.gz_PATH) $(LOG)
 	docker save $* | gzip -c > $@