diff --git a/src/pylorax/__init__.py b/src/pylorax/__init__.py
index cc5a7e77..b22a8ef4 100644
--- a/src/pylorax/__init__.py
+++ b/src/pylorax/__init__.py
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ class Lorax(BaseLoraxClass):
     def run(self, ybo, product, version, release, variant="", bugurl="",
             isfinal=False, workdir=None, outputdir=None, buildarch=None, volid=None,
             domacboot=False, doupgrade=True, remove_temp=False,
+            installpkgs=None,
             size=2,
             add_templates=None,
             add_template_vars=None,
@@ -152,6 +153,8 @@ class Lorax(BaseLoraxClass):
 
         assert self._configured
 
+        installpkgs = installpkgs or []
+
         # get lorax version
         try:
             import pylorax.version
@@ -247,6 +250,7 @@ class Lorax(BaseLoraxClass):
         # NOTE: rb.root = ybo.conf.installroot (== self.inroot)
         rb = RuntimeBuilder(product=self.product, arch=self.arch,
                             yum=ybo, templatedir=templatedir,
+                            installpkgs=installpkgs,
                             add_templates=add_templates,
                             add_template_vars=add_template_vars)
 
diff --git a/src/pylorax/treebuilder.py b/src/pylorax/treebuilder.py
index 85a7fe91..73e02e65 100644
--- a/src/pylorax/treebuilder.py
+++ b/src/pylorax/treebuilder.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ def generate_module_info(moddir, outfile=None):
 class RuntimeBuilder(object):
     '''Builds the anaconda runtime image.'''
     def __init__(self, product, arch, yum, templatedir=None,
+                 installpkgs=None,
                  add_templates=None,
                  add_template_vars=None):
         root = yum.conf.installroot
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ class RuntimeBuilder(object):
                                            yum=yum, templatedir=templatedir)
         self.add_templates = add_templates or []
         self.add_template_vars = add_template_vars or {}
+        self._installpkgs = installpkgs or []
         self._runner.defaults = self.vars
 
     def _install_branding(self):
@@ -107,6 +109,8 @@ class RuntimeBuilder(object):
     def install(self):
         '''Install packages and do initial setup with runtime-install.tmpl'''
         self._install_branding()
+        if len(self._installpkgs) > 0:
+            self._runner.installpkg(*self._installpkgs)
         self._runner.run("runtime-install.tmpl")
         for tmpl in self.add_templates:
             self._runner.run(tmpl, **self.add_template_vars)
diff --git a/src/sbin/lorax b/src/sbin/lorax
index 543cae20..d100ba9f 100755
--- a/src/sbin/lorax
+++ b/src/sbin/lorax
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ def main(args):
     optional.add_option("-e", "--excludepkgs", default=[],
             action="append", metavar="STRING",
             help="package glob to exclude (may be listed multiple times)")
+    optional.add_option("-i", "--installpkgs", default=[],
+            action="append", metavar="STRING",
+            help="package glob to install before runtime-install.tmpl runs. (may be listed multiple times)")
     optional.add_option("--buildarch", default=None,
             help="build architecture", metavar="STRING")
     optional.add_option("--volid", default=None,
@@ -218,6 +221,7 @@ def main(args):
               opts.variant, opts.bugurl, opts.isfinal,
               workdir=tempdir, outputdir=outputdir, buildarch=opts.buildarch,
               volid=opts.volid, domacboot=opts.domacboot, doupgrade=opts.doupgrade,
+              installpkgs=opts.installpkgs,
               add_templates=opts.add_templates,
               add_template_vars=parsed_add_template_vars,
               add_arch_templates=opts.add_arch_templates,