diff --git a/doc/configuration.rst b/doc/configuration.rst
index 58683dc6..b965912b 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.rst
+++ b/doc/configuration.rst
@@ -544,6 +544,8 @@ Options
       * ``add_template_var`` -- *[str]* (default empty)
       * ``add_arch_template_var`` -- *[str]* (default empty)
       * ``rootfs_size`` -- [*int*] (default empty)
+      * ``version`` -- [*str*] (default from ``release_version``) -- used as
+        ``--version`` and ``--release`` argument on the lorax command line
 **lorax_extra_sources**
     (*list*) -- a variant/arch mapping with urls for extra source repositories
     added to Lorax command line. Either one repo or a list can be specified.
diff --git a/pungi/checks.py b/pungi/checks.py
index 65a3922c..66b8c000 100644
--- a/pungi/checks.py
+++ b/pungi/checks.py
@@ -1178,6 +1178,7 @@ def make_schema():
                     'add_template_var': {"$ref": "#/definitions/list_of_strings"},
                     'add_arch_template_var': {"$ref": "#/definitions/list_of_strings"},
                     "rootfs_size": {"type": "integer"},
+                    "version": {"type": "string"},
                 },
                 "additionalProperties": False,
             }),
diff --git a/pungi/phases/buildinstall.py b/pungi/phases/buildinstall.py
index dfa0bda9..9e26088b 100644
--- a/pungi/phases/buildinstall.py
+++ b/pungi/phases/buildinstall.py
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class BuildinstallPhase(PhaseBase):
         add_template_var = []
         add_arch_template_var = []
         rootfs_size = None
+        version = self.compose.conf["release_version"]
         for data in get_arch_variant_data(self.compose.conf, 'lorax_options', arch, variant):
             if not data.get('noupgrade', True):
                 noupgrade = False
@@ -83,6 +84,8 @@ class BuildinstallPhase(PhaseBase):
             add_arch_template.extend(data.get('add_arch_template', []))
             add_template_var.extend(data.get('add_template_var', []))
             add_arch_template_var.extend(data.get('add_arch_template_var', []))
+            if "version" in data:
+                version = data["version"]
         output_dir = os.path.join(output_dir, variant.uid)
         output_topdir = output_dir
 
@@ -112,8 +115,8 @@ class BuildinstallPhase(PhaseBase):
 
         lorax = LoraxWrapper()
         lorax_cmd = lorax.get_lorax_cmd(self.compose.conf["release_name"],
-                                        self.compose.conf["release_version"],
-                                        self.compose.conf["release_version"],
+                                        version,
+                                        version,
                                         repos,
                                         output_dir,
                                         variant=variant.uid,
diff --git a/tests/test_buildinstall.py b/tests/test_buildinstall.py
index cfdc3666..176bfb1b 100644
--- a/tests/test_buildinstall.py
+++ b/tests/test_buildinstall.py
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ class TestBuildinstallPhase(PungiTestCase):
                         'add_template_var': ['baz=1'],
                         'add_arch_template_var': ['quux=2'],
                         "rootfs_size": 3,
+                        "version": "1.2.3",
                     },
                     'amd64': {'noupgrade': False}
                 }),
@@ -290,7 +291,7 @@ class TestBuildinstallPhase(PungiTestCase):
         # Obtained correct lorax commands.
         self.assertItemsEqual(
             loraxCls.return_value.get_lorax_cmd.mock_calls,
-            [mock.call('Test', '1', '1',
+            [mock.call('Test', '1.2.3', '1.2.3',
                        [self.topdir + '/work/x86_64/repo',
                         self.topdir + '/work/x86_64/comps_repo_Server'],
                        self.topdir + '/work/x86_64/buildinstall/Server',