diff --git a/src/bci_build/package/__init__.py b/src/bci_build/package/__init__.py
index d65e0b84b..04649a967 100644
--- a/src/bci_build/package/__init__.py
+++ b/src/bci_build/package/__init__.py
@@ -193,6 +193,9 @@ class BaseContainerImage(abc.ABC):
     # The user to use for entrypoint service
     entrypoint_user: str | None = ""
 
+    # An optional workdir for the entrypoint or CMD
+    workdir: str | None = ""
+
     #: An optional CMD for the image, it is omitted if empty or ``None``
     cmd: list[str] | None = None
 
diff --git a/src/bci_build/templates.py b/src/bci_build/templates.py
index 4d3281832..5f0016d81 100644
--- a/src/bci_build/templates.py
+++ b/src/bci_build/templates.py
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@
 {%- if image.expose_dockerfile %}{{ image.expose_dockerfile }}{% endif %}
 {% if image.dockerfile_custom_end %}{{ image.dockerfile_custom_end }}{% endif %}
 {%- if image.entrypoint_user %}USER {{ image.entrypoint_user }}{% endif %}
+{%- if image.workdir %}WORKDIR {{ image.workdir }}{% endif %}
 {%- if image.volume_dockerfile %}{{ image.volume_dockerfile }}{% endif %}
 """
 )
@@ -137,6 +138,9 @@
 {%- if image.entrypoint_user %}
           user="{{ image.entrypoint_user }}"
 {%- endif %}
+{%- if image.workdir %}
+          workingdir="{{ image.workdir }}"
+{%- endif %}
 {#- NOTE: eye sight chart: this has a closing element character '>' here: ----> -#} >
         <labels>
           <suse_label_helper:add_prefix prefix="{{ image.labelprefix }}">