diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/README.rst b/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/README.rst
index 1f1714681..17c5a1187 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/README.rst
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/README.rst
@@ -34,3 +34,6 @@ Arguments
 * ``DIB_NO_TIMER_CHECK`` allows the default kernel argument,
   ``no_timer_check`` to be removed from the kernel command line
   when the value is set to ``False``.
+
+* ``DIB_SKIP_GRUB_PACKAGE_INSTALL`` when set to ``True`` will not install any
+  grub packages, and will assume all necessary packages are already installed.
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/environment.d/10-bootloader-default-cmdline b/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/environment.d/10-bootloader-default-cmdline
index c0f7e779b..eca238855 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/environment.d/10-bootloader-default-cmdline
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/environment.d/10-bootloader-default-cmdline
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ else
 fi
 export DIB_NO_TIMER_CHECK=${DIB_NO_TIMER_CHECK:-"True"}
 export DIB_BOOTLOADER_USE_SERIAL_CONSOLE=${DIB_BOOTLOADER_USE_SERIAL_CONSOLE:-"True"}
+export DIB_SKIP_GRUB_PACKAGE_INSTALL=${DIB_SKIP_GRUB_PACKAGE_INSTALL:-"False"}
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/finalise.d/50-bootloader b/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/finalise.d/50-bootloader
index 6ce9d9eb9..e20f07db1 100755
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/finalise.d/50-bootloader
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/bootloader/finalise.d/50-bootloader
@@ -31,14 +31,18 @@ DIB_BLOCK_DEVICE=${DIB_BLOCK_DEVICE:-}
 # architecture specific virtual package so we can install the
 # rigth thing based on distribution.
 if [[ "$ARCH" =~ "ppc" ]]; then
-    install-packages -m bootloader grub-ppc64
+    GRUB_PACKAGES="grub-ppc64"
 elif [[ "${DIB_BLOCK_DEVICE}" == "mbr" ||
             "${DIB_BLOCK_DEVICE}" == "gpt" ]]; then
-    install-packages -m bootloader grub-pc
+    GRUB_PACKAGES="grub-pc"
 elif [[ "${DIB_BLOCK_DEVICE}" == "efi" ]]; then
-    install-packages -m bootloader grub-efi grub-efi-$ARCH
+    GRUB_PACKAGES="grub-efi grub-efi-$ARCH"
 else
-    install-packages -m bootloader grub-pc grub-efi grub-efi-$ARCH
+    GRUB_PACKAGES="grub-pc grub-efi grub-efi-$ARCH"
+fi
+
+if [[ "False" == "${DIB_SKIP_GRUB_PACKAGE_INSTALL:-False}" ]]; then
+    install-packages -m bootloader $GRUB_PACKAGES
 fi
 
 GRUBNAME=$(type -p grub-install) || echo "trying grub2-install"