diff --git a/CONF.sh b/CONF.sh
index efe1014f..090ab32a 100644
--- a/CONF.sh
+++ b/CONF.sh
@@ -189,3 +189,12 @@ export PUBLISH_URL="http://cdimage.debian.org/jigdo-area"
 export PUBLISH_NONUS_URL="http://non-US.cdimage.debian.org/jigdo-area"
 export PUBLISH_PATH="/home/jigdo-area/"
 
+# File with list of packages to include when running debootstrap from
+# the first stage installer (currently only supported in
+# debian-installer). One package per line.  Lines starting with '#'
+# are comments.  The package order is important, when will be
+# installed in the given order.
+#export BASE_INCLUDE="$BASEDIR"/data/$CODENAME/base_include
+
+# File with list of packages to exclude as above.
+#export BASE_EXCLUDE="$BASEDIR"/data/$CODENAME/base_exclude
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 40870e86..a423040b 100755
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -442,28 +442,44 @@ $(BDIR)/packages-stamp:
 	@# and create .disk/base_installable if yes
 	@# Also create .disk/base_components
 	$(Q)for DISK in $(FIRSTDISKS); do \
-	if [ -x "/usr/sbin/debootstrap" ]; then \
-	    ok=yes; \
-	    DISK=$${DISK##CD}; \
-	    for p in `/usr/sbin/debootstrap --arch $(ARCH) --print-debs $(CODENAME)`; do \
-		if ! grep -q ^$$p$$ $(BDIR)/$$DISK.packages; then \
-		    ok=no; \
-		    echo "Missing debootstrap-required $$p"; \
-		fi; \
-	    done; \
-	    if [ "$$ok" = "yes" ]; then \
-		echo "CD$$DISK contains all packages needed by debootstrap"; \
-		touch $(BDIR)/CD$$DISK/.disk/base_installable; \
+	    if [ -x "/usr/sbin/debootstrap" ]; then \
+	        ok=yes; \
+	        DISK=$${DISK##CD}; \
+	        for p in `/usr/sbin/debootstrap --arch $(ARCH) --print-debs $(CODENAME)`; do \
+		    if ! grep -q ^$$p$$ $(BDIR)/$$DISK.packages; then \
+		        ok=no; \
+		        echo "Missing debootstrap-required $$p"; \
+		    fi; \
+	        done; \
+	        if [ "$$ok" = "yes" ]; then \
+		    echo "CD$$DISK contains all packages needed by debootstrap"; \
+		    touch $(BDIR)/CD$$DISK/.disk/base_installable; \
+	        else \
+		    echo "CD$$DISK missing some packages needed by debootstrap"; \
+	        fi; \
 	    else \
-		echo "CD$$DISK missing some packages needed by debootstrap"; \
+	        echo "Unable to find debootstrap program"; \
+	    fi; \
+	    echo 'main' > $(BDIR)/CD$$DISK/.disk/base_components; \
+	    if [ -n "$(LOCAL)" ]; then \
+	        echo 'local' >> $(BDIR)/CD$$DISK/.disk/base_components; \
+	    fi; \
+	    if [ -n "$(BASE_INCLUDE)" ] ; then \
+		if [ -r "$(BASE_INCLUDE)" ] ; then \
+		    cp -af "$(BASE_INCLUDE)" \
+		        "$(BDIR)/CD$$DISK/.disk/base_include"; \
+		else \
+		    echo "ERROR: Unable to read BASE_INCLUDE file $(BASE_INCLUDE)"; \
+		fi; \
+	    fi; \
+	    if [ -n "$(BASE_EXCLUDE)" ] ; then \
+		if [ -r "$(BASE_EXCLUDE)" ] ; then \
+		    cp -af $(BASE_EXCLUDE) \
+			$(BDIR)/CD$$DISK/.disk/base_exclude; \
+		else \
+		    echo "ERROR: Unable to read BASE_EXCLUDE file $(BASE_EXCLUDE)"; \
+		fi; \
 	    fi; \
-	else \
-	    echo "Unable to find debootstrap program"; \
-	fi; \
-	echo 'main' > $(BDIR)/CD$$DISK/.disk/base_components; \
-	if [ -n "$(LOCAL)" ]; then \
-	    echo 'local' >> $(BDIR)/CD$$DISK/.disk/base_components; \
-	fi; \
 	done
 	$(Q)set -e; \
 	 for i in $(BDIR)/*.packages; do \
@@ -486,13 +502,6 @@ $(BDIR)/packages-stamp:
 		dir=$(BDIR)/CD$$dir; \
 		$(scanpackages) install $$dir; \
 	done
-	$(Q)for DISK in $(FIRSTDISKS); do \
-	    DISK=$${DISK##CD}; \
-	    echo 'main' > $(BDIR)/CD$$DISK/.disk/base_components; \
-	    if [ -n "$(LOCAL)" ]; then \
-		echo 'local' >> $(BDIR)/CD$$DISK/.disk/base_components; \
-	    fi; \
-	done
 	$(Q)touch $(BDIR)/packages-stamp
 
 sources: src-infos src-list $(SDIR)/sources-stamp
diff --git a/debian/CONF.sh b/debian/CONF.sh
index da79090f..046ab1f3 100644
--- a/debian/CONF.sh
+++ b/debian/CONF.sh
@@ -183,3 +183,13 @@ export DEFSRCSIZE=635
 export PUBLISH_URL="http://cdimage.debian.org/jigdo-area"
 export PUBLISH_NONUS_URL="http://non-US.cdimage.debian.org/jigdo-area"
 export PUBLISH_PATH="/home/jigdo-area/"
+
+# File with list of packages to include when running debootstrap from
+# the first stage installer (currently only supported in
+# debian-installer). One package per line.  Lines starting with '#'
+# are comments.  The package order is important, when will be
+# installed in the given order.
+#export BASE_INCLUDE="$BASEDIR"/data/$CODENAME/base_include
+
+# File with list of packages to exclude as above.
+#export BASE_EXCLUDE="$BASEDIR"/data/$CODENAME/base_exclude
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index f10bf1c9..386914cd 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@ debian-cd (2.2.16) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     have a mirror of main.
   * Petter Reinholdtsen:
     - Add CONTRIB flag to debian/CONF.sh.
-    - Create cdrom/.disk/base_components used by debian-installer.
+    - Add support for BASE_INCLUDE and BASE_EXCLUDE, making files
+      cdrom/.disk/base_include and .../base_exclude used by
+      debian-installer.
 
  -- Tollef Fog Heen <tfheen@debian.org>  Sat,  7 Dec 2002 10:58:53 +0100