diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 94922aec5985a4c5b3fc4d70b0785fd77e0c9be8..bac46a689f461e1a4b60e8a5770405a2256c8fde 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ variables:
   GET_SOURCES_ATTEMPTS: "3"
   KNAPSACK_RSPEC_SUITE_REPORT_PATH: knapsack/${CI_PROJECT_NAME}/rspec_report-master.json
   FLAKY_RSPEC_SUITE_REPORT_PATH: rspec_flaky/report-suite.json
+  BUILD_ASSETS_IMAGE: "false"
 
 before_script:
   - bundle --version
diff --git a/scripts/build_assets_image b/scripts/build_assets_image
index 1d77524d5036dac47353829f9e715120b1db37ff..4e5ef9771612c25a5f8a2a4fc687d6eb55014923 100755
--- a/scripts/build_assets_image
+++ b/scripts/build_assets_image
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+# Exit early if we don't want to build the image
+if [[ "${BUILD_ASSETS_IMAGE}" != "true" ]]
+then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
 # Generate the image name based on the project this is being run in
 ASSETS_IMAGE_NAME=$(echo ${CI_PROJECT_NAME} |
    awk '{