diff --git a/bootc-base-imagectl b/bootc-base-imagectl
index 25f01ef..e9c5cc4 100755
--- a/bootc-base-imagectl
+++ b/bootc-base-imagectl
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ def run_build_rootfs(args):
             override_manifest['ostree-override-layers'].append(f'overlay/{base}')
     if args.no_docs:
         override_manifest['documentation'] = False
+    if args.recommends:
+        override_manifest['recommends'] = True
     if args.sysusers:
         override_manifest['sysusers'] = 'compose-forced'
         passwd_mode = 'nobody' if args.nobody_99 else 'none'
@@ -175,6 +177,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     build_rootfs.add_argument("--cachedir", help="Cache repo metadata and RPMs in specified directory", action='store', default='')
     build_rootfs.add_argument("--add-dir", help='Copy dir contents into the target', action='append', default=[], metavar='DIR')
     build_rootfs.add_argument("--no-docs", help="Don't install documentation", action='store_true')
+    build_rootfs.add_argument("--recommends", help="Whether to install recommended packages", action='store_true')
     build_rootfs.add_argument("--sysusers", help="Run systemd-sysusers instead of injecting hardcoded passwd/group entries", action='store_true')
     build_rootfs.add_argument("--nobody-99", help=argparse.SUPPRESS, action='store_true')
     build_rootfs.add_argument("--repo", help="Enable specific repositories only", action='append', default=[], metavar='REPO')