diff --git a/dockers/docker-base-bookworm/Dockerfile.j2 b/dockers/docker-base-bookworm/Dockerfile.j2
index 14032ed308f3..2886834465bb 100644
--- a/dockers/docker-base-bookworm/Dockerfile.j2
+++ b/dockers/docker-base-bookworm/Dockerfile.j2
@@ -1,12 +1,24 @@
 {% set prefix = DEFAULT_CONTAINER_REGISTRY %}
 {% from "dockers/dockerfile-macros.j2" import install_debian_packages, install_python_wheels, copy_files %}
 {% if CONFIGURED_ARCH == "armhf" and (MULTIARCH_QEMU_ENVIRON == "y" or CROSS_BUILD_ENVIRON == "y") %}
+{% if build_debian_slim == "y" %}
+FROM --platform=linux/arm/v7 {{ prefix }}debian:bookworm-slim
+{% else %}
 FROM --platform=linux/arm/v7 {{ prefix }}debian:bookworm
+{% endif %}
 {% elif CONFIGURED_ARCH == "arm64" and (MULTIARCH_QEMU_ENVIRON == "y" or CROSS_BUILD_ENVIRON == "y") %}
+{% if build_debian_slim == "y" %}
+FROM --platform=linux/arm64 {{ prefix }}debian:bookworm-slim
+{% else %}
 FROM --platform=linux/arm64 {{ prefix }}debian:bookworm
+{% endif %}
+{% else %}
+{% if build_debian_slim == "y" %}
+FROM {{ prefix }}{{DOCKER_BASE_ARCH}}/debian:bookworm-slim
 {% else %}
 FROM {{ prefix }}{{DOCKER_BASE_ARCH}}/debian:bookworm
 {% endif %}
+{% endif %}
 
 # Clean documentation in FROM image
 RUN find /usr/share/doc -depth \( -type f -o -type l \) ! -name copyright | xargs rm || true
diff --git a/dockers/docker-config-engine/Dockerfile.j2 b/dockers/docker-config-engine/Dockerfile.j2
index c470102fa4c4..4a05c1b6de95 100644
--- a/dockers/docker-config-engine/Dockerfile.j2
+++ b/dockers/docker-config-engine/Dockerfile.j2
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
+{% from "dockers/dockerfile-macros.j2" import install_debian_packages, install_python_wheels, copy_files %}
+{% if squash_base_debian_image == "y" %}
+FROM docker-base-{{DOCKER_USERNAME}}:{{DOCKER_USERTAG}} as intermediate
+{% else %}
 FROM docker-base-{{DOCKER_USERNAME}}:{{DOCKER_USERTAG}}
+{% endif %}
 
 ## Make apt-get non-interactive
 ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -17,29 +22,29 @@ COPY \
 debs/{{ deb }}{{' '}}
 {%- endfor -%}
 debs/
-{%- endif -%}
+{%- endif %}
 
 {% if docker_config_engine_debs.strip() %}
 RUN dpkg -i \
 {% for deb in docker_config_engine_debs.split(' ') -%}
 debs/{{ deb }}{{' '}}
 {%- endfor %}
-{%- endif -%}
+{%- endif %}
 
 {% if docker_config_engine_whls.strip() %}
 COPY \
 {% for whl in docker_config_engine_whls.split(' ') -%}
 python-wheels/{{ whl }}{{' '}}
-{%- endfor -%}
+{%- endfor %}
 python-wheels/
-{%- endif -%}
+{%- endif %}
 
 {% if docker_config_engine_whls.strip() %}
 RUN pip install \
 {% for whl in docker_config_engine_whls.split(' ') -%}
 python-wheels/{{ whl }}{{' '}}
 {%- endfor %}
-{%- endif -%}
+{%- endif %}
 
 # Copy files
 COPY ["files/swss_vars.j2", "/usr/share/sonic/templates/"]
@@ -47,3 +52,9 @@ COPY ["files/swss_vars.j2", "/usr/share/sonic/templates/"]
 ## Clean up
 RUN apt-get purge -y build-essential python-dev; apt-get clean -y; apt-get autoclean -y; apt-get autoremove -y
 RUN rm -rf /debs /python-wheels
+
+{% if squash_base_debian_image == "y" %}
+# Squash. Only keep the files that remain.
+FROM scratch
+COPY --from=intermediate / /
+{% endif %}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rules/config b/rules/config
index 3d3a81ce60f2..f2ca30123e24 100644
--- a/rules/config
+++ b/rules/config
@@ -334,3 +334,9 @@ SONIC_PTF_ENV_PY_VER = mixed
 
 # Add timeout on some process which may hangs
 BUILD_PROCESS_TIMEOUT ?= 0
+
+# Build with debian slim image
+BUILD_DEBIAN_SLIM = n
+
+# Squash base docker image to save space and remove secrets in image layers
+SQUASH_BASE_DEBIAN_IMAGE = n
diff --git a/slave.mk b/slave.mk
index f3d9ad3e237e..bf328c22b502 100644
--- a/slave.mk
+++ b/slave.mk
@@ -1156,6 +1156,8 @@ $(addprefix $(TARGET_PATH)/, $(DOCKER_IMAGES)) : $(TARGET_PATH)/%.gz : .platform
 		export include_system_eventd="$(INCLUDE_SYSTEM_EVENTD)"
 		export build_reduce_image_size="$(BUILD_REDUCE_IMAGE_SIZE)"
 		export sonic_asic_platform="$(patsubst %-$(CONFIGURED_ARCH),%,$(CONFIGURED_PLATFORM))"
+		export build_debian_slim="$(BUILD_DEBIAN_SLIM)"
+		export squash_base_debian_image="$(SQUASH_BASE_DEBIAN_IMAGE)"
 		$(eval export $(subst -,_,$(notdir $($*.gz_PATH)))_debs=$(shell printf "$(subst $(SPACE),\n,$(call expand,$($*.gz_DEPENDS),RDEPENDS))\n" | awk '!a[$$0]++'))
 		$(eval export $(subst -,_,$(notdir $($*.gz_PATH)))_pydebs=$(shell printf "$(subst $(SPACE),\n,$(call expand,$($*.gz_PYTHON_DEBS)))\n" | awk '!a[$$0]++'))
 		$(eval export $(subst -,_,$(notdir $($*.gz_PATH)))_whls=$(shell printf "$(subst $(SPACE),\n,$(call expand,$($*.gz_PYTHON_WHEELS)))\n" | awk '!a[$$0]++'))
@@ -1459,6 +1461,8 @@ $(addprefix $(TARGET_PATH)/, $(SONIC_INSTALLERS)) : $(TARGET_PATH)/% : \
 	export include_kubernetes_master="$(INCLUDE_KUBERNETES_MASTER)"
 	export kube_docker_proxy="$(KUBE_DOCKER_PROXY)"
 	export enable_pfcwd_on_start="$(ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START)"
+	export build_debian_slim="$(BUILD_DEBIAN_SLIM)"
+	export squash_base_debian_image="$(SQUASH_BASE_DEBIAN_IMAGE)"
 	export installer_debs="$(addprefix $(IMAGE_DISTRO_DEBS_PATH)/,$($*_INSTALLS) $(FIPS_BASEIMAGE_INSTALLERS))"
 	export lazy_installer_debs="$(foreach deb, $($*_LAZY_INSTALLS),$(foreach device, $($(deb)_PLATFORM),$(addprefix $(device)@, $(IMAGE_DISTRO_DEBS_PATH)/$(deb))))"
 	export lazy_build_installer_debs="$(foreach deb, $($*_LAZY_BUILD_INSTALLS), $(addprefix $($(deb)_MACHINE)|,$(deb)))"