diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 608197a..c2626d3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,14 +21,26 @@ A public instance of the API and explorer web app can be accessed via:
 
 ## Building
 
-Requires [git](https://git-scm.com/) and [go](https://golang.org)
+#### Using locally installed go
 
+Requires [git](https://git-scm.com/) and [go](https://golang.org)  
 ```
 go get -insecure git.dn42.us/burble/dn42regsrv
 ```
 
+#### Without installing go
+
+Using container runtime to build with the golang container:  
+```
+docker run -v ${PWD}:/go/bin golang go get -insecure git.dn42.us/burble/dn42regsrv
+```
+
+Or use the *contrib/build.sh* script after cloning the repo.
+
 ## Running
 
+#### As a service
+
 Use --help to view configurable options
 ```
 ${GOPATH}/bin/dn42regsrv --help
@@ -47,6 +59,14 @@ ${GOPATH}/dn42regsrv
 
 A sample service file is included for running the server under systemd
 
+#### Within a container
+
+A container build script (*contrib/buildah.sh*) is included in the
+contrib directory. The script uses [buildah](https://buildah.io/).
+
+See the *contrib/entrypoint.sh* script for environment variables that can
+be set when running the container.
+
 ## Using
 
 By default the server will be listening on port 8042.  
diff --git a/contrib/build.sh b/contrib/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..f5d2a45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+##########################################################################
+# A small script to build a static dn42regsrv image
+# using the golang container image
+#
+# the binary will be built in to the current directory
+##########################################################################
+RUNTIME=$(which podman || which docker)
+echo "Using container runtime: ${RUNTIME}"
+
+# find the source directory
+SCRIPTPATH="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" ; pwd -P)"
+SOURCEPATH="$(cd "${SCRIPTPATH}/../"; pwd -P)"
+echo "Source is in: ${SOURCEPATH}"
+
+# do the thing
+${RUNTIME} run --rm \
+           -e CGO_ENABLED=0 \
+           -v "${SOURCEPATH}:/go/src/dn42regsrv" \
+           -v "${PWD}:/go/bin" \
+           -w "/go/src/dn42regsrv" \
+           docker.io/golang:1.12 \
+           go get
+
+##########################################################################
+# end of code
diff --git a/contrib/buildah.sh b/contrib/buildah.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..bb474e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/buildah.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+##########################################################################
+echo "Building dn42regsrv container"
+
+# find the source directory
+SCRIPTPATH="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" ; pwd -P)"
+SOURCEPATH="$(cd "${SCRIPTPATH}/../"; pwd -P)"
+echo "Source is in: ${SOURCEPATH}"
+
+##########################################################################
+
+DEPS='git'
+B=$(which buildah)
+
+# initialise container
+c=$(buildah from --name dn42regsrv-working docker.io/debian:buster)
+
+##########################################################################
+
+# install dependencies and initialise directories
+$B run $c -- bash <<EOF
+apt-get -y update
+apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends $DEPS
+rm -r /var/lib/apt/lists
+EOF
+
+# mount the container
+m=$($B mount $c)
+
+# create directories and copy the web app
+mkdir "$m/app" "$m/data" "$m/registry" "$m/data/ssh"
+
+# web app
+cp -r "$SOURCEPATH/StaticRoot" "$m/data/webapp"
+
+# add the entrypoint.sh script
+cp "$SOURCEPATH/contrib/entrypoint.sh" "$m/app"
+chmod +x "$m/app"
+
+# build the binary directly in to the container
+pushd "$m/app"
+"$SOURCEPATH/contrib/build.sh"
+popd
+
+# unmount the container
+$B unmount $c
+
+# configure
+buildah config \
+        --author="Simon Marsh" \
+        --workingdir='/data/registry' \
+        --cmd='/app/entrypoint.sh' \
+        $c
+
+##########################################################################
+# finally create the image
+
+echo "Committing image ..."
+i=$($B commit --squash $c dn42regsrv)
+
+# clean up
+$B rm $c
+
+##########################################################################
+# end of file
diff --git a/contrib/entrypoint.sh b/contrib/entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..7470be1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+##########################################################################
+
+DN42REGSRV_WEBAPP=${DN42REGSRV_WEBAPP:-/data/webapp}
+DN42REGSRV_REGDIR=${DN42REGSRV_REGDIR:-/data/registry}
+DN42REGSRV_BRANCH=${DN42REGSRV_BRANCH:-master}
+DN42REGSRV_BIND=${DN42REGSRV_BIND:-[::]:8042}
+DN42REGSRV_INTERVAL=${DN42REGSRV_INTERVAL:-10m}
+DN42REGSRV_LOGLVL=${DN42REGSRV_LOGLVL:-info}
+DN42REGSRV_AUTOPULL=${DN42REGSRV_AUTOPULL:-true}
+
+exec /app/dn42regsrv \
+     -s "$DN42REGSRV_WEBAPP" \
+     -d "$DN42REGSRV_REGDIR" \
+     -p "$DN42REGSRV_BRANCH" \
+     -b "$DN42REGSRV_BIND" \
+     -i "$DN42REGSRV_INTERVAL" \
+     -l "$DN42REGSRV_LOGLVL" \
+     -a "$DN42REGSRV_AUTOPULL"   
+
+##########################################################################
+# end of file