diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 9c6d923..736b8a5 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ Role Variables
      - See modify image variables
 
 
-.. list-table:: Variables used for def install
+.. list-table:: Variables used for dev install
    :widths: auto
    :header-rows: 1
 
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ Role Variables
    * - `refspecs`
      - `[]`
      - An array of project/refspec pairs that will be installed into the generated container. Currently only supports python source projects.
+   * - `python_dir`
+     - `[]`
+     - Directory which contains a Python project ready to be installed with pip.
 
 
 Requirements
@@ -188,6 +191,8 @@ code installed via pip. To minimize dependencies within the container
 we generate the sdist locally and then copy it into the resulting
 container image as an sdist tarball to run pip install locally.
 
+It can be used to pull a review from OpenDev Gerrit:
+
 .. code-block::
 
     - hosts: localhost
@@ -205,6 +210,23 @@ container image as an sdist tarball to run pip install locally.
               refspec: refs/changes/12/1234/3
           modified_append_tag: -devel
 
+or it can be used to build an image from a local Python directory:
+
+.. code-block::
+
+    - hosts: localhost
+      connection: local
+      tasks:
+      - name: dev install heat-api
+        import_role:
+          name: tripleo-modify-image
+        vars:
+          tasks_from: dev_install.yml
+          source_image: docker.io/tripleomaster/centos-binary-heat-api:current-tripleo
+          modified_append_tag: -devel
+          python_dir:
+            - /home/joe/git/openstack/heat
+
 License
 -------
 
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 13ae719..8cc6510 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 ---
 update_repo: ''
 container_build_tool: 'docker'
+python_dir: []
+refspecs: []
diff --git a/files/dev_install.sh b/files/dev_install.sh
index 99553eb..8397692 100644
--- a/files/dev_install.sh
+++ b/files/dev_install.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,22 @@ function cherrypick {
 
 }
 
+# Copy a Python directory
+# $1 : Python directory to copy and install to generate a tarball.
+function copy {
+    local PYTHON_DIR=$1
+
+    rm -rf dev
+    cp -r $PYTHON_DIR dev
+    cd dev
+    SKIP_GENERATE_AUTHORS=1 SKIP_WRITE_GIT_CHANGELOG=1 python setup.py sdist
+    cp dist/*.tar.gz ../
+}
+
 mkdir -p refspec_projects
 cd refspec_projects
-cherrypick $1 $2
+if [[ "$GERRIT_MODE" == 1 ]]; then
+    cherrypick $1 $2
+else
+    copy $1
+fi
diff --git a/tasks/dev_install.yml b/tasks/dev_install.yml
index 5271b30..e170254 100644
--- a/tasks/dev_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/dev_install.yml
@@ -28,8 +28,20 @@
 
 - name: Git checkout the refspecs into local temp dir
   command: "/bin/bash dev_install.sh {{ item.project }} {{ item.refspec }}"
+  environment:
+    GERRIT_MODE: 1
   args:
     chdir: "{{ modify_dir_path }}"
   loop: "{{ refspecs }}"
+  when: item > 0
+
+- name: Copy the Python directories into local temp dir
+  command: "/bin/bash dev_install.sh {{ item }}"
+  environment:
+    GERRIT_MODE: 0
+  args:
+    chdir: "{{ modify_dir_path }}"
+  loop: "{{ python_dir }}"
+  when: item > 0
 
 - include_tasks: modify_image.yml