diff --git a/lib/heat b/lib/heat
index 44d9c4bbf1..82bbc9f6eb 100644
--- a/lib/heat
+++ b/lib/heat
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ HEAT_TEMPLATES_DIR=$HEAT_CONF_DIR/templates
 HEAT_STACK_DOMAIN=$(trueorfalse True HEAT_STACK_DOMAIN)
 HEAT_API_HOST=${HEAT_API_HOST:-$HOST_IP}
 HEAT_API_PORT=${HEAT_API_PORT:-8004}
+HEAT_FUNCTIONAL_IMAGE_ELEMENTS=${HEAT_FUNCTIONAL_IMAGE_ELEMENTS:-\
+vm fedora selinux-permissive pypi  os-collect-config os-refresh-config \
+os-apply-config heat-cfntools heat-config heat-config-cfn-init \
+heat-config-puppet heat-config-script}
+
 
 # other default options
 HEAT_DEFERRED_AUTH=${HEAT_DEFERRED_AUTH:-trusts}
@@ -306,15 +311,10 @@ function build_heat_functional_test_image {
         build_dib_pip_repo "$OCC_DIR $OAC_DIR $ORC_DIR $HEAT_CFNTOOLS_DIR"
         local image_name=heat-functional-tests-image
 
-        # The elements to invoke disk-image-create with
-        local image_elements="vm fedora selinux-permissive pypi \
-            os-collect-config os-refresh-config os-apply-config heat-cfntools \
-            heat-config heat-config-cfn-init heat-config-puppet heat-config-script"
-
         # Elements path for tripleo-image-elements and heat-templates software-config
         local elements_path=$TIE_DIR/elements:$HEAT_TEMPLATES_REPO_DIR/hot/software-config/elements
 
-        disk_image_create_upload "$image_name" "$image_elements" "$elements_path"
+        disk_image_create_upload "$image_name" "$HEAT_FUNCTIONAL_IMAGE_ELEMENTS" "$elements_path"
         iniset $TEMPEST_CONFIG orchestration image_ref $image_name
     else
         echo "Error, HEAT_CREATE_TEST_IMAGE=True requires dib" >&2