diff --git a/elements/package-installs/README.rst b/elements/package-installs/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e988a71d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/package-installs/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+The package-installs element allows for a declarative method of installing and
+uninstalling packages for an image build. Adding a file under your elements
+install.d directory called package-installs-<element-name> will cause the list
+of packages in that file to be installed at the beginning of the install.d
+phase.
+
+If the package name in the file starts with a "-", then that package will be
+removed at the end of the install.d phase.
diff --git a/elements/package-installs/install.d/00-package-installs b/elements/package-installs/install.d/00-package-installs
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..043a2a817
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/package-installs/install.d/00-package-installs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -eux
+set -o pipefail
+
+PACKAGES=
+
+for PACKAGEFILE in $(find $(dirname $0) -maxdepth 1 -name "package-installs-*" ); do
+    while read pkg; do
+        if [ ${pkg:0:1} = "-" ]; then
+            pkg=${pkg:1}
+        fi
+        PACKAGES="$PACKAGES $pkg"
+    done < $PACKAGEFILE
+done
+
+install-packages $PACKAGES
diff --git a/elements/package-installs/install.d/99-package-uninstalls b/elements/package-installs/install.d/99-package-uninstalls
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..dff2845e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/package-installs/install.d/99-package-uninstalls
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -eux
+set -o pipefail
+
+PACKAGES=
+
+for PACKAGEFILE in $(find $(dirname $0) -maxdepth 1 -name "package-installs-*" ); do
+    while read pkg; do
+        if [ ! ${pkg:0:1} = "-" ]; then
+            continue
+        fi
+        pkg=${pkg:1}
+        PACKAGES="$PACKAGES $pkg"
+    done < $PACKAGEFILE
+done
+
+install-packages -e $PACKAGES