diff --git a/docker/base/Dockerfile.j2 b/docker/base/Dockerfile.j2
index 88835774e6..ff5d853b3d 100644
--- a/docker/base/Dockerfile.j2
+++ b/docker/base/Dockerfile.j2
@@ -401,8 +401,9 @@ COPY start.sh /usr/local/bin/kolla_start
 COPY sudoers /etc/sudoers
 COPY curlrc /root/.curlrc
 
-{% block dumb_init_installation %}
+{% if use_dumb_init %}
 
+{% block dumb_init_installation %}
 {% if base_arch == 'x86_64' %}
 
 RUN curl -sSL https://github.com/Yelp/dumb-init/releases/download/v1.1.3/dumb-init_1.1.3_amd64 -o /usr/local/bin/dumb-init \
@@ -421,9 +422,10 @@ RUN curl https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py -o get-pip.py \
 {% endif %}
 
 ENTRYPOINT ["dumb-init", "--single-child", "--"]
-
 {% endblock %}
 
+{% endif %}
+
 RUN touch /usr/local/bin/kolla_extend_start \
     && chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/kolla_start /usr/local/bin/kolla_extend_start /usr/local/bin/kolla_set_configs \
     && chmod 440 /etc/sudoers \
diff --git a/docker/mariadb/Dockerfile.j2 b/docker/mariadb/Dockerfile.j2
index 6af2bfb6c7..02c212e7d9 100644
--- a/docker/mariadb/Dockerfile.j2
+++ b/docker/mariadb/Dockerfile.j2
@@ -57,6 +57,20 @@ RUN chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/kolla_extend_start \
 {% if base_distro in ['debian', 'ubuntu'] %}
 RUN mkdir -p /var/run/mysqld && chown mysql /var/run/mysqld && chmod 755 /var/run/mysqld
 {% endif %}
+
+{% if use_dumb_init %}
+{% block mariadb_entrypoint %}
+# NOTE(mgoddard): Override the dumb-init arguments to avoid passing
+# --single-child. This does not play well with mysqld_safe, which ignores
+# SIGTERM, meaning Docker needs to forcibly kill the container to stop it.
+# Without --single-child, the TERM signal is sent to all subprocesses,
+# including mysqld.
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["dumb-init", "--"]
+CMD ["kolla_start"]
+{% endblock %}
+{% endif %}
+
 {% block mariadb_footer %}{% endblock %}
 {% block footer %}{% endblock %}
 
diff --git a/kolla/common/config.py b/kolla/common/config.py
index d45b97c2bb..d136d408d3 100755
--- a/kolla/common/config.py
+++ b/kolla/common/config.py
@@ -188,6 +188,8 @@ _CLI_OPTS = [
     cfg.StrOpt('base-arch', default=hostarch,
                choices=BASE_ARCH,
                help='The base architecture. Default is same as host'),
+    cfg.BoolOpt('use-dumb-init', default=True,
+                help='Use dumb-init as init system in containers'),
     cfg.BoolOpt('debug', short='d', default=False,
                 help='Turn on debugging log level'),
     cfg.BoolOpt('skip-parents', default=False,
diff --git a/kolla/image/build.py b/kolla/image/build.py
index f38efde0b2..092ff08a64 100755
--- a/kolla/image/build.py
+++ b/kolla/image/build.py
@@ -665,6 +665,7 @@ class KollaWorker(object):
         else:
             self.namespace = conf.namespace
         self.base = conf.base
+        self.use_dumb_init = conf.use_dumb_init
         self.base_tag = conf.base_tag
         self.install_type = conf.install_type
         self.tag = conf.tag
@@ -868,6 +869,7 @@ class KollaWorker(object):
                       'base_image': self.conf.base_image,
                       'base_distro_tag': self.base_tag,
                       'base_arch': self.base_arch,
+                      'use_dumb_init': self.use_dumb_init,
                       'supported_distro_release': supported_distro_release,
                       'install_metatype': self.install_metatype,
                       'image_prefix': self.image_prefix,
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/add-use-dumb-init-config-option-26b47f6d97d7585c.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/add-use-dumb-init-config-option-26b47f6d97d7585c.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7042aa7dd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/add-use-dumb-init-config-option-26b47f6d97d7585c.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Adds configration option ``use_dumb_init``, with default value of ``True``.
+    This can be use to avoid the of ``dumb-init`` as the container entrypoint,
+    using ``kolla_start`` directly instead. This option can also be disabled
+    via the ``kolla-build --nouse-dumb-init`` CLI argument.