diff --git a/kolla/image/build.py b/kolla/image/build.py
index 71a93ebb04..d5c51d73bf 100755
--- a/kolla/image/build.py
+++ b/kolla/image/build.py
@@ -1290,7 +1290,9 @@ class KollaWorker(object):
                 # were not matched in the first place... (not worth the
                 # effort to run them, if they won't be used anyway).
                 continue
-            if image.parent is None:
+            # Build all root nodes, where a root is defined as having no parent
+            # or having a parent that is explicitly being skipped.
+            if image.parent is None or image.parent.status == STATUS_SKIPPED:
                 queue.put(BuildTask(self.conf, image, push_queue))
                 LOG.info('Added image %s to queue', image.name)