diff --git a/installer/image_build/files/Dockerfile.sdist b/installer/image_build/files/Dockerfile.sdist
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..15d0749f15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/installer/image_build/files/Dockerfile.sdist
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+FROM centos:7
+
+RUN yum install -y epel-release
+
+RUN yum install -y bzip2 \
+    gcc-c++ \
+    gettext \
+    git \
+    make \
+    python \
+    python-pip
+
+RUN curl --silent --location https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_6.x | bash -
+RUN yum install -y nodejs
+RUN npm set progress=false
+
+WORKDIR "/awx"
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["/bin/bash", "-c"]
+CMD ["make sdist"]
diff --git a/installer/image_build/tasks/main.yml b/installer/image_build/tasks/main.yml
index 45a9879623..b6c41fc97b 100644
--- a/installer/image_build/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/installer/image_build/tasks/main.yml
@@ -47,12 +47,22 @@
   when: not sdist.stat.exists
   delegate_to: localhost
 
+- name: Build sdist builder image
+  docker_image:
+    path: "image_build/files"
+    dockerfile: Dockerfile.sdist
+    name: awx_sdist_builder
+    tag: "{{ awx_version }}"
+    force: true
+
 - name: Build AWX distribution
-  shell: make sdist
-  args:
-    chdir: ..
-    creates: "./dist/{{ awx_sdist_file }}"
-  delegate_to: localhost
+  docker_container:
+    image: "awx_sdist_builder:{{ awx_version }}"
+    name: awx_sdist_builder
+    state: started
+    detach: false
+    volumes:
+      - ../:/awx
 
 - name: Set docker build base path
   set_fact: