diff --git a/charts/k8s-gerrit/container-images/gerrit-base/Dockerfile b/charts/k8s-gerrit/container-images/gerrit-base/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f08ac6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/charts/k8s-gerrit/container-images/gerrit-base/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+ARG TAG=latest
+FROM base:${TAG}
+
+RUN apk update && \
+    apk add --no-cache \
+      coreutils \
+      curl \
+      openssh-keygen \
+      openjdk11
+
+RUN mkdir -p /var/gerrit/bin && \
+    mkdir -p /var/gerrit/etc && \
+    mkdir -p /var/gerrit/plugins && \
+    mkdir -p /var/plugins && \
+    mkdir -p /var/war
+
+# Download Gerrit release
+# TODO: Revert back to use release versions as soon as change 383334 has been released
+ARG GERRIT_WAR_URL=https://gerrit-ci.gerritforge.com/view/Gerrit/job/Gerrit-bazel-stable-3.8/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/gerrit/bazel-bin/release.war
+RUN curl -k -o /var/war/gerrit.war ${GERRIT_WAR_URL} && \
+    ln -s /var/war/gerrit.war /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war
+
+# Download healthcheck plugin
+ARG HEALTHCHECK_JAR_URL=https://gerrit-ci.gerritforge.com/view/Plugins-stable-3.8/job/plugin-healthcheck-bazel-stable-3.8/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/bazel-bin/plugins/healthcheck/healthcheck.jar
+RUN curl -k -o /var/plugins/healthcheck.jar ${HEALTHCHECK_JAR_URL} && \
+    ln -s /var/plugins/healthcheck.jar /var/gerrit/plugins/healthcheck.jar
+
+# Download global-refdb lib
+ARG GLOBAL_REFDB_URL=https://gerrit-ci.gerritforge.com/view/Plugins-stable-3.8/job/module-global-refdb-bazel-stable-3.8/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/bazel-bin/plugins/global-refdb/global-refdb.jar
+RUN curl -k -o /var/plugins/global-refdb.jar ${GLOBAL_REFDB_URL}
+
+# Download high-availability plugin
+ARG HA_JAR_URL=https://gerrit-ci.gerritforge.com/view/Plugins-stable-3.8/job/plugin-high-availability-bazel-stable-3.8/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/bazel-bin/plugins/high-availability/high-availability.jar
+RUN curl -k -o /var/plugins/high-availability.jar ${HA_JAR_URL}
+
+# Download zookeeper-refdb plugin
+ARG ZOOKEEPER_REFDB_URL=https://gerrit-ci.gerritforge.com/view/Plugins-stable-3.8/job/plugin-zookeeper-refdb-bazel-stable-3.8/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/bazel-bin/plugins/zookeeper-refdb/zookeeper-refdb.jar
+RUN curl -k -o /var/plugins/zookeeper-refdb.jar ${ZOOKEEPER_REFDB_URL}
+
+# Download spanner-refdb plugin
+ARG SPANNER_REFDB_URL=https://gerrit-ci.gerritforge.com/view/Plugins-stable-3.8/job/plugin-spanner-refdb-bazel-master-stable-3.8/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/bazel-bin/plugins/spanner-refdb/spanner-refdb.jar
+RUN curl -k -o /var/plugins/spanner-refdb.jar ${SPANNER_REFDB_URL}
+
+# Allow incoming traffic
+EXPOSE 29418 8080
+
+RUN chown -R gerrit:users /var/gerrit && \
+    chown -R gerrit:users /var/plugins && \
+    chown -R gerrit:users /var/war
+USER gerrit
+
+RUN java -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war init \
+      --batch \
+      --no-auto-start \
+      -d /var/gerrit
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["ash", "/var/tools/start"]
diff --git a/charts/k8s-gerrit/container-images/gerrit-base/README.md b/charts/k8s-gerrit/container-images/gerrit-base/README.md
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+++ b/charts/k8s-gerrit/container-images/gerrit-base/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Gerrit base image
+
+Gerrit base image for Gerrit and Gerrit replica images.
+It is only used in the build process and not published on Dockerhub.
+
+## Content
+
+* base image
+* curl
+* openssh-keygen
+* OpenJDK 11
+* gerrit.war
+
+## Setup and configuration
+
+* install package dependencies
+* create base folders for gerrit binary and gerrit configuration
+* download gerrit.war from provided URL
+* prepare filesystem permissions for gerrit user
+* open ports for incoming traffic
+* initialize default Gerrit site
+
+## Start
+
+* starts the container via start script `/var/tools/start`