diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 928db3596d..b1b0930e3f 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -105,6 +105,18 @@ ubuntu amd64 run docker:
     changes:
       - 'docker/runtime-images/Dockerfile-ubuntu'
 
+ubuntu amd64 build docker:
+  stage: "build base"
+  variables:
+    ARCH: "amd64"
+    TAG: "ubuntu-build"
+    CONTEXT_DIR: "docker/build-base-images/"
+    DOCKERFILE: "docker/build-base-images/Dockerfile-ubuntu"
+  extends: .base
+  only:
+    changes:
+      - 'docker/build-base-images/Dockerfile-ubuntu'
+
 include: "gitlab/ci_template.yml"
 
 # Test the build job against the latest build image tag and the local manifest
@@ -112,4 +124,12 @@ build fedora x86_64 local:
   extends: '.build'
   image: "${CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE}/amd64/fedora-build:latest"
   dependencies:
-    - 'manifest'
\ No newline at end of file
+    - 'manifest'
+
+build ubuntu x86_64 local:
+  extends: '.build'
+  variables:
+    MESON_ARGS: "${DEFAULT_MESON_ARGS} -Dlibav=disabled"
+  image: "${CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE}/amd64/ubuntu-build:latest"
+  dependencies:
+    - 'manifest'
diff --git a/docker/build-base-images/Dockerfile-ubuntu b/docker/build-base-images/Dockerfile-ubuntu
index 3e2864c933..0b9671a56f 100644
--- a/docker/build-base-images/Dockerfile-ubuntu
+++ b/docker/build-base-images/Dockerfile-ubuntu
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM registry.freedesktop.org/gstreamer/gst-ci/ubuntu-runtime
+FROM registry.freedesktop.org/gstreamer/gst-ci/amd64/ubuntu-runtime
 
 # make source packages available in order to figure out build dependencies
 RUN  \
diff --git a/gitlab/ci_template.yml b/gitlab/ci_template.yml
index 91205a5f2e..6db97bd292 100644
--- a/gitlab/ci_template.yml
+++ b/gitlab/ci_template.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@ stages:
 
 variables:
   GIT_STRATEGY: none
+  DEFAULT_MESON_ARGS: >
+    -Dpython=enabled
+    -Dlibav=enabled
+    -Dugly=enabled
+    -Dbad=enabled
+    -Ddevtools=enabled
+    -Dges=enabled
+    -Drtsp_server=enabled
+    -Dvaapi=enabled
+    -Dsharp=disabled
 
 manifest:
   image: 'registry.freedesktop.org/gstreamer/gst-ci/amd64/alpine-manifest-build:10ffa6f1af6fed20a8857d2c7426d81cf162e3d1'
@@ -26,16 +36,7 @@ manifest:
     CCACHE_BASEDIR: "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"
     CCACHE_DIR: "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/ccache"
     MAIN_DIR: "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"
-    MESON_ARGS: >
-      -Dpython=enabled
-      -Dlibav=enabled
-      -Dugly=enabled
-      -Dbad=enabled
-      -Ddevtools=enabled
-      -Dges=enabled
-      -Drtsp_server=enabled
-      -Dvaapi=enabled
-      -Dsharp=disabled
+    MESON_ARGS: "${DEFAULT_MESON_ARGS}"
 
   script:
     # Not sure why, but permission errors else