diff --git a/build_image b/build_image
index 1361315b48..e308099253 100755
--- a/build_image
+++ b/build_image
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ DEFINE_string group "${DEFAULT_GROUP}" \
   "The update group."
 DEFINE_boolean generate_update "${FLAGS_FALSE}" \
   "Generate update payload. (prod only)"
+DEFINE_boolean extract_update "${FLAGS_TRUE}" \
+  "Extract the /usr partition for generating updates."
 DEFINE_string developer_data "" \
   "Insert a custom cloudinit file into the image."
 
@@ -151,6 +153,9 @@ fi
 
 if [[ "${DEV_IMAGE}" -eq 1 ]]; then
   create_dev_image ${COREOS_DEVELOPER_IMAGE_NAME} ${DISK_LAYOUT} ${FLAGS_group}
+  if [[ ${FLAGS_extract_update} -eq ${FLAGS_TRUE} ]]; then
+    extract_update "${COREOS_DEVELOPER_IMAGE_NAME}" "${DISK_LAYOUT}"
+  fi
 fi
 
 if [[ "${CONTAINER}" -eq 1 ]]; then
@@ -161,6 +166,8 @@ if [[ "${PROD_IMAGE}" -eq 1 ]]; then
   create_prod_image ${COREOS_PRODUCTION_IMAGE_NAME} ${DISK_LAYOUT} ${FLAGS_group}
   if [[ ${FLAGS_generate_update} -eq ${FLAGS_TRUE} ]]; then
     generate_update "${COREOS_PRODUCTION_IMAGE_NAME}" ${DISK_LAYOUT}
+  elif [[ ${FLAGS_extract_update} -eq ${FLAGS_TRUE} ]]; then
+    extract_update "${COREOS_PRODUCTION_IMAGE_NAME}" "${DISK_LAYOUT}"
   fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/build_library/build_image_util.sh b/build_library/build_image_util.sh
index 2a19fa5c11..36ef234eb0 100755
--- a/build_library/build_image_util.sh
+++ b/build_library/build_image_util.sh
@@ -54,6 +54,16 @@ delete_prompt() {
   fi
 }
 
+extract_update() {
+  local image_name="$1"
+  local disk_layout="$2"
+  local update_path="${BUILD_DIR}/${image_name%_image.bin}_update.bin"
+
+  "${BUILD_LIBRARY_DIR}/disk_util" --disk_layout="${disk_layout}" \
+    extract "${BUILD_DIR}/${image_name}" "USR-A" "${update_path}"
+  upload_image "${update_path}"
+}
+
 generate_update() {
   local image_name="$1"
   local disk_layout="$2"