diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 10fb58ab6..f2f0dca2c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ _If you are interested in contributing to kaniko, see
       - [Flag `--no-push`](#flag---no-push)
       - [Flag `--no-push-cache`](#flag---no-push-cache)
       - [Flag `--oci-layout-path`](#flag---oci-layout-path)
+      - [Flag `--preserve-context`](#flag---preserve-context)
       - [Flag `--push-retry`](#flag---push-retry)
       - [Flag `--registry-certificate`](#flag---registry-certificate)
       - [Flag `--registry-client-cert`](#flag---registry-client-cert)
@@ -978,6 +979,17 @@ _Note: Depending on the built image, the media type of the image manifest might
 be either `application/vnd.oci.image.manifest.v1+json` or
 `application/vnd.docker.distribution.manifest.v2+json`._
 
+#### Flag `--preserve-context`
+
+Set this boolean flag to `true` if you want kaniko to restore the build-context for multi-stage builds.
+If set, kaniko will take a snapshot of the full filesystem before it starts building to later restore to that state. If combined with the `--cleanup` flag it will also restore the state after cleanup.
+
+This is useful if you want to pass in secrets via files or if you want to execute commands after the build completes.
+
+It will only take the snapshot if we are building a multistage image or if we plan to cleanup the filesystem after the build.
+
+Defaults to `false`
+
 #### Flag `--push-ignore-immutable-tag-errors`
 
 Set this boolean flag to `true` if you want the Kaniko process to exit with
diff --git a/cmd/executor/cmd/root.go b/cmd/executor/cmd/root.go
index 7f0339c5d..ea5257e05 100644
--- a/cmd/executor/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/executor/cmd/root.go
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ func addKanikoOptionsFlags() {
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().VarP(&opts.IgnorePaths, "ignore-path", "", "Ignore these paths when taking a snapshot. Set it repeatedly for multiple paths.")
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&opts.ForceBuildMetadata, "force-build-metadata", "", false, "Force add metadata layers to build image")
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&opts.SkipPushPermissionCheck, "skip-push-permission-check", "", false, "Skip check of the push permission")
+	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&opts.PreserveContext, "preserve-context", "", false, "Preserve build context accross build stages by taking a snapshot of the full filesystem before build and restore it after we switch stages. Restores in the end too if passed together with 'cleanup'")
 
 	// Deprecated flags.
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&opts.SnapshotModeDeprecated, "snapshotMode", "", "", "This flag is deprecated. Please use '--snapshot-mode'.")
diff --git a/pkg/config/options.go b/pkg/config/options.go
index dbc1e0297..ea666ceff 100644
--- a/pkg/config/options.go
+++ b/pkg/config/options.go
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ type KanikoOptions struct {
 	ForceBuildMetadata       bool
 	InitialFSUnpacked        bool
 	SkipPushPermissionCheck  bool
+	PreserveContext          bool
 }
 
 type KanikoGitOptions struct {
diff --git a/pkg/executor/build.go b/pkg/executor/build.go
index 73b2f0df2..638acbcb5 100644
--- a/pkg/executor/build.go
+++ b/pkg/executor/build.go
@@ -85,6 +85,20 @@ type stageBuilder struct {
 	pushLayerToCache cachePusher
 }
 
+func makeSnapshotter(opts *config.KanikoOptions) (*snapshot.Snapshotter, error) {
+	err := util.InitIgnoreList()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to initialize ignore list")
+	}
+
+	hasher, err := getHasher(opts.SnapshotMode)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	l := snapshot.NewLayeredMap(hasher)
+	return snapshot.NewSnapshotter(l, config.RootDir), nil
+}
+
 // newStageBuilder returns a new type stageBuilder which contains all the information required to build the stage
 func newStageBuilder(args *dockerfile.BuildArgs, opts *config.KanikoOptions, stage config.KanikoStage, crossStageDeps map[int][]string, dcm map[string]string, sid map[string]string, stageNameToIdx map[string]string, fileContext util.FileContext) (*stageBuilder, error) {
 	sourceImage, err := image_util.RetrieveSourceImage(stage, opts)
@@ -101,17 +115,10 @@ func newStageBuilder(args *dockerfile.BuildArgs, opts *config.KanikoOptions, sta
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	err = util.InitIgnoreList()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to initialize ignore list")
-	}
-
-	hasher, err := getHasher(opts.SnapshotMode)
+	snapshotter, err := makeSnapshotter(opts)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	l := snapshot.NewLayeredMap(hasher)
-	snapshotter := snapshot.NewSnapshotter(l, config.RootDir)
 
 	digest, err := sourceImage.Digest()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -688,6 +695,23 @@ func CalculateDependencies(stages []config.KanikoStage, opts *config.KanikoOptio
 	return depGraph, nil
 }
 
+func restoreFilesystem(tarball string, opts *config.KanikoOptions) error {
+	if err := util.DeleteFilesystem(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if opts.PreserveContext {
+		if tarball == "" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("context snapshot is missing")
+		}
+		_, err := util.UnpackLocalTarArchive(tarball, config.RootDir)
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to unpack context snapshot")
+		}
+		logrus.Info("Context restored")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // DoBuild executes building the Dockerfile
 func DoBuild(opts *config.KanikoOptions) (v1.Image, error) {
 	t := timing.Start("Total Build Time")
@@ -722,6 +746,24 @@ func DoBuild(opts *config.KanikoOptions) (v1.Image, error) {
 
 	var args *dockerfile.BuildArgs
 
+	var tarball string
+	if opts.PreserveContext {
+		if len(kanikoStages) > 1 || opts.Cleanup {
+			logrus.Info("Creating snapshot of build context")
+			snapshotter, err := makeSnapshotter(opts)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+
+			tarball, err = snapshotter.TakeSnapshotFS()
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		} else {
+			logrus.Info("Skipping context snapshot as no-one requires it")
+		}
+	}
+
 	for index, stage := range kanikoStages {
 		sb, err := newStageBuilder(
 			args, opts, stage,
@@ -787,7 +829,8 @@ func DoBuild(opts *config.KanikoOptions) (v1.Image, error) {
 				}
 			}
 			if opts.Cleanup {
-				if err = util.DeleteFilesystem(); err != nil {
+				err = restoreFilesystem(tarball, opts)
+				if err != nil {
 					return nil, err
 				}
 			}
@@ -819,8 +862,9 @@ func DoBuild(opts *config.KanikoOptions) (v1.Image, error) {
 		}
 
 		// Delete the filesystem
-		if err := util.DeleteFilesystem(); err != nil {
-			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, fmt.Sprintf("deleting file system after stage %d", index))
+		err = restoreFilesystem(tarball, opts)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
 		}
 	}