diff --git a/docs/custom-apps.md b/docs/custom-apps.md
index 0b25675a..dbd073bc 100644
--- a/docs/custom-apps.md
+++ b/docs/custom-apps.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ export APPS_JSON='[
     "branch": "main"
   }
 ]'
+export APPS_JSON_BASE64=$(echo ${APPS_JSON} | base64 --wrap=0)
 ```
 
 Note:
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ buildah build \
   --build-arg=FRAPPE_BRANCH=version-14 \
   --build-arg=PYTHON_VERSION=3.10.5 \
   --build-arg=NODE_VERSION=16.18.0 \
-  --build-arg=APPS_JSON=$APPS_JSON \
+  --build-arg=APPS_JSON_BASE64=$APPS_JSON_BASE64 \
   --tag=ghcr.io/user/repo/custom:1.0.0 \
   --file=images/custom/Containerfile .
 ```
@@ -46,9 +47,11 @@ buildah build \
 Note:
 
 - Use `docker` instead of `buildah` as per your setup.
-- Make sure `APPS_JSON` variable has correct JSON.
+- `FRAPPE_PATH` and `FRAPPE_BRANCH` build args are optional and can be overridden in case of fork/branch.
+- Make sure `APPS_JSON_BASE64` variable has correct base64 encoded JSON string. It is consumed as build arg, base64 encoding ensures it to be friendly with environment variables
 - Make sure the `--tag` is valid image name that will be pushed to registry.
 - Change `--build-arg` as per version of Python, NodeJS, Frappe Framework repo and branch
+- The final image will have no traces of `.git` directory for any apps including frappe framework.
 
 ### Push image to use in yaml files
 
diff --git a/images/custom/Containerfile b/images/custom/Containerfile
index e53027b1..a4b080c0 100644
--- a/images/custom/Containerfile
+++ b/images/custom/Containerfile
@@ -73,23 +73,29 @@ RUN apt-get update \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # apps.json includes
-ARG APPS_JSON=[]
-RUN mkdir /opt/frappe && echo "${APPS_JSON}" | jq . > /opt/frappe/apps.json
+ARG APPS_JSON_BASE64
+RUN if [ -n "${APPS_JSON_BASE64}" ]; then \
+    mkdir /opt/frappe && echo "${APPS_JSON_BASE64}" | base64 -d > /opt/frappe/apps.json; \
+  fi
 
 USER frappe
 
 ARG FRAPPE_BRANCH=version-14
 ARG FRAPPE_PATH=https://github.com/frappe/frappe
-RUN bench init \
-  --frappe-branch=${FRAPPE_BRANCH} \
-  --frappe-path=${FRAPPE_PATH} \
-  --no-procfile \
-  --no-backups \
-  --skip-redis-config-generation \
-  --verbose \
-  --skip-assets \
-  --apps_path=/opt/frappe/apps.json \
-  /home/frappe/frappe-bench && \
+RUN export APP_INSTALL_ARGS="" && \
+  if [ -n "${APPS_JSON_BASE64}" ]; then \
+    export APP_INSTALL_ARGS="--apps_path=/opt/frappe/apps.json"; \
+  fi && \
+  bench init ${APP_INSTALL_ARGS}\
+    --frappe-branch=${FRAPPE_BRANCH} \
+    --frappe-path=${FRAPPE_PATH} \
+    --no-procfile \
+    --no-backups \
+    --skip-redis-config-generation \
+    --verbose \
+    --skip-assets \
+    --apps_path=/opt/frappe/apps.json \
+    /home/frappe/frappe-bench && \
   cd /home/frappe/frappe-bench && \
   bench setup requirements && \
   find /home/frappe/frappe-bench/apps -mindepth 1 -path "*/.git" | xargs rm -fr