diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a48fc2b5..c4b5ccf0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@ node_modules/
 lib/
 dist/
 **/tests/_temp/**
-packages/k8s/tests/test-kind.yaml
\ No newline at end of file
+packages/k8s/tests/test-kind.yaml
diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a81b27b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+    "version": "0.2.0",
+    "configurations": [
+        {
+            "type": "node",
+            "name": "run prepare job tests",
+            "request": "launch",
+            "program": "${workspaceFolder}/packages/k8s/node_modules/.bin/jest",
+            "args": ["packages/k8s/tests/prepare-job-test.ts", "--runInBand"],
+            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}/packages/k8s",
+            "console": "integratedTerminal",
+        }
+    ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index bc1b844c..ec62b50b 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "hooks",
-  "version": "0.1.3",
+  "version": "0.3.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 2,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "hooks",
-      "version": "0.1.3",
+      "version": "0.3.0",
       "license": "MIT",
       "devDependencies": {
         "@types/jest": "^27.5.1",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 42e2922a..0f6f2ac0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "hooks",
-  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "version": "0.3.0",
   "description": "Three projects are included - k8s: a kubernetes hook implementation that spins up pods dynamically to run a job - docker: A hook implementation of the runner's docker implementation  - A hook lib, which contains shared typescript definitions and utilities that the other packages consume",
   "main": "",
   "directories": {
diff --git a/packages/k8s/package-lock.json b/packages/k8s/package-lock.json
index f91eda53..b5908d3b 100644
--- a/packages/k8s/package-lock.json
+++ b/packages/k8s/package-lock.json
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
         "@actions/exec": "^1.1.1",
         "@actions/io": "^1.1.2",
         "@kubernetes/client-node": "^0.16.3",
+        "@types/lodash": "^4.14.191",
         "hooklib": "file:../hooklib"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
@@ -1179,6 +1180,11 @@
         "@types/node": "*"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@types/lodash": {
+      "version": "4.14.191",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/lodash/-/lodash-4.14.191.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-BdZ5BCCvho3EIXw6wUCXHe7rS53AIDPLE+JzwgT+OsJk53oBfbSmZZ7CX4VaRoN78N+TJpFi9QPlfIVNmJYWxQ=="
+    },
     "node_modules/@types/minipass": {
       "version": "3.1.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/minipass/-/minipass-3.1.2.tgz",
@@ -6078,6 +6084,11 @@
         "@types/node": "*"
       }
     },
+    "@types/lodash": {
+      "version": "4.14.191",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/lodash/-/lodash-4.14.191.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-BdZ5BCCvho3EIXw6wUCXHe7rS53AIDPLE+JzwgT+OsJk53oBfbSmZZ7CX4VaRoN78N+TJpFi9QPlfIVNmJYWxQ=="
+    },
     "@types/minipass": {
       "version": "3.1.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/minipass/-/minipass-3.1.2.tgz",
diff --git a/packages/k8s/package.json b/packages/k8s/package.json
index 3d8299e0..afb6122a 100644
--- a/packages/k8s/package.json
+++ b/packages/k8s/package.json
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     "@actions/exec": "^1.1.1",
     "@actions/io": "^1.1.2",
     "@kubernetes/client-node": "^0.16.3",
+    "@types/lodash": "^4.14.191",
     "hooklib": "file:../hooklib"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/k8s/src/hooks/prepare-job.ts b/packages/k8s/src/hooks/prepare-job.ts
index 7d79f968..58654f84 100644
--- a/packages/k8s/src/hooks/prepare-job.ts
+++ b/packages/k8s/src/hooks/prepare-job.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
   PodPhase
 } from '../k8s/utils'
 import { JOB_CONTAINER_NAME } from './constants'
+import { HttpError } from '@kubernetes/client-node'
 
 export async function prepareJob(
   args: prepareJobArgs,
@@ -31,14 +32,14 @@ export async function prepareJob(
   let container: k8s.V1Container | undefined = undefined
   if (args.container?.image) {
     core.debug(`Using image '${args.container.image}' for job image`)
-    container = createPodSpec(args.container, JOB_CONTAINER_NAME, true)
+    container = createContainerSpec(args.container, JOB_CONTAINER_NAME, true)
   }
 
   let services: k8s.V1Container[] = []
   if (args.services?.length) {
     services = args.services.map(service => {
       core.debug(`Adding service '${service.image}' to pod definition`)
-      return createPodSpec(service, service.image.split(':')[0])
+      return createContainerSpec(service, service.image.split(':')[0])
     })
   }
   if (!container && !services?.length) {
@@ -49,6 +50,9 @@ export async function prepareJob(
     createdPod = await createPod(container, services, args.container.registry)
   } catch (err) {
     await prunePods()
+    if (err instanceof HttpError) {
+      core.error(JSON.stringify(err.body))
+    }
     throw new Error(`failed to create job pod: ${err}`)
   }
 
@@ -58,6 +62,7 @@ export async function prepareJob(
   core.debug(
     `Job pod created, waiting for it to come online ${createdPod?.metadata?.name}`
   )
+  core.debug(k8s.dumpYaml(createdPod))
 
   try {
     await waitForPodPhases(
@@ -153,7 +158,7 @@ async function copyExternalsToRoot(): Promise<void> {
   }
 }
 
-function createPodSpec(
+export function createContainerSpec(
   container,
   name: string,
   jobContainer = false
diff --git a/packages/k8s/src/hooks/run-container-step.ts b/packages/k8s/src/hooks/run-container-step.ts
index 3fc1ee62..79b9f5b7 100644
--- a/packages/k8s/src/hooks/run-container-step.ts
+++ b/packages/k8s/src/hooks/run-container-step.ts
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ export async function runContainerStep(
   return Number(exitCode) || 1
 }
 
-function createPodSpec(
+export function createPodSpec(
   container: RunContainerStepArgs,
   secretName?: string
 ): k8s.V1Container {
diff --git a/packages/k8s/src/k8s/index.ts b/packages/k8s/src/k8s/index.ts
index 62f5e898..f7eefa7d 100644
--- a/packages/k8s/src/k8s/index.ts
+++ b/packages/k8s/src/k8s/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import * as core from '@actions/core'
 import * as k8s from '@kubernetes/client-node'
+import * as _ from 'lodash'
+
 import { ContainerInfo, Registry } from 'hooklib'
 import * as stream from 'stream'
 import {
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   RunnerInstanceLabel
 } from '../hooks/constants'
 import { PodPhase } from './utils'
+import * as fs from 'fs'
 
 const kc = new k8s.KubeConfig()
 
@@ -85,6 +88,7 @@ export async function createPod(
   appPod.spec.containers = containers
   appPod.spec.restartPolicy = 'Never'
   appPod.spec.nodeName = await getCurrentNodeName()
+
   const claimName = getVolumeClaimName()
   appPod.spec.volumes = [
     {
@@ -103,10 +107,40 @@ export async function createPod(
     appPod.spec.imagePullSecrets = [secretReference]
   }
 
+  //Enrich the job spec with the fields defined in the template if there is one
+  const podTemplatePath = process.env.ACTIONS_RUNNER_POD_TEMPLATE_PATH
+  if (podTemplatePath !== undefined) {
+    core.debug('Podtemplate provided, merging fields with pod spec')
+    const yaml = fs.readFileSync(podTemplatePath, 'utf8')
+    const template = k8s.loadYaml<k8s.V1Pod>(yaml)
+    appPod.spec = _.mergeWith(appPod.spec, template.spec, podSpecCustomizer)
+  }
+
   const { body } = await k8sApi.createNamespacedPod(namespace(), appPod)
   return body
 }
 
+/**
+ * Custom function to pass to the lodash mergeWith to merge the podSpec with the provided template.
+ * Will concat all arrays it encounters during the merge, except for the container list of the spec.
+ * Will also skip merging the "image", "name", "command", "args" values of the template
+ *
+ * https://lodash.com/docs/4.17.15#mergeWith
+ */
+function podSpecCustomizer(objValue, srcValue, key): any[] | undefined {
+  if (['image', 'name', 'command', 'args'].includes(key)) {
+    return objValue
+  }
+
+  //check if passed object is array and concat instead of merge if yes
+  if (_.isArray(objValue)) {
+    if (key === 'containers') {
+      return
+    }
+    return objValue.concat(srcValue)
+  }
+}
+
 export async function createJob(
   container: k8s.V1Container
 ): Promise<k8s.V1Job> {
diff --git a/packages/k8s/tests/podtemplate.yaml b/packages/k8s/tests/podtemplate.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9d229344
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/k8s/tests/podtemplate.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Pod
+metadata:
+  name: thisvaluewillbeignored
+spec:
+  containers:
+    # the runner will override the "image", "name" and "command" fields
+    - image: "test/test"
+      name: "thisvaluewillbeignored"
+      command:
+        - "these"
+        - "are"
+        - "overridden"
+      resources:
+        requests:
+          cpu: "128m"
+      env:
+        - name: "TEST"
+          value: "testvalue"
diff --git a/packages/k8s/tests/prepare-job-test.ts b/packages/k8s/tests/prepare-job-test.ts
index 1bb60676..a411e0c1 100644
--- a/packages/k8s/tests/prepare-job-test.ts
+++ b/packages/k8s/tests/prepare-job-test.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,21 @@
 import * as fs from 'fs'
 import * as path from 'path'
-import { cleanupJob } from '../src/hooks'
-import { prepareJob } from '../src/hooks/prepare-job'
+import { cleanupJob, createPodSpec } from '../src/hooks'
+import { createContainerSpec, prepareJob } from '../src/hooks/prepare-job'
 import { TestHelper } from './test-setup'
+import { createJob, createPod, waitForPodPhases } from '../src/k8s'
+import {
+  V1EnvVar,
+  V1ResourceRequirements,
+  V1Volume,
+  V1VolumeMount
+} from '@kubernetes/client-node'
+import { JOB_CONTAINER_NAME } from '../src/hooks/constants'
+import {
+  DEFAULT_CONTAINER_ENTRY_POINT,
+  DEFAULT_CONTAINER_ENTRY_POINT_ARGS,
+  PodPhase
+} from '../src/k8s/utils'
 
 jest.useRealTimers()
 
@@ -16,6 +29,12 @@ describe('Prepare job', () => {
   beforeEach(async () => {
     testHelper = new TestHelper()
     await testHelper.initialize()
+
+    await waitForPodPhases(
+      testHelper.podName,
+      new Set([PodPhase.RUNNING]),
+      new Set([PodPhase.PENDING])
+    )
     prepareJobData = testHelper.getPrepareJobDefinition()
     prepareJobOutputFilePath = testHelper.createFile('prepare-job-output.json')
   })
@@ -71,4 +90,50 @@ describe('Prepare job', () => {
       prepareJob(prepareJobData.args, prepareJobOutputFilePath)
     ).rejects.toThrow()
   })
+
+  it('should have the extra fields set if ACTIONS_RUNNER_POD_TEMPLATE_PATH env variable is set', async () => {
+    process.env.ACTIONS_RUNNER_POD_TEMPLATE_PATH = path.resolve(
+      __dirname,
+      'podtemplate.yaml'
+    )
+
+    const container = createContainerSpec(
+      prepareJobData.args.container,
+      JOB_CONTAINER_NAME,
+      true
+    )
+    const services = prepareJobData.args.services.map(service => {
+      return createContainerSpec(service, service.image.split(':')[0])
+    })
+    const pod = await createPod(container, services)
+
+    // name, image,command,args should not be overwritten
+    expect(pod.spec?.containers[0].name).toEqual('job')
+    expect(pod.spec?.containers[0].image).toEqual('node:14.16')
+    expect(pod.spec?.containers[0].command).toEqual([
+      DEFAULT_CONTAINER_ENTRY_POINT
+    ])
+    expect(pod.spec?.containers[0].args).toEqual(
+      DEFAULT_CONTAINER_ENTRY_POINT_ARGS
+    )
+
+    //rest of template should be appended
+    expect(pod.spec?.containers[0].env).toContainEqual({
+      name: 'TEST',
+      value: 'testvalue'
+    } as V1EnvVar)
+    expect(pod.spec?.containers[0].env).toContainEqual({
+      name: 'NODE_ENV',
+      value: 'development'
+    } as V1EnvVar)
+
+    expect(pod.spec?.containers[0].resources).toEqual({
+      requests: { cpu: '128m' }
+    } as V1ResourceRequirements)
+
+    expect(pod.spec?.containers[0].volumeMounts).toContainEqual({
+      name: 'work',
+      mountPath: '/__w'
+    } as V1VolumeMount)
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/k8s/tests/test-setup.ts b/packages/k8s/tests/test-setup.ts
index 25efcf5d..777886db 100644
--- a/packages/k8s/tests/test-setup.ts
+++ b/packages/k8s/tests/test-setup.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const k8sStorageApi = kc.makeApiClient(k8s.StorageV1Api)
 
 export class TestHelper {
   private tempDirPath: string
-  private podName: string
+  public podName: string
   constructor() {
     this.tempDirPath = `${__dirname}/_temp/runner`
     this.podName = uuidv4().replace(/-/g, '')