diff --git a/src/main/asciidoc/inc/_docker-save.adoc b/src/main/asciidoc/inc/_docker-save.adoc
index 359e41a35..7de421b57 100644
--- a/src/main/asciidoc/inc/_docker-save.adoc
+++ b/src/main/asciidoc/inc/_docker-save.adoc
@@ -10,6 +10,31 @@ If the option `saveFile` is not set, the file name is calculated automatically:
 
 Please note that the exported image contains all image layers and can be quite large (also, it takes a bit to export the image).
 
+.Controlling image compression
+The file name extension is used to select a compression method for the output.
+[cols="3,2,1"]
+|===
+| Extensions | Compression | Type
+
+| .tar or unrecognized
+| No compression
+| .tar
+
+| .tar.gz, .tgz
+| GZIP compression
+| .tar.gz
+
+| .tar.bz, .tar.bz2, .tar.bzip2
+| BZIP2 compression
+| .tar.bz
+
+|===
+
+.Attaching the saved image as an artifact
+If `saveClassifier` is set, the saved archive will be attached to the project using the provided classifier and the type determined from the file name. The placeholder `%a` will be replaced with the image alias.
+
+Note that using overriding the default to use `docker` or `docker-%a` may lead to a conflict if a source archive is also attached with <<{plugin}:source>>.
+
 .Save options
 [cols="1,5,1"]
 |===
@@ -27,12 +52,8 @@ Please note that the exported image contains all image layers and can be quite l
 | The filename to save.
 | `docker.save.file` or `docker.file` or `file`
 
-| *saveAttach*
-| Whether to attach the saved archive to the project (`false` by default).
-| `docker.save.attach`
-
 | *saveClassifier*
-| Sets the artifact classifier when attaching the saved archive to the project. If `saveAlias` is set, defaults to `archive-<saveAlias>`, otherwise defaults to `archive`. Note that using overriding the default to use `docker` or `docker-<saveAlias>` may lead to a conflict if a source archive is also attached with <<{plugin}:source>>.
+| If set, attach the the saved archive to the project with the provided classifier. A placeholder of `%a` will be replaced with the image alias.
 | `docker.save.classifier`
 
 | *skipSave*
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/SaveMojo.java b/src/main/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/SaveMojo.java
index 71cea735f..62659c8e1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/SaveMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/SaveMojo.java
@@ -39,9 +39,6 @@ public class SaveMojo extends AbstractDockerMojo {
 	@Parameter(property = "docker.skip.save", defaultValue = "false")
 	private boolean skipSave;
 
-	@Parameter(property = "docker.save.attach", defaultValue = "false")
-	private boolean saveAttach;
-
 	@Parameter(property = "docker.save.classifier")
 	private String saveClassifier;
 
@@ -53,7 +50,8 @@ protected void executeInternal(ServiceHub serviceHub) throws DockerAccessExcepti
 			return;
 		}
 
-		String imageName = getImageName(images);
+		ImageConfiguration image = getImageToSave(images);
+		String imageName = image.getName();
 		String fileName = getFileName(imageName);
 		ensureSaveDir(fileName);
 		log.info("Saving image %s to %s", imageName, fileName);
@@ -66,8 +64,9 @@ protected void executeInternal(ServiceHub serviceHub) throws DockerAccessExcepti
 		serviceHub.getDockerAccess().saveImage(imageName, fileName, compression);
 		log.info("%s: Saved image to %s in %s", imageName, fileName, EnvUtil.formatDurationTill(time));
 
-		if(saveAttach) {
-			projectHelper.attachArtifact(project, compression.getFileSuffix(), getClassifier(), new File(fileName));
+		String classifier = getClassifier(image);
+		if(classifier != null) {
+			projectHelper.attachArtifact(project, compression.getFileSuffix(), classifier, new File(fileName));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -128,12 +127,12 @@ private void ensureSaveDir(String fileName) throws MojoExecutionException {
         }
     }
 
-	private String getImageName(List<ImageConfiguration> images) throws MojoExecutionException {
+	private ImageConfiguration getImageToSave(List<ImageConfiguration> images) throws MojoExecutionException {
 		// specify image by name or alias
 		if (saveName == null && saveAlias == null) {
 			List<ImageConfiguration> buildImages = getImagesWithBuildConfig(images);
 			if (buildImages.size() == 1) {
-				return buildImages.get(0).getName();
+				return buildImages.get(0);
 			}
 			throw new MojoExecutionException("More than one image with build configuration is defined. Please specify the image with 'docker.name' or 'docker.alias'.");
 		}
@@ -142,7 +141,7 @@ private String getImageName(List<ImageConfiguration> images) throws MojoExecutio
 		}
 		for (ImageConfiguration ic : images) {
 			if (equalName(ic) || equalAlias(ic)) {
-				return ic.getName();
+				return ic;
 			}
 		}
 		throw new MojoExecutionException(saveName != null ?
@@ -160,12 +159,12 @@ private List<ImageConfiguration> getImagesWithBuildConfig(List<ImageConfiguratio
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	private String getClassifier() {
-		if(saveClassifier == null) {
-			return saveAlias == null ? "archive" : "archive-" + saveAlias;
-		} else {
-			return saveClassifier;
+	private String getClassifier(ImageConfiguration image) {
+		if(saveClassifier == null || saveClassifier.length() == 0) {
+			return null;
 		}
+
+		return saveClassifier.replace("%a", image.getAlias() == null ? "" : image.getAlias());
 	}
 
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/SaveMojoTest.java b/src/test/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/SaveMojoTest.java
index f1974e919..8aa347f9e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/SaveMojoTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/SaveMojoTest.java
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public void saveAndAttachWithoutNameAliasOrFile() throws DockerAccessException,
 
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "images", Collections.singletonList(image));
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "resolvedImages", Collections.singletonList(image));
-        Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveAttach", true);
+        Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveClassifier", "archive");
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "project", mavenProject);
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "projectHelper", mavenProjectHelper);
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ public void saveAndAttachWithFile() throws DockerAccessException, MojoExecutionE
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "images", Collections.singletonList(image));
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "resolvedImages", Collections.singletonList(image));
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveFile", "destination/archive-name.tar.bz2");
-        Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveAttach", true);
+        Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveClassifier", "archive");
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "project", mavenProject);
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "projectHelper", mavenProjectHelper);
 
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ public void saveAndAttachWithAlias() throws DockerAccessException, MojoExecution
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "images", Arrays.asList(image1, image2));
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "resolvedImages", Arrays.asList(image1, image2));
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveAlias", "example2");
-        Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveAttach", true);
+        Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveClassifier", "archive-%a");
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "project", mavenProject);
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "projectHelper", mavenProjectHelper);
 
@@ -272,7 +272,6 @@ public void saveAndAttachWithAliasButAlsoClassifier() throws DockerAccessExcepti
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "resolvedImages", Arrays.asList(image1, image2));
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveAlias", "example2");
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveClassifier", "preferred");
-        Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "saveAttach", true);
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "project", mavenProject);
         Deencapsulation.setField(saveMojo, "projectHelper", mavenProjectHelper);