diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/DockerPermissionStrategy.scala b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/DockerPermissionStrategy.scala
index 837bc9271..1a9defcbf 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/DockerPermissionStrategy.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/DockerPermissionStrategy.scala
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ sealed trait DockerChmodType {
   def argument: String
 }
 object DockerChmodType {
+  /**
+    * Gives read permission to users and groups.
+    */
+  case object UserGroupRead extends DockerChmodType {
+    def argument: String = "u=r,g=r"
+  }
 
   /**
     * Gives read permission to users and groups.
@@ -61,6 +67,13 @@ object DockerChmodType {
     def argument: String = "u=rwX,g=rwX"
   }
 
+  /**
+    * Gives +x permission to users and groups.
+    */
+  case object UserGroupPlusExecute extends DockerChmodType {
+    def argument: String = "u=+x,g=+x"
+  }
+
   /**
     * Copies user file mode bits to group file mode bits.
     */
diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/DockerPlugin.scala b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/DockerPlugin.scala
index b489cb148..dbaf5c4c0 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/DockerPlugin.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/DockerPlugin.scala
@@ -108,6 +108,15 @@ object DockerPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
     },
     dockerRmiCommand := dockerExecCommand.value ++ Seq("rmi"),
     dockerBuildCommand := dockerExecCommand.value ++ Seq("build") ++ dockerBuildOptions.value ++ Seq("."),
+    dockerAdditionalPermissions := {
+      val scripts = makeBashScripts.value
+      val ms = (mappings in Docker).value
+      scripts flatMap { case (script, _) =>
+        ms collect {
+          case (k, v) if k == script => DockerChmodType.UserGroupPlusExecute -> v
+        }
+      }
+    },
     dockerCommands := {
       val strategy = dockerPermissionStrategy.value
       val dockerBaseDirectory = (defaultLinuxInstallLocation in Docker).value
@@ -116,6 +125,7 @@ object DockerPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
       val group = (daemonGroup in Docker).value
       val gidOpt = (daemonGroupGid in Docker).value
       val base = dockerBaseImage.value
+      val addPerms = dockerAdditionalPermissions.value
 
       val generalCommands = makeFrom(base) +: makeMaintainer((maintainer in Docker).value).toSeq
       val stage0name = "stage0"
@@ -126,9 +136,10 @@ object DockerPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
             makeWorkdir(dockerBaseDirectory),
             makeCopy(dockerBaseDirectory),
             makeUser("root"),
-            makeChmod(dockerChmodType.value, Seq(dockerBaseDirectory)),
-            DockerStageBreak
-          )
+            makeChmodRecursive(dockerChmodType.value, Seq(dockerBaseDirectory))
+          ) ++
+          (addPerms map { case (tpe, v) => makeChmod(tpe, Seq(v)) }) ++
+          Seq(DockerStageBreak)
         case _ => Seq()
       }
 
@@ -142,7 +153,11 @@ object DockerPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
           case DockerPermissionStrategy.MultiStage =>
             Seq(makeCopyFrom(dockerBaseDirectory, stage0name, user, group))
           case DockerPermissionStrategy.Run =>
-            Seq(makeCopy(dockerBaseDirectory), makeChmod(dockerChmodType.value, Seq(dockerBaseDirectory)))
+            Seq(
+              makeCopy(dockerBaseDirectory),
+              makeChmodRecursive(dockerChmodType.value, Seq(dockerBaseDirectory))
+            ) ++
+            (addPerms map { case (tpe, v) => makeChmod(tpe, Seq(v)) })
           case DockerPermissionStrategy.CopyChown =>
             Seq(makeCopyChown(dockerBaseDirectory, user, group))
           case DockerPermissionStrategy.None =>
@@ -321,9 +336,15 @@ object DockerPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
     ExecCmd("RUN", Seq("chown", "-R", s"$daemonUser:$daemonGroup") ++ directories: _*)
 
   /**
-    * @return chown command, owning the installation directory with the daemonuser
+    * @return chmod command
+    */
+  private final def makeChmod(chmodType: DockerChmodType, files: Seq[String]): CmdLike =
+    ExecCmd("RUN", Seq("chmod", chmodType.argument) ++ files: _*)
+
+  /**
+    * @return chmod command recursively
     */
-  private final def makeChmod(chmodType: DockerChmodType, directories: Seq[String]): CmdLike =
+  private final def makeChmodRecursive(chmodType: DockerChmodType, directories: Seq[String]): CmdLike =
     ExecCmd("RUN", Seq("chmod", "-R", chmodType.argument) ++ directories: _*)
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/Keys.scala b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/Keys.scala
index 1966d7fb5..bbbb4e766 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/Keys.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/docker/Keys.scala
@@ -49,4 +49,5 @@ trait DockerKeys {
 private[packager] trait DockerKeysEx extends DockerKeys {
   lazy val dockerPermissionStrategy = settingKey[DockerPermissionStrategy]("The strategy to change file permissions.")
   lazy val dockerChmodType = settingKey[DockerChmodType]("The file permissions for the files copied into Docker image.")
+  lazy val dockerAdditionalPermissions = taskKey[Seq[(DockerChmodType, String)]]("Explicit chmod calls to some of the paths.")
 }
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/docker/file-permission/Main.scala b/src/sbt-test/docker/file-permission/Main.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..995292067
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/docker/file-permission/Main.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package example
+
+object Main extends App {
+  println("hello")
+}
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/docker/file-permission/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/docker/file-permission/build.sbt
index aba07e026..97a506866 100644
--- a/src/sbt-test/docker/file-permission/build.sbt
+++ b/src/sbt-test/docker/file-permission/build.sbt
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ lazy val root = (project in file("."))
           |COPY opt /opt
           |USER root
           |RUN ["chmod", "-R", "u=rX,g=rX", "/opt/docker"]
+          |RUN ["chmod", "u=+x,g=+x", "/opt/docker/bin/file-permission-test"]
           |
           |FROM fabric8/java-centos-openjdk8-jdk
           |USER root
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ lazy val root = (project in file("."))
           |WORKDIR /opt/docker
           |COPY opt /opt
           |RUN ["chmod", "-R", "u=rX,g=rX", "/opt/docker"]
+          |RUN ["chmod", "u=+x,g=+x", "/opt/docker/bin/file-permission-test"]
           |USER 1001
           |ENTRYPOINT ["/opt/docker/bin/file-permission-test"]
           |CMD []""".stripMargin.linesIterator.toList)
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@ lazy val root = (project in file("."))
           |COPY opt /opt
           |USER root
           |RUN ["chmod", "-R", "u=rwX,g=rwX", "/opt/docker"]
+          |RUN ["chmod", "u=+x,g=+x", "/opt/docker/bin/file-permission-test"]
           |
           |FROM fabric8/java-centos-openjdk8-jdk
           |USER root