diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker.yaml b/.github/workflows/docker.yaml
index 5237eaa..bcb45d1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker.yaml
@@ -23,11 +23,29 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - uses: lsst-sqre/build-and-push-to-ghcr@v1
-        id: build
+        id: base
+        with:
+          image: "lsst/ppdb-base"
+          dockerfile: "docker/Dockerfile.base"
+          github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          push: true
+
+      - uses: lsst-sqre/build-and-push-to-ghcr@v1
+        id: cli
+        with:
+          image: "lsst/ppdb-cli"
+          dockerfile: "docker/Dockerfile.cli"
+          github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          push: true
+          build-args: |
+            BASE_IMAGE=ghcr.io/lsst/ppdb-base:${{ steps.base.outputs.tag }}
+
+      - uses: lsst-sqre/build-and-push-to-ghcr@v1
+        id: replication
         with:
           image: "lsst/ppdb-replication"
           dockerfile: "docker/Dockerfile.replication"
           github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           push: true
-
-      - run: echo Pushed ghcr.io/lsst/ppdb-replication:${{ steps.build.outputs.tag }}
+          build-args: |
+            BASE_IMAGE=ghcr.io/lsst/ppdb-base:${{ steps.base.outputs.tag }}
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.base b/docker/Dockerfile.base
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a41e26a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.base
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+FROM python:3.11.6-slim-bookworm
+
+ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+
+# Update and install OS dependencies
+RUN apt-get -y update && \
+    apt-get -y upgrade && \
+    apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends git && \
+    apt-get clean && \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Install required python build dependencies
+RUN pip install --upgrade --no-cache-dir pip setuptools wheel uv
+
+# Install optional dependencies
+RUN uv pip install --no-cache-dir --system psycopg2-binary
+
+# Create the build directory
+WORKDIR /build
+COPY . /build
+
+# Install requirements
+RUN uv pip install --no-cache-dir --system -r requirements.txt
+
+# Install the package
+RUN uv pip install --no-cache-dir --system --no-deps .
+
+# Remove the build directory
+RUN rm -rf /build
+
+# Setup the application scripts
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Install sdm_schemas
+# Change this using: -e SDM_SCHEMAS_REF=branch_or_tag_name
+ENV SDM_SCHEMAS_REF=main
+COPY ./docker/scripts/download-sdm-schemas.sh .
+RUN ./download-sdm-schemas.sh && rm download-sdm-schemas.sh
+ENV SDM_SCHEMAS_DIR=/app/sdm_schemas
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.cli b/docker/Dockerfile.cli
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..862983d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.cli
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+ARG BASE_IMAGE=ghcr.io/lsst/ppdb-base:main
+FROM ${BASE_IMAGE}
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["ppdb-cli"]
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.replication b/docker/Dockerfile.replication
index ba86f5b..5c080d2 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.replication
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.replication
@@ -1,44 +1,14 @@
-FROM python:3.11.6-slim-bookworm
+ARG BASE_IMAGE=ghcr.io/lsst/ppdb-base:main
+FROM ${BASE_IMAGE}
 
-ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+# Install optional requirements
+RUN uv pip install --no-cache-dir --system cassandra-driver
 
-# Update and install OS dependencies
-RUN apt-get -y update && \
-    apt-get -y upgrade && \
-    apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends git && \
-    apt-get clean && \
-    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
-
-# Install required python build dependencies
-RUN pip install --upgrade --no-cache-dir pip setuptools wheel uv
-
-# Create the build directory
-WORKDIR /build
-COPY . /build
-
-# Install requirements
-RUN uv pip install --no-cache-dir --system cassandra-driver psycopg2-binary
-RUN uv pip install --no-cache-dir --system -r requirements.txt
-
-# Install the package
-RUN uv pip install --no-cache-dir --system --no-deps .
-
-# Setup the application scripts
 WORKDIR /app
 
-# Install sdm_schemas
-# Change this using: -e SDM_SCHEMAS_REF=branch_or_tag_name
-ENV SDM_SCHEMAS_REF=main
-COPY ./docker/scripts/download-sdm-schemas.sh .
-RUN ./download-sdm-schemas.sh && rm download-sdm-schemas.sh
-ENV SDM_SCHEMAS_DIR=/app/sdm_schemas
-
 # Copy the entrypoint script
 COPY docker/scripts/entrypoint-replication.sh .
 RUN chmod +x /app/entrypoint-replication.sh
 
-# Remove the build directory
-RUN rm -rf /build
-
 # Run the wrapper script for the ppdb-replication command
 CMD ["/app/entrypoint-replication.sh"]
diff --git a/docker/scripts/build.sh b/docker/scripts/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..7e23c99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/scripts/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+##############################################################################
+# Build the PPDB Docker images - run this script from the root of the project.
+#
+# This should only be used for local development. The production images are
+# built and pushed to the container registry from a GitHub Action.
+##############################################################################
+
+set -e
+
+# Build the base image
+docker build -t lsst/ppdb-base:local -f docker/Dockerfile.base .
+
+# Build the CLI image
+docker build --build-arg BASE_IMAGE=lsst/ppdb-base:local -t lsst/ppdb-cli:local -f docker/Dockerfile.cli .
+
+# Build the replication image
+docker build --build-arg BASE_IMAGE=lsst/ppdb-base:local -t lsst/ppdb-replication:local -f docker/Dockerfile.replication .
diff --git a/docker/scripts/entrypoint-replication.sh b/docker/scripts/entrypoint-replication.sh
index e7ced8a..7fbfccf 100755
--- a/docker/scripts/entrypoint-replication.sh
+++ b/docker/scripts/entrypoint-replication.sh
@@ -16,19 +16,16 @@ set -euo pipefail
 command -v ppdb-replication >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "ppdb-replication command not found"; exit 1; }
 echo "Found ppdb-replication command"
 
-# Function to check if an environment variable is set
-check_env_var() {
-    local var_name="$1"
-    local var_value="${!var_name}"
-    if [ -z "${var_value:-}" ]; then
-        echo "$var_name is a required environment variable"
-        exit 1
-    fi
-}
-
 # Check if the required environment variables are set
-check_env_var "PPDB_REPLICATION_APDB_CONFIG"
-check_env_var "PPDB_REPLICATION_PPDB_CONFIG"
+if [ -z "${PPDB_REPLICATION_APDB_CONFIG:-}" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: PPDB_REPLICATION_APDB_CONFIG is a required environment variable"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ -z "${PPDB_REPLICATION_PPDB_CONFIG:-}" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: PPDB_REPLICATION_PPDB_CONFIG is a required environment variable"
+    exit 1
+fi
 
 # Build the command from the environment variables
 _CMD="ppdb-replication"