diff --git a/datasette/cli.py b/datasette/cli.py
index 57db83b6..fa34fa5b 100644
--- a/datasette/cli.py
+++ b/datasette/cli.py
@@ -207,6 +207,12 @@ def plugins(all, requirements, plugins_dir):
     "--tag",
     help="Name for the resulting Docker container, can optionally use name:tag format",
 )
+@click.option(
+    "-c",
+    "--config",
+    type=click.File(mode="r"),
+    help="Path to JSON/YAML Datasette configuration file",
+)
 @click.option(
     "-m",
     "--metadata",
@@ -259,6 +265,7 @@ def plugins(all, requirements, plugins_dir):
 def package(
     files,
     tag,
+    config,
     metadata,
     extra_options,
     branch,
@@ -285,6 +292,7 @@ def package(
     with temporary_docker_directory(
         files,
         "datasette",
+        config=config,
         metadata=metadata,
         extra_options=extra_options,
         branch=branch,
diff --git a/datasette/utils/__init__.py b/datasette/utils/__init__.py
index eb46d549..a46b5039 100644
--- a/datasette/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/datasette/utils/__init__.py
@@ -575,6 +575,7 @@ def escape_sqlite(s):
 
 def make_dockerfile(
     files,
+    config_file,
     metadata_file,
     extra_options,
     branch,
@@ -596,6 +597,8 @@ def make_dockerfile(
     for filename in files:
         cmd.extend(["-i", filename])
     cmd.extend(["--cors", "--inspect-file", "inspect-data.json"])
+    if config_file:
+        cmd.extend(["--config", f"{config_file}"])
     if metadata_file:
         cmd.extend(["--metadata", f"{metadata_file}"])
     if template_dir:
@@ -659,6 +662,7 @@ CMD {cmd}""".format(
 def temporary_docker_directory(
     files,
     name,
+    config,
     metadata,
     extra_options,
     branch,
@@ -682,6 +686,10 @@ def temporary_docker_directory(
     saved_cwd = os.getcwd()
     file_paths = [os.path.join(saved_cwd, file_path) for file_path in files]
     file_names = [os.path.split(f)[-1] for f in files]
+    if config:
+        config_content = parse_metadata(config.read())
+    else:
+        config_content = {}
     if metadata:
         metadata_content = parse_metadata(metadata.read())
     else:
@@ -694,6 +702,7 @@ def temporary_docker_directory(
     try:
         dockerfile = make_dockerfile(
             file_names,
+            config_content and "config.json",
             metadata_content and "metadata.json",
             extra_options,
             branch,
@@ -709,6 +718,9 @@ def temporary_docker_directory(
             apt_get_extras=apt_get_extras,
         )
         os.chdir(datasette_dir)
+        if config_content:
+            with open("config.json", "w") as fp:
+                fp.write(json.dumps(config_content, indent=2))
         if metadata_content:
             with open("metadata.json", "w") as fp:
                 fp.write(json.dumps(metadata_content, indent=2))
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index 1808b3cf..d6746b32 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -407,6 +407,7 @@ def test_temporary_docker_directory_uses_hard_link():
         with utils.temporary_docker_directory(
             files=["hello"],
             name="t",
+            config=None,
             metadata=None,
             extra_options=None,
             branch=None,
@@ -437,6 +438,7 @@ def test_temporary_docker_directory_uses_copy_if_hard_link_fails(mock_link):
         with utils.temporary_docker_directory(
             files=["hello"],
             name="t",
+            config=None,
             metadata=None,
             extra_options=None,
             branch=None,
@@ -463,6 +465,7 @@ def test_temporary_docker_directory_quotes_args():
         with utils.temporary_docker_directory(
             files=["hello"],
             name="t",
+            config=None,
             metadata=None,
             extra_options="--$HOME",
             branch=None,