diff --git a/hack/Makefile.debug b/hack/Makefile.debug
index f4a5cc42e..d26b460d1 100644
--- a/hack/Makefile.debug
+++ b/hack/Makefile.debug
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@ new-openshift-router-image:
 
 new-ci-router-image:
 	$(IMAGEBUILDER) build -t $(IMAGE_BASE):$(TAG) -f images/router/base/Dockerfile.rhel .
-	cp -f images/router/haproxy/Dockerfile.rhel8 images/router/haproxy/Dockerfile.rhel8.debug
-	sed -i "s|FROM .*|FROM $(IMAGE_BASE):$(TAG)|" images/router/haproxy/Dockerfile.rhel8.debug
-	$(IMAGEBUILDER) build -t $(IMAGE):$(TAG) -f images/router/haproxy/Dockerfile.rhel8.debug .
+	$(IMAGEBUILDER) build -t $(IMAGE):$(TAG) -f images/router/haproxy/Dockerfile.rhel8 --build-arg="BASE=$(IMAGE_BASE):$(TAG)" .
 
 push:
 	$(IMAGEBUILDER) tag $(IMAGE):$(TAG) $(REGISTRY)/$(IMAGE):$(TAG)
diff --git a/images/router/haproxy/Dockerfile.rhel8 b/images/router/haproxy/Dockerfile.rhel8
index 872ddb29e..0ef7fa6ab 100644
--- a/images/router/haproxy/Dockerfile.rhel8
+++ b/images/router/haproxy/Dockerfile.rhel8
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-FROM registry.ci.openshift.org/ocp/4.16:haproxy-router-base
+ARG BASE=registry.ci.openshift.org/ocp/4.16:haproxy-router-base
+FROM ${BASE}
 RUN INSTALL_PKGS="socat haproxy28 rsyslog procps-ng util-linux" && \
     yum install -y $INSTALL_PKGS && \
     rpm -V $INSTALL_PKGS && \