diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9bba9d4a..df2600f6 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ deb_dist
 *.pyc
 .coverage
 build
+rocker_venv
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/rocker/cli.py b/src/rocker/cli.py
index d6f68311..a1d0641d 100755
--- a/src/rocker/cli.py
+++ b/src/rocker/cli.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument('command', nargs='*', default='')
     parser.add_argument('--noexecute', action='store_true', help='Deprecated')
     parser.add_argument('--nocache', action='store_true')
+    parser.add_argument('--nocleanup', action='store_true', help='do not remove the docker container when stopped')
     parser.add_argument('--pull', action='store_true')
     parser.add_argument('-v', '--version', action='version',
         version='%(prog)s ' + get_rocker_version())
diff --git a/src/rocker/core.py b/src/rocker/core.py
index 71d919ce..ac5ae979 100755
--- a/src/rocker/core.py
+++ b/src/rocker/core.py
@@ -239,6 +239,36 @@ def build(self, **kwargs):
                 print("Docker build failed\n", ex)
                 return 1
 
+    def get_operating_mode(self, args):
+        operating_mode = args.get('mode')
+        # Default to non-interactive if unset
+        if operating_mode not in OPERATION_MODES:
+            operating_mode = OPERATIONS_NON_INTERACTIVE
+        if operating_mode == OPERATIONS_INTERACTIVE and not os.isatty(sys.__stdin__.fileno()):
+            operating_mode = OPERATIONS_NON_INTERACTIVE
+            print("No tty detected for stdin forcing non-interactive")
+        return operating_mode
+
+
+    def generate_docker_cmd(self, command='', **kwargs):
+        docker_args = ''
+
+        for e in self.active_extensions:
+            docker_args += e.get_docker_args(self.cliargs)
+
+        image = self.image_id
+        cmd = "docker run"
+        if(not kwargs.get('nocleanup')):
+            # remove container only if --nocleanup is not present
+            cmd += " --rm"
+
+        operating_mode = self.get_operating_mode(kwargs)
+        if operating_mode != OPERATIONS_NON_INTERACTIVE:
+            # only disable for OPERATIONS_NON_INTERACTIVE
+            cmd += " -it"
+        cmd += "%(docker_args)s %(image)s %(command)s" % locals()
+        return cmd
+
     def run(self, command='', **kwargs):
         if not self.built:
             print("Cannot run if build has not passed.")
@@ -250,28 +280,11 @@ def run(self, command='', **kwargs):
             except subprocess.CalledProcessError as ex:
                 print("ERROR! Failed to precondition for extension [%s] with error: %s\ndeactivating" % (e.get_name(), ex))
                 return 1
-        docker_args = ''
 
-        for e in self.active_extensions:
-            docker_args += e.get_docker_args(self.cliargs)
+        cmd = self.generate_docker_cmd(command, **kwargs)
+        operating_mode = self.get_operating_mode(kwargs)
 
-        image = self.image_id
-        operating_mode = kwargs.get('mode')
-        # Default to non-interactive if unset
-        if operating_mode not in OPERATION_MODES:
-            operating_mode = OPERATIONS_NON_INTERACTIVE
-        if operating_mode == OPERATIONS_INTERACTIVE and not os.isatty(sys.__stdin__.fileno()):
-            operating_mode = OPERATIONS_NON_INTERACTIVE
-            print("No tty detected for stdin forcing non-interactive")
-        cmd="docker run"
-        if operating_mode != OPERATIONS_NON_INTERACTIVE:
-            # only disable for OPERATIONS_NON_INTERACTIVE
-            cmd += " -it"
-        cmd += " \
-  --rm \
-  %(docker_args)s \
-  %(image)s %(command)s" % locals()
-#   $DOCKER_OPTS \
+        #   $DOCKER_OPTS \
         if operating_mode == OPERATIONS_DRY_RUN:
             print("Run this command: \n\n\n")
             print(cmd)
diff --git a/test/test_core.py b/test/test_core.py
index d874ec61..914d8437 100644
--- a/test/test_core.py
+++ b/test/test_core.py
@@ -120,4 +120,30 @@ def test_extension_manager(self):
 
         active_extensions = active_extensions = extension_manager.get_active_extensions({'user': True, 'ssh': True, 'extension_blacklist': ['ssh']})
         self.assertEqual(len(active_extensions), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(active_extensions[0].get_name(), 'user')
\ No newline at end of file
+        self.assertEqual(active_extensions[0].get_name(), 'user')
+
+    def test_docker_cmd_interactive(self):
+        dig = DockerImageGenerator([], {}, 'ubuntu:bionic')
+
+        self.assertNotIn('-it', dig.generate_docker_cmd(mode=''))
+        self.assertIn('-it', dig.generate_docker_cmd(mode='dry-run'))
+
+        # TODO(tfoote) mock this appropriately
+        # google actions tests don't have a tty, local tests do
+        import os, sys
+        if os.isatty(sys.__stdin__.fileno()):
+            self.assertIn('-it', dig.generate_docker_cmd(mode='interactive'))
+        else:
+            self.assertNotIn('-it', dig.generate_docker_cmd(mode='interactive'))
+
+        self.assertNotIn('-it', dig.generate_docker_cmd(mode='non-interactive'))
+
+
+    def test_docker_cmd_nocleanup(self):
+        dig = DockerImageGenerator([], {}, 'ubuntu:bionic')
+
+        self.assertIn('--rm', dig.generate_docker_cmd())
+        self.assertIn('--rm', dig.generate_docker_cmd(mode='dry-run'))
+        self.assertIn('--rm', dig.generate_docker_cmd(nocleanup=''))
+
+        self.assertNotIn('--rm', dig.generate_docker_cmd(nocleanup='true'))
\ No newline at end of file