diff --git a/build_docker.sh b/build_docker.sh
index 43665172a..272f228f8 100755
--- a/build_docker.sh
+++ b/build_docker.sh
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ case "$TARGET" in
         -X tailscale.com/version.gitCommitStamp=${VERSION_GIT_HASH}" \
       --base="${BASE}" \
       --tags="${TAGS}" \
-      --gotags="ts_kube" \
+      --gotags="ts_kube,ts_package_container" \
       --repos="${REPOS}" \
       --push="${PUSH}" \
       --target="${PLATFORM}" \
diff --git a/hostinfo/hostinfo_linux.go b/hostinfo/hostinfo_linux.go
index d194fbb0d..53d4187bc 100644
--- a/hostinfo/hostinfo_linux.go
+++ b/hostinfo/hostinfo_linux.go
@@ -159,7 +159,14 @@ func linuxVersionMeta() (meta versionMeta) {
 	return
 }
 
+// linuxBuildTagPackageType is set by packagetype_*.go
+// build tag guarded files.
+var linuxBuildTagPackageType string
+
 func packageTypeLinux() string {
+	if v := linuxBuildTagPackageType; v != "" {
+		return v
+	}
 	// Report whether this is in a snap.
 	// See https://snapcraft.io/docs/environment-variables
 	// We just look at two somewhat arbitrarily.
diff --git a/hostinfo/packagetype_container.go b/hostinfo/packagetype_container.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9bd14493c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hostinfo/packagetype_container.go
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+// Copyright (c) Tailscale Inc & AUTHORS
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+//go:build linux && ts_package_container
+
+package hostinfo
+
+func init() {
+	linuxBuildTagPackageType = "container"
+}