diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/kickstart b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/kickstart
index 0b696503..6e5d6e4c 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/kickstart
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/kickstart
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ python
 %end
 
 
+# A kickstart.custom file is provided to enable easily adding
+# kickstart content without modifying the stock file.
+# While the stock file may be safely modified, using the .custom
+# files may allow for more easily rebasing custom profiles to newer
+# stock profiles
+%include /tmp/kickstart.custom
+
 %pre
 profile=$(grep ^profile: /etc/confluent/confluent.deploycfg |awk '{print $2}')
 mgr=$(grep deploy_server /etc/confluent/confluent.deploycfg |awk '{print $2}')
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh
index 986ef719..3fe06efc 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@ export nodename mgr profile
 . /etc/confluent/functions
 
 
-# Here is the most appropriate place to customize, for example:
-#run_remote script.sh
-#run_remote_python script.py
+run_remote firstboot.custom
 
 
 curl -X POST -d 'status: complete' -H "CONFLUENT_NODENAME: $nodename" -H "CONFLUENT_APIKEY: $apikey" https://$mgr/confluent-api/self/updatestatus
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh
index f87bcac2..d235598b 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ fi
 
 # run_remote will download and execute from /var/lib/confluent/public/<os>/scripts/ directory
 # run_remote_python will use the appropriate python interpreter path to run the specified script
+# A post.custom is provided to more conveniently hold customizations, see the post.custom file.
 
-# Add content as below:
 # run_remote example.sh
 # run_remote_python example.py
+run_remote post.custom
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh
index 10d22677..e2db9440 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh
@@ -62,3 +62,5 @@ if [ -e /tmp/installdisk ]; then
     echo ignoredisk --only-use $(cat /tmp/installdisk) >> /tmp/partitioning
     echo autopart --nohome $LUKSPARTY >> /tmp/partitioning
 fi
+python /etc/confluent/apiclient /confluent-public/os/$profile/kickstart.custom -o /tmp/kickstart.custom
+run_remote pre.custom
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/kickstart b/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/kickstart
index c7db776d..c1552ef0 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/kickstart
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/kickstart
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ liveimg --url=file:///tmp/install.img
 
 reboot
 
+# A kickstart.custom file is provided to enable easily adding
+# kickstart content without modifying the stock file.
+# While the stock file may be safely modified, using the .custom
+# files may allow for more easily rebasing custom profiles to newer
+# stock profiles
+%include /tmp/kickstart.custom
+
 %pre
 profile=$(grep ^profile: /etc/confluent/confluent.deploycfg |awk '{print $2}')
 mgr=$(grep deploy_server /etc/confluent/confluent.deploycfg |awk '{print $2}')
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh b/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh
index 986ef719..3fe06efc 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@ export nodename mgr profile
 . /etc/confluent/functions
 
 
-# Here is the most appropriate place to customize, for example:
-#run_remote script.sh
-#run_remote_python script.py
+run_remote firstboot.custom
 
 
 curl -X POST -d 'status: complete' -H "CONFLUENT_NODENAME: $nodename" -H "CONFLUENT_APIKEY: $apikey" https://$mgr/confluent-api/self/updatestatus
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh b/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh
index f87bcac2..d235598b 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ fi
 
 # run_remote will download and execute from /var/lib/confluent/public/<os>/scripts/ directory
 # run_remote_python will use the appropriate python interpreter path to run the specified script
+# A post.custom is provided to more conveniently hold customizations, see the post.custom file.
 
-# Add content as below:
 # run_remote example.sh
 # run_remote_python example.py
+run_remote post.custom
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh b/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh
index e959b759..3788f5f1 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/rhvh4/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh
@@ -67,3 +67,5 @@ python /etc/confluent/apiclient /confluent-public/os/$profile/image.rpm -o image
 rpm2cpio image.rpm | cpio -dumi
 ln -s $(find $(pwd) -name *img) /tmp/install.img
 cd -
+python /etc/confluent/apiclient /confluent-public/os/$profile/kickstart.custom -o /tmp/kickstart.custom
+run_remote pre.custom