diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 830caffec..b35e97f66 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -52,4 +52,3 @@ experimental/_integration/_integration
 *sublime-project
 *sublime-workspace
 *npm-debug.log
-
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3d7933137..7106fb37c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.PHONY: all deps static clean client-lint client-test client-sync
+.PHONY: all deps static clean client-lint client-test client-sync backend
 
 # If you can use Docker without being root, you can `make SUDO= <target>`
 SUDO=sudo
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ SCOPE_IMAGE=$(DOCKERHUB_USER)/scope
 SCOPE_EXPORT=scope.tar
 SCOPE_UI_BUILD_EXPORT=scope_ui_build.tar
 SCOPE_UI_BUILD_IMAGE=$(DOCKERHUB_USER)/scope-ui-build
+SCOPE_BACKEND_BUILD_IMAGE=$(DOCKERHUB_USER)/scope-backend-build
 SCOPE_VERSION=$(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)
 DOCKER_VERSION=1.3.1
 DOCKER_DISTRIB=docker/docker-$(DOCKER_VERSION).tgz
@@ -76,6 +77,10 @@ $(SCOPE_UI_BUILD_EXPORT): client/Dockerfile client/package.json client/webpack.l
 	docker build -t $(SCOPE_UI_BUILD_IMAGE) client
 	docker save $(SCOPE_UI_BUILD_IMAGE):latest > $@
 
+backend:
+	docker build -t $(SCOPE_BACKEND_BUILD_IMAGE) backend
+	docker run -ti -v $(shell pwd):/go/src/github.com/weaveworks/scope $(SCOPE_BACKEND_BUILD_IMAGE) /build.bash
+
 clean:
 	go clean ./...
 	rm -rf $(SCOPE_EXPORT) $(SCOPE_UI_BUILD_EXPORT) $(APP_EXE) $(PROBE_EXE) client/build/app.js
diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile b/backend/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dc2716f1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+FROM golang:1.5.1
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y libpcap-dev
+COPY build.bash /
+
diff --git a/backend/build.bash b/backend/build.bash
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..134cf557b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/build.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -x
+
+# Mount the scope repo:
+#  -v $(pwd):/go/src/github.com/weaveworks/scope
+
+cd /go/src/github.com/weaveworks/scope
+make deps
+make app/scope-app
+make probe/scope-probe
+