diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d51e3e51d..f2e4cf72b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Dockerfile.media
 *.vmdk
 *.vmdk.lck
 *.tar
+*.tar.xz
 *.gz
 *.vhdx
 *.efi
diff --git a/kernel/Dockerfile b/kernel/Dockerfile
index 2092f6e22..1916e29a1 100644
--- a/kernel/Dockerfile
+++ b/kernel/Dockerfile
@@ -46,11 +46,12 @@ ENV WIREGUARD_URL=https://git.zx2c4.com/WireGuard/snapshot/WireGuard-${WIREGUARD
 COPY keys.asc keys.asc
 
 # Download and verify kernel
+COPY sources/ /
 RUN curl -fsSLO ${KERNEL_SHA256_SUMS} && \
     gpg2 -q --import keys.asc && \
     gpg2 --verify sha256sums.asc && \
     KERNEL_SHA256=$(grep linux-${KERNEL_VERSION}.tar.xz sha256sums.asc | cut -d ' ' -f 1) && \
-    curl -fsSLO ${KERNEL_SOURCE} && \
+    [ -f linux-${KERNEL_VERSION}.tar.xz ] || curl -fsSLO ${KERNEL_SOURCE} && \
     echo "${KERNEL_SHA256}  linux-${KERNEL_VERSION}.tar.xz" | sha256sum -c - && \
     xz -d linux-${KERNEL_VERSION}.tar.xz && \
     curl -fsSLO ${KERNEL_PGP2_SIGN} && \
diff --git a/kernel/Makefile b/kernel/Makefile
index ebe7c57d2..ea8ff46f4 100644
--- a/kernel/Makefile
+++ b/kernel/Makefile
@@ -51,11 +51,16 @@ LABELS=$(REPO_LABEL) $(COMMIT_LABEL)
 
 .PHONY: check tag push
 # Targets:
-# build: builds all kernels
-# push:  pushes and sign all tagged kernel images to hub
+# fetch: Downloads the kernel sources into ./sources
+# build: Builds all kernels
+# push:  Pushes and sign all tagged kernel images to hub
+fetch:
 build:
 push:
 
+sources:
+	mkdir -p $@
+
 # A template for defining kernel build
 # Arguments:
 # $1: Full kernel version, e.g., 4.9.22
@@ -68,7 +73,12 @@ push:
 # build_4.9.x_dbg and adds "_dbg" to the hub image name.
 define kernel
 
-build_$(2)$(3): Dockerfile Makefile $(wildcard patches-$(2)/*) $(wildcard kernel_config-$(2)*) kernel_config.debug
+ifeq ($(3),)
+sources/linux-$(1).tar.xz: Makefile | sources
+	curl -fsSLo sources/linux-$(1).tar.xz https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/linux-$(1).tar.xz 
+endif
+
+build_$(2)$(3): Dockerfile Makefile $(wildcard patches-$(2)/*) $(wildcard kernel_config-$(2)*) kernel_config.debug | sources
 	docker pull $(ORG)/$(IMAGE):$(1)$(3)-$(TAG)$(SUFFIX) || \
 		docker build \
 			--build-arg KERNEL_VERSION=$(1) \
@@ -92,6 +102,7 @@ show-tag_$(2)$(3):
 build: build_$(2)$(3)
 push: push_$(2)$(3)
 show-tags: show-tag_$(2)$(3)
+fetch: sources/linux-$(1).tar.xz
 
 ifneq ($(2), 4.4.x)
 build_perf_$(2)$(3): build_$(2)$(3)