diff --git a/build-in-docker.conf b/build-in-docker.conf
index 0524d0d..2fe6463 100644
--- a/build-in-docker.conf
+++ b/build-in-docker.conf
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-repos+=" ppa:cordova-ubuntu/ppa"
+packages+=" npm"
+commands+=("npm install -g node" "npm install -g cordova")
 if test -n "${ANDROID_HOME}"; then
    envs+=" -e ANDROID_HOME=${ANDROID_HOME}"
    dirs+=" -v ${ANDROID_HOME}:${ANDROID_HOME}:ro"
diff --git a/build-in-docker.sh b/build-in-docker.sh
index b9a583d..ae9e631 100755
--- a/build-in-docker.sh
+++ b/build-in-docker.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ repos=""
 keys=""
 envs=""
 dirs="-v $(pwd):/workdir"
+packages=""
 targets="all check distcheck"
+commands=()
 if test -e ./build-in-docker.conf; then
     # you can preconfigure the variables in file build-in-docker.conf
     # if you do so, add the file to EXTRA_DIST in makefile.am
@@ -18,13 +20,15 @@ while test $# -gt 0; do
             echo "$0 [OPTIONS]"
             echo
             echo "OPTIONS:"
-            echo "  -h, --help           show this help"
-            echo "  -i --image <image>   use given docker image instead of ${img}"
-            echo "  -t --targets targets specify build targets, default: ${targets}"
-            echo "  -r --repo <url>      add given apt repository"
-            echo "  -k --key <url>       add public key from url"
-            echo "  -e --env <var>=<val> set environment variable in docker"
-            echo "  -d --dir <dir>       access given directory read only"
+            echo "  -h, --help            show this help"
+            echo "  -i, --image <image>   use given docker image instead of ${img}"
+            echo "  -t, --targets targets specify build targets, default: ${targets}"
+            echo "  -r, --repo <url>      add given apt repository"
+            echo "  -k, --key <url>       add public key from url"
+            echo "  -e, --env <var>=<val> set environment variable in docker"
+            echo "  -d, --dir <dir>       access given directory read only"
+            echo "  -p, --package <pkg>   install extra debian packages"
+            echo "  -x, --exe <command>   execute commands as root in docker"
             echo
             echo "EXAMPLE:"
             echo
@@ -34,7 +38,8 @@ while test $# -gt 0; do
             echo "                    -d /opt/local/android \\"
             echo "                    -r universe \\"
             echo "                    -r https://dev.marc.waeckerlin.org/repository \\"
-            echo "                    -k https://dev.marc.waeckerlin.org/repository/PublicKey"
+            echo "                    -k https://dev.marc.waeckerlin.org/repository/PublicKey \\"
+            echo "                    -p mrw-c++"
             echo
             exit 0
             ;;
@@ -56,6 +61,12 @@ while test $# -gt 0; do
         (-d|--dirs) shift;
             dirs+=" -v $1:$1:ro"
             ;;
+        (-p|--package) shift;
+            packages+=" $1"
+            ;;
+        (-x|--exe) shift;
+            commands+=("$1")
+            ;;
         (*)
             echo "**** ERROR: unknown option '$1', try --help" 1>&2
             exit 1
@@ -85,6 +96,12 @@ if test -n "${keys}"; then
     done
 fi
 docker exec ${DOCKER_ID} apt-get update
+if test -n "${packages}"; then
+    docker exec -i ${DOCKER_ID} apt-get install -y ${packages}
+fi
+for command in "${commands[@]}"; do
+    docker exec -i ${DOCKER_ID} ${command}
+done
 docker exec ${DOCKER_ID} ./resolve-debbuilddeps.sh
 docker exec -u $(id -u) ${DOCKER_ID} svn upgrade || true
 docker exec -u $(id -u) ${DOCKER_ID} ./bootstrap.sh -t "${targets}"
diff --git a/debian/control.in b/debian/control.in
index f3c744c..b0376db 100644
--- a/debian/control.in
+++ b/debian/control.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Source: @PACKAGE_NAME@
 Priority: extra
 Maintainer: @AUTHOR@
-Build-Depends: debhelper, subversion, pkg-config, automake, libtool, autotools-dev, lsb-release, doxygen, graphviz, mscgen, cordova-cli
+Build-Depends: debhelper, subversion, pkg-config, automake, libtool, autotools-dev, lsb-release, doxygen, graphviz, mscgen
 
 Package: @PACKAGE_NAME@
 Section: web