diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 446192b..3202d50 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -269,6 +269,22 @@ If you need to perform any actions after installing your package (such as moving
 }
 ```
 
+### Build Steps
+
+If you need to perform any actions during the building of your package (such as yarn install or using some other package manager) you can specify these inline using the `buildSteps` property:
+
+```json
+{
+  "spec": {
+    "buildSteps": [
+      "yarn install --production"
+    ]
+  }
+}
+```
+
+If you've specified something here it will disable the prune and rebuild steps.
+
 ### Environment variable
 
 If you need to specify environment variables during startup (NODE_ENV for example) you can specify these inline using the spec.environment property:
@@ -299,6 +315,8 @@ If you need to set specific [systemd service options](https://www.freedesktop.or
 }
 ```
 
+These will overwrite the defaults for ExecStart, Restart, StandardOutput, and StandardError if you set them. Make sure to use complete and correct paths to the executable for your ExecStart overrides.
+
 #### Unit Options
 
 You can set specific [systemd unit options](https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/systemd.unit.html) - in the `[Unit]` section of the .service file, you can specify these using the spec.unitOptions property:
diff --git a/lib/service.js b/lib/service.js
index 5c18f50..ba597db 100644
--- a/lib/service.js
+++ b/lib/service.js
@@ -10,6 +10,5 @@ const template = handlebars.compile(templateFile);
 
 module.exports = function (pkg) {
   const serviceProperties = getServiceProperties(pkg);
-
   return template(serviceProperties);
 };
diff --git a/lib/serviceProperties.js b/lib/serviceProperties.js
index ab752a7..b5b886b 100644
--- a/lib/serviceProperties.js
+++ b/lib/serviceProperties.js
@@ -10,6 +10,22 @@ function convertToKeyValueFromSpec(spec, prop) {
   }
 }
 
+const serviceDefaults = {
+  ExecStart: '/usr/bin/npm start',
+  Restart: 'always',
+  StandardOutput: 'syslog',
+  StandardError: 'syslog'
+};
+
+function createServiceDefaults(spec = {}) {
+  const combinedConfig = Object.assign(
+    {},
+    serviceDefaults,
+    spec.serviceOptions
+  );
+  return convertToKeyValueFromSpec({ combinedConfig }, 'combinedConfig');
+}
+
 module.exports = function (pkg) {
   return Object.assign(
     {
@@ -17,7 +33,7 @@ module.exports = function (pkg) {
       username: truncate(pkg.name),
       description: pkg.description,
       environment: convertToKeyValueFromSpec(pkg.spec, 'environment'),
-      serviceOptions: convertToKeyValueFromSpec(pkg.spec, 'serviceOptions'),
+      serviceOptions: createServiceDefaults(pkg.spec),
       unitOptions: convertToKeyValueFromSpec(pkg.spec, 'unitOptions')
     }
   );
diff --git a/lib/spec.js b/lib/spec.js
index 1fe32bc..f7b32e5 100644
--- a/lib/spec.js
+++ b/lib/spec.js
@@ -58,11 +58,12 @@ function getExecutableFiles(pkg) {
 }
 
 module.exports = function (pkg, release) {
-  const serviceProperties = Object.assign(
+  const specProperties = Object.assign(
     {
       release: getReleaseNumber(release),
       requires: getValueFromSpec(pkg.spec, 'requires', []),
       buildRequires: getValueFromSpec(pkg.spec, 'buildRequires', []),
+      buildSteps: getValueFromSpec(pkg.spec, 'buildSteps'),
       postInstallCommands: getValueFromSpec(pkg.spec, 'post', []),
       nodeVersion: getValueFromSpec(pkg.spec, 'nodeVersion'),
       version: getVersionNumber(pkg),
@@ -73,6 +74,9 @@ module.exports = function (pkg, release) {
     getExecutableFiles(pkg),
     getServiceProperties(pkg)
   );
-
-  return template(serviceProperties);
+  if (specProperties.buildSteps) {
+    specProperties.prune = false;
+    specProperties.rebuild = false;
+  }
+  return template(specProperties);
 };
diff --git a/templates/service.hbs b/templates/service.hbs
index f7fcb66..3ecd527 100644
--- a/templates/service.hbs
+++ b/templates/service.hbs
@@ -8,20 +8,16 @@ After=network.target nss-lookup.target
 {{/unitOptions}}
 
 [Service]
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/npm start
+{{#serviceOptions}}
+{{key}}={{value}}
+{{/serviceOptions}}
 WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/{{name}}
-Restart=always
-StandardOutput=syslog
-StandardError=syslog
 SyslogIdentifier={{name}}
 User={{username}}
 Group={{username}}
 {{#environment}}
 Environment={{key}}={{value}}
 {{/environment}}
-{{#serviceOptions}}
-{{key}}={{value}}
-{{/serviceOptions}}
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/templates/spec.hbs b/templates/spec.hbs
index 27b9e18..7eaeafe 100644
--- a/templates/spec.hbs
+++ b/templates/spec.hbs
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ npm prune --production
 {{#rebuild}}
 npm rebuild
 {{/rebuild}}
+{{#buildSteps}}
+{{{.}}}
+{{/buildSteps}}
 
 %pre
 getent group {{username}} >/dev/null || groupadd -r {{username}}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-environment.service b/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-environment.service
index af95bae..af1bc6d 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-environment.service
+++ b/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-environment.service
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ After=network.target nss-lookup.target
 
 [Service]
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/npm start
-WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/my-cool-api
 Restart=always
 StandardOutput=syslog
 StandardError=syslog
+WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/my-cool-api
 SyslogIdentifier=my-cool-api
 User=my-cool-api
 Group=my-cool-api
diff --git a/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-with-service-options.service b/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-with-service-options.service
index 72301ec..db367c5 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-with-service-options.service
+++ b/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-with-service-options.service
@@ -4,15 +4,15 @@ After=network.target nss-lookup.target
 
 [Service]
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/npm start
-WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/my-cool-api
 Restart=always
 StandardOutput=syslog
 StandardError=syslog
+CPUSchedulingPriority=50
+LimitNOFILE=10000
+WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/my-cool-api
 SyslogIdentifier=my-cool-api
 User=my-cool-api
 Group=my-cool-api
-CPUSchedulingPriority=50
-LimitNOFILE=10000
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-with-unit-options.service b/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-with-unit-options.service
index a459bb4..357650d 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-with-unit-options.service
+++ b/test/fixtures/my-cool-api-with-unit-options.service
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ Requires=my-coolest-api.service
 
 [Service]
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/npm start
-WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/my-cool-api
 Restart=always
 StandardOutput=syslog
 StandardError=syslog
+WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/my-cool-api
 SyslogIdentifier=my-cool-api
 User=my-cool-api
 Group=my-cool-api
diff --git a/test/fixtures/my-cool-api.service b/test/fixtures/my-cool-api.service
index 8c9a196..ec77ed5 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/my-cool-api.service
+++ b/test/fixtures/my-cool-api.service
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ After=network.target nss-lookup.target
 
 [Service]
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/npm start
-WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/my-cool-api
 Restart=always
 StandardOutput=syslog
 StandardError=syslog
+WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/my-cool-api
 SyslogIdentifier=my-cool-api
 User=my-cool-api
 Group=my-cool-api
diff --git a/test/fixtures/my-super-long-long-long-long-cat-api.service b/test/fixtures/my-super-long-long-long-long-cat-api.service
index 3f98fa0..3b01fcb 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/my-super-long-long-long-long-cat-api.service
+++ b/test/fixtures/my-super-long-long-long-long-cat-api.service
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ After=network.target nss-lookup.target
 
 [Service]
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/npm start
-WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/my-super-long-long-long-long-cat-api
 Restart=always
 StandardOutput=syslog
 StandardError=syslog
+WorkingDirectory=/usr/lib/my-super-long-long-long-long-cat-api
 SyslogIdentifier=my-super-long-long-long-long-cat-api
 User=my-super-long-long-long-long-cat
 Group=my-super-long-long-long-long-cat