diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d8743a8..841e0b4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ Only `image` parameter is mandatory - it's name of the resulting image.
         // username and password are used if the Docker Registry requires credentials for pushing
         username = 'registry-username'
         password = System.getenv('DOCKER_REGISTRY_PASSWORD')
+        removeImage = false // indicates if the image should be removed after publishing, default is true
 	}
 
 The plugin can be also applied using [the new Gradle syntax](https://plugins.gradle.org/plugin/cz.augi.gradle.wartremover):
diff --git a/src/main/groovy/cz/augi/gradle/dockerjava/DockerJavaExtension.groovy b/src/main/groovy/cz/augi/gradle/dockerjava/DockerJavaExtension.groovy
index c56000a..7bb1639 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/cz/augi/gradle/dockerjava/DockerJavaExtension.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/cz/augi/gradle/dockerjava/DockerJavaExtension.groovy
@@ -26,4 +26,5 @@ class DockerJavaExtension implements DistDockerSettings, DockerPushSettings {
     String username
     String password
     String getRegistry() { image.substring(0, image.indexOf('/')) }
+    Boolean removeImage = true
 }
diff --git a/src/main/groovy/cz/augi/gradle/dockerjava/DockerPushTask.groovy b/src/main/groovy/cz/augi/gradle/dockerjava/DockerPushTask.groovy
index 7ff34ce..1c5f023 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/cz/augi/gradle/dockerjava/DockerPushTask.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/cz/augi/gradle/dockerjava/DockerPushTask.groovy
@@ -19,13 +19,21 @@ class DockerPushTask extends DefaultTask {
     @TaskAction
     def push() {
         def configFile = new File(project.buildDir, 'localDockerConfig')
-        project.exec {
-            it.commandLine 'docker', '--config', configFile.absolutePath, 'login', '-u', settings.username, '-p', settings.password, settings.registry
+        try {
+            project.exec {
+                it.commandLine 'docker', '--config', configFile.absolutePath, 'login', '-u', settings.username, '-p', settings.password, settings.registry
+            }
+            project.exec {
+                it.commandLine 'docker', '--config', configFile.absolutePath, 'push', settings.image
+            }
+        } finally {
+            configFile.delete()
         }
-        project.exec {
-            it.commandLine 'docker', '--config', configFile.absolutePath, 'push', settings.image
+        if (settings.removeImage) {
+            project.exec {
+                it.commandLine 'docker', 'rmi', '--force', settings.image
+            }
         }
-        configFile.delete()
     }
 }
 
@@ -38,4 +46,6 @@ interface DockerPushSettings {
     String getPassword()
     @Input
     String getRegistry()
+    @Input
+    Boolean getRemoveImage()
 }