diff --git a/cmd/compose/build.go b/cmd/compose/build.go
index aefe3d0fd..dfe15f5bb 100644
--- a/cmd/compose/build.go
+++ b/cmd/compose/build.go
@@ -94,5 +94,6 @@ func runBuild(ctx context.Context, backend api.Service, opts buildOptions, servi
 		Args:     types.NewMappingWithEquals(opts.args),
 		NoCache:  opts.noCache,
 		Quiet:    opts.quiet,
+		Services: services,
 	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/api/api.go b/pkg/api/api.go
index 9ad5959f4..081934388 100644
--- a/pkg/api/api.go
+++ b/pkg/api/api.go
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ type BuildOptions struct {
 	NoCache bool
 	// Quiet make the build process not output to the console
 	Quiet bool
+	// Services passed in the command line to be built
+	Services []string
 }
 
 // CreateOptions group options of the Create API
diff --git a/pkg/compose/build.go b/pkg/compose/build.go
index dba0dab8b..2fcb4d062 100644
--- a/pkg/compose/build.go
+++ b/pkg/compose/build.go
@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ func (s *composeService) build(ctx context.Context, project *types.Project, opti
 		return s, ok
 	}))
 
-	for _, service := range project.Services {
+	services, err := project.GetServices(options.Services...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	for _, service := range services {
 		if service.Build != nil {
 			imageName := getImageName(service, project.Name)
 			imagesToBuild = append(imagesToBuild, imageName)
@@ -79,7 +84,7 @@ func (s *composeService) build(ctx context.Context, project *types.Project, opti
 		}
 	}
 
-	_, err := s.doBuild(ctx, project, opts, options.Progress)
+	_, err = s.doBuild(ctx, project, opts, options.Progress)
 	if err == nil {
 		if len(imagesToBuild) > 0 && !options.Quiet {
 			utils.DisplayScanSuggestMsg()