diff --git a/docker/matlab/Dockerfile b/docker/matlab/Dockerfile
index e77ef1b6..e5f4acbe 100644
--- a/docker/matlab/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/matlab/Dockerfile
@@ -4,10 +4,6 @@
 # Argument shared across multi-stage build to hold location of installed MATLAB 
 ARG BASE_ML_INSTALL_LOC=/tmp/matlab-install-location
 
-# For finding latest versions of the base image see
-# https://github.com/SwissDataScienceCenter/renkulab-docker
-ARG BASE_IMAGE=renku/renkulab-py:latest
-
 # Replace "mathworks/matlab" with any Docker image that contains MATLAB
 # MATLAB should be available on the path in the Docker image
 FROM mathworks/matlab AS matlab-install-stage
@@ -26,6 +22,10 @@ RUN export ML_INSTALL_LOC=$(which matlab) \
         echo "Proceeding with user provided path to MATLAB installation: ${BASE_ML_INSTALL_LOC}"; \
     fi
 
+# For finding latest versions of the base image see
+# https://github.com/SwissDataScienceCenter/renkulab-docker
+ARG BASE_IMAGE=renku/renkulab-py:latest
+
 FROM ${BASE_IMAGE}
 # Use Renku instead of the base notebook
 # FROM jupyter/base-notebook