diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 01d010a24d647..e9140542c01c6 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ BUILDFLAGS = $(ADDFLAGS) -ldflags '-w -s' -buildmode=exe
 CGOFLAG = CGO_ENABLED=1 CC=x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc CXX=x86_64-w64-mingw32-g++
 endif
 
+# RPM_FLAGS is a hack for Teleport 8. It allows passing in flags to
+# build-package.sh to create CentOS 7 RPMs.
+#
+# In Teleport 9 we will switch the buildbox to CentOS 7 and no longer need to
+# do this. This should never make it into master or branch/v9.
+RPM_FLAGS ?=
+
 ifeq ("$(OS)","linux")
 # ARM builds need to specify the correct C compiler
 ifeq ("$(ARCH)","arm")
@@ -840,8 +847,8 @@ rpm:
 	chmod +x $(BUILDDIR)/build-package.sh
 	cp -a ./build.assets/rpm $(BUILDDIR)/
 	cp -a ./build.assets/rpm-sign $(BUILDDIR)/
-	cd $(BUILDDIR) && ./build-package.sh -t oss -v $(VERSION) -p rpm -a $(ARCH) $(RUNTIME_SECTION) $(TARBALL_PATH_SECTION)
-	if [ -f e/Makefile ]; then $(MAKE) -C e rpm; fi
+	cd $(BUILDDIR) && ./build-package.sh -t oss -v $(VERSION) $(RPM_FLAGS) -p rpm -a $(ARCH) $(RUNTIME_SECTION) $(TARBALL_PATH_SECTION)
+	if [ -f e/Makefile ]; then $(MAKE) -C e rpm RPM_FLAGS="$(RPM_FLAGS)"; fi
 
 # build unsigned .rpm (for testing)
 .PHONY: rpm-unsigned
diff --git a/build.assets/build-package.sh b/build.assets/build-package.sh
index 17e1bfbc52eb6..eb1a05e70b335 100755
--- a/build.assets/build-package.sh
+++ b/build.assets/build-package.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -e
 
-usage() { echo "Usage: $(basename $0) [-t <oss/ent>] [-v <version>] [-p <package type>] <-a [amd64/x86_64]|[386/i386]|arm|arm64> <-r fips> <-s tarball source dir> <-m tsh>" 1>&2; exit 1; }
-while getopts ":t:v:p:a:r:s:m:" o; do
+usage() { echo "Usage: $(basename $0) [-t <oss/ent>] [-v <version>] [-p <package type>] <-c centos7> <-a [amd64/x86_64]|[386/i386]|arm|arm64> <-r fips> <-s tarball source dir> <-m tsh>" 1>&2; exit 1; }
+while getopts ":t:v:p:a:r:s:m:c:" o; do
     case "${o}" in
         t)
             t=${OPTARG}
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ while getopts ":t:v:p:a:r:s:m:" o; do
             m=${OPTARG}
             if [[ ${m} != "tsh" ]]; then usage; fi
             ;;
+        c)
+            c=${OPTARG}
+            ;;
         *)
             usage
             ;;
@@ -47,6 +50,7 @@ PACKAGE_TYPE=${p}
 ARCH=${a}
 RUNTIME=${r}
 BUILD_MODE=${m}
+CENTOS_VERSION=${c}
 TARBALL_DIRECTORY=/tmp/teleport-tarballs
 DOWNLOAD_IF_NEEDED=true
 GNUPG_DIR=${GNUPG_DIR:-/tmp/gnupg}
@@ -192,11 +196,15 @@ elif [[ "${ARCH}" == "arm64" ]]; then
     TEXT_ARCH="ARMv8/ARM64"
 fi
 
-# set optional runtime section for filename
+# Set optional runtime section for tarball filename.
+if [[ "${CENTOS_VERSION}" == "centos7" ]]; then
+    OPTIONAL_RUNTIME_SECTION="-centos7"
+fi
 if [[ "${RUNTIME}" == "fips" ]]; then
-    OPTIONAL_RUNTIME_SECTION="-fips"
+    OPTIONAL_RUNTIME_SECTION+="-fips"
 fi
 
+
 # set variables appropriately depending on type of package being built
 if [[ "${TELEPORT_TYPE}" == "ent" ]]; then
     TARBALL_FILENAME="teleport-ent-v${TELEPORT_VERSION}-${PLATFORM}-${FILENAME_ARCH}${OPTIONAL_RUNTIME_SECTION}-bin.tar.gz"