diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/debootstrap/README.rst b/diskimage_builder/elements/debootstrap/README.rst
index e0e32ab0e..a84006a64 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/debootstrap/README.rst
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/debootstrap/README.rst
@@ -63,6 +63,14 @@ For further information about ``DIB_DEBIAN_DEBOOTSTRAP_SCRIPT`` ,
 ``DIB_DEBIAN_USE_DEBOOTSTRAP_CACHE`` and ``DIB_DEBOOTSTRAP_EXTRA_ARGS``
 please consult "README.rst" of the debootstrap element.
 
+----------
+Networking
+----------
+
+By default ``/etc/network/interfaces.d/eth[0|1]`` files will be
+created and enabled with DHCP networking.  If you do not wish this to
+be done, set ``DIB_APT_MINIMAL_CREATE_INTERFACES`` to ``0``.
+
 -------------------
 Note on ARM systems
 -------------------
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/debootstrap/install.d/10-debian-networking b/diskimage_builder/elements/debootstrap/install.d/10-debian-networking
index d5cdc1400..420e74130 100755
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/debootstrap/install.d/10-debian-networking
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/debootstrap/install.d/10-debian-networking
@@ -24,15 +24,21 @@ set -o pipefail
 # It would be eversogreat if we didn't need to do crap like this
 echo $DISTRO_NAME > /etc/hostname
 
-# cloud images expect eth0 and eth1 to use dhcp.
-mkdir -p /etc/network/interfaces.d
-if ! grep -E -q '^source(|-directory) /etc/network/interfaces.d/\*' /etc/network/interfaces; then
-    echo "source /etc/network/interfaces.d/*" >> /etc/network/interfaces
-    echo 'Network configuration set to source /etc/network/interfaces.d/*'
-fi
-for interface in eth0 eth1; do
-    cat << EOF | tee /etc/network/interfaces.d/$interface
+# If you want eth0 and eth1 created as DHCP based interfaces, enable
+# this.  You don't want this if systemd is going to call the
+# interfaces on the real system something else, or if you're using a
+# network-manager like cloud-init, glean or systemd-networkd that will
+# handle the interfaces dynamically.
+if [[ "${DIB_APT_MINIMAL_CREATE_INTERFACES:-1}" -eq "1" ]]; then
+    mkdir -p /etc/network/interfaces.d
+    if ! grep -E -q '^source(|-directory) /etc/network/interfaces.d/\*' /etc/network/interfaces; then
+        echo "source /etc/network/interfaces.d/*" >> /etc/network/interfaces
+        echo 'Network configuration set to source /etc/network/interfaces.d/*'
+    fi
+    for interface in eth0 eth1; do
+        cat << EOF | tee /etc/network/interfaces.d/$interface
 auto $interface
 iface $interface inet dhcp
 EOF
-done
+    done
+fi