diff --git a/elements/opensuse-minimal/README.rst b/elements/opensuse-minimal/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..46df3c17c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/opensuse-minimal/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+================
+opensuse-minimal
+================
+
+This element will build a minimal openSUSE image. It requires 'zypper' to be
+installed on the host.
+
+These images should be considered experimental. There are curently only x86_64
+images.
+
+Environment Variables
+---------------------
+
+DIB_RELEASE
+  :Required: No
+  :Default: 42.1
+  :Description: Set the desired openSUSE release.
+
+DIB_OPENSUSE_MIRROR:
+   :Required: No
+   :Default: http://download.opensuse.org
+   :Description: To use a specific openSUSE mirror, set this variable to the
+                 mirror URL before running bin/disk-image-create. This URL
+                 should point to the root directory as indicated in the
+                 http://mirrors.opensuse.org/ webpage. You normally
+                 don't want to change that since the default setting will
+                 pick the mirror closest to you.
+   :Example: ``DIB_OPENSUSE_MIRROR=http://ftp.cc.uoc.gr/mirrors/linux/opensuse/opensuse/``
diff --git a/elements/opensuse-minimal/element-deps b/elements/opensuse-minimal/element-deps
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ac6b190dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/opensuse-minimal/element-deps
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+zypper-minimal
diff --git a/elements/opensuse-minimal/element-provides b/elements/opensuse-minimal/element-provides
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a72e04969
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/opensuse-minimal/element-provides
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+operating-system
diff --git a/elements/opensuse-minimal/environment.d/10-opensuse-distro-name.bash b/elements/opensuse-minimal/environment.d/10-opensuse-distro-name.bash
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..58fff6d2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/opensuse-minimal/environment.d/10-opensuse-distro-name.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+export DISTRO_NAME=opensuse
+export DIB_RELEASE=${DIB_RELEASE:-42.1}
+export DIB_OPENSUSE_MIRROR=${DIB_OPENSUSE_MIRROR:-http://download.opensuse.org}
+case ${DIB_RELEASE} in
+    # We are using "=>" as the assignment symbol since "@" "=" etc could be used in the URI itself.
+    # Remember, we can't export an array in bash so we use a string instead.
+    # Repo format: {name}=>{uri}
+    # Old openSUSE releases
+    13*)
+        ZYPPER_REPOS="update=>${DIB_OPENSUSE_MIRROR}/update/${DIB_RELEASE}/ "
+        ZYPPER_REPOS+="oss=>${DIB_OPENSUSE_MIRROR}/distribution/${DIB_RELEASE}/repo/oss/"
+        ;;
+    # New Leap releases
+    42*)
+        ZYPPER_REPOS="update=>${DIB_OPENSUSE_MIRROR}/update/leap/${DIB_RELEASE}/oss/ "
+        ZYPPER_REPOS+="oss=>${DIB_OPENSUSE_MIRROR}/distribution/leap/${DIB_RELEASE}/repo/oss/"
+        ;;
+    *) echo "Unsupported openSUSE release: ${DIB_RELEASE}"; exit 1 ;;
+esac
+export ZYPPER_REPOS
diff --git a/elements/opensuse/install.d/01-ccache-symlinks b/elements/zypper/install.d/01-ccache-symlinks
similarity index 100%
rename from elements/opensuse/install.d/01-ccache-symlinks
rename to elements/zypper/install.d/01-ccache-symlinks
diff --git a/elements/opensuse/install.d/01-login-defs b/elements/zypper/install.d/01-login-defs
similarity index 100%
rename from elements/opensuse/install.d/01-login-defs
rename to elements/zypper/install.d/01-login-defs
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/opensuse-minimal-45267f5be1112c22.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/opensuse-minimal-45267f5be1112c22.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4480aeddf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/opensuse-minimal-45267f5be1112c22.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+features:
+  - New zypper-minimal and opensuse-minimal elements to create basic
+    openSUSE images. These two new elements are also making use of the
+    existing zypper element which has been extended to include the
+    functionality previously present in the opensuse element.