diff --git a/cluster-dns/images/backend/Makefile b/cluster-dns/images/backend/Makefile
index 14e1bcde..67992ec2 100644
--- a/cluster-dns/images/backend/Makefile
+++ b/cluster-dns/images/backend/Makefile
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ IMAGE = example-dns-backend
 all: push
 
 image:
-	docker build -t $(PREFIX)/$(IMAGE):$(TAG) .
+	docker build --pull -t $(PREFIX)/$(IMAGE):$(TAG) .
 
 push: image
 	gcloud docker -- push $(PREFIX)/$(IMAGE)
diff --git a/cluster-dns/images/frontend/Makefile b/cluster-dns/images/frontend/Makefile
index ae8847e3..2f633754 100644
--- a/cluster-dns/images/frontend/Makefile
+++ b/cluster-dns/images/frontend/Makefile
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ IMAGE = example-dns-frontend
 all: push
 
 image:
-	docker build -t $(PREFIX)/$(IMAGE):$(TAG) .
+	docker build --pull -t $(PREFIX)/$(IMAGE):$(TAG) .
 
 push: image
 	gcloud docker -- push $(PREFIX)/$(IMAGE)
diff --git a/explorer/Makefile b/explorer/Makefile
index 28a3b4dd..35dd5bd7 100644
--- a/explorer/Makefile
+++ b/explorer/Makefile
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ explorer: explorer.go
 	CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux go build -a -installsuffix cgo -ldflags '-w' ./explorer.go
 
 container: explorer
-	docker build -t gcr.io/google_containers/explorer:$(TAG) .
+	docker build --pull -t gcr.io/google_containers/explorer:$(TAG) .
 
 push: container
 	gcloud docker -- push gcr.io/google_containers/explorer:$(TAG)
diff --git a/guestbook-go/Makefile b/guestbook-go/Makefile
index a838ca36..9c63819e 100644
--- a/guestbook-go/Makefile
+++ b/guestbook-go/Makefile
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ release: clean build push clean
 # builds a docker image that builds the app and packages it into a minimal docker image
 build:
 	@cp ../../bazel-bin/examples/guestbook-go/guestbook-go guestbook_bin
-	docker build --rm --force-rm -t ${REGISTRY}/guestbook-builder .
-	docker run --rm ${REGISTRY}/guestbook-builder | docker build -t "${REGISTRY}/guestbook:${VERSION}" -
+	docker build --pull --rm --force-rm -t ${REGISTRY}/guestbook-builder .
+	docker run --rm ${REGISTRY}/guestbook-builder | docker build --pull -t "${REGISTRY}/guestbook:${VERSION}" -
 
 # push the image to an registry
 push:
diff --git a/https-nginx/Makefile b/https-nginx/Makefile
index 04d0e1c1..f8203dca 100644
--- a/https-nginx/Makefile
+++ b/https-nginx/Makefile
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ secret:
 	go run make_secret.go -crt $(CERT) -key $(KEY) > $(SECRET)
 
 container:
-	docker build -t $(PREFIX):$(TAG) .
+	docker build --pull -t $(PREFIX):$(TAG) .
 
 push: container
 	docker push $(PREFIX):$(TAG)
diff --git a/kubectl-container/Makefile b/kubectl-container/Makefile
index bcdd62c1..ea127f15 100644
--- a/kubectl-container/Makefile
+++ b/kubectl-container/Makefile
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ tag: .tag
 
 container:
 	$(if $(TAG),,$(error TAG is not defined. Use 'make tag' to see a suggestion))
-	docker build -t gcr.io/google_containers/kubectl:$(TAG) .
+	docker build --pull -t gcr.io/google_containers/kubectl:$(TAG) .
 
 push: container
 	$(if $(TAG),,$(error TAG is not defined. Use 'make tag' to see a suggestion))
diff --git a/storage/cassandra/image/Makefile b/storage/cassandra/image/Makefile
index 7cae1f5e..4c992457 100644
--- a/storage/cassandra/image/Makefile
+++ b/storage/cassandra/image/Makefile
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ kubernetes-cassandra.jar: ../java/* ../java/src/main/java/io/k8s/cassandra/*.jav
 	cd ../java && mvn clean
 
 build: kubernetes-cassandra.jar
-	docker build -t ${PROJECT}/cassandra:${VERSION} .
+	docker build --pull -t ${PROJECT}/cassandra:${VERSION} .
 
 push: build
 	gcloud docker -- push ${PROJECT}/cassandra:${VERSION}