diff --git a/plugins/build-env/pre-build b/plugins/build-env/pre-build
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index eee9c7e19..efa7458e0
--- a/plugins/build-env/pre-build
+++ b/plugins/build-env/pre-build
@@ -7,14 +7,22 @@ if [[ -f "$DOKKU_ROOT/ENV" ]]; then
   BUILD_ENV+=$(< "$DOKKU_ROOT/ENV")
 fi
 if [[ -f "$DOKKU_ROOT/BUILD_ENV" ]]; then
+  BUILD_ENV+=" "
   BUILD_ENV+=$(< "$DOKKU_ROOT/BUILD_ENV")
 fi
 if [[ -f "$DOKKU_ROOT/$APP/ENV" ]]; then
+  BUILD_ENV+=" "
   BUILD_ENV+=$(< "$DOKKU_ROOT/$APP/ENV")
 fi
 
 if [[ ! -z "$BUILD_ENV" ]]; then
   echo "-----> Adding BUILD_ENV to build environment..."
+  # create build env files for use in buildpacks like this: https://github.com/niteoweb/heroku-buildpack-buildout/blob/master/bin/compile#L34
+  id=$(echo $BUILD_ENV |sed 's@export @@g'| docker run -i -a stdin $IMAGE /bin/bash -c "for ENV_VAR in `cat`; do echo \$ENV_VAR |sed 's@^\([^=]*\)=\(.*\)\$@echo \2 >/tmp/env/\1@g' >>/tmp/set_env.sh; done && mkdir -p /tmp/env && /bin/bash /tmp/set_env.sh")
+  test $(docker wait $id) -eq 0
+  docker commit $id $IMAGE > /dev/null
+
+  # create build env for 'old style' buildpacks and dokku plugins
   id=$(echo "$BUILD_ENV" | docker run -i -a stdin $IMAGE /bin/bash -c "cat >> /app/.env")
   test $(docker wait $id) -eq 0
   docker commit $id $IMAGE > /dev/null