diff --git a/cmd/lifecycle/cli/flags.go b/cmd/lifecycle/cli/flags.go
index a469a60bd..d384fd9f6 100644
--- a/cmd/lifecycle/cli/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/lifecycle/cli/flags.go
@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@ func FlagPlanPath(planPath *string) {
 	flagSet.StringVar(planPath, "plan", *planPath, "path to plan.toml")
 }
 
+// FlagParallelExport parses `parallel` flag
+func FlagParallelExport(parallelExport *bool) {
+	flagSet.BoolVar(parallelExport, "parallel", *parallelExport, "export app image and cache image in parallel")
+}
+
 func FlagPlatformDir(platformDir *string) {
 	flagSet.StringVar(platformDir, "platform", *platformDir, "path to platform directory")
 }
diff --git a/cmd/lifecycle/creator.go b/cmd/lifecycle/creator.go
index 708525131..57fadff4d 100644
--- a/cmd/lifecycle/creator.go
+++ b/cmd/lifecycle/creator.go
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ func (c *createCmd) DefineFlags() {
 	cli.FlagLauncherPath(&c.LauncherPath)
 	cli.FlagLayersDir(&c.LayersDir)
 	cli.FlagOrderPath(&c.OrderPath)
+	cli.FlagParallelExport(&c.ParallelExport)
 	cli.FlagPlatformDir(&c.PlatformDir)
 	cli.FlagPreviousImage(&c.PreviousImageRef)
 	cli.FlagProcessType(&c.DefaultProcessType)
@@ -75,6 +76,11 @@ func (c *createCmd) Args(nargs int, args []string) error {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
+	if c.ParallelExport {
+		if c.CacheImageRef == "" {
+			cmd.DefaultLogger.Warn("parallel export has been enabled, but it has not taken effect because cache image (-cache-image) has not been specified.")
+		}
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/lifecycle/exporter.go b/cmd/lifecycle/exporter.go
index 847be1b46..131ecec8d 100644
--- a/cmd/lifecycle/exporter.go
+++ b/cmd/lifecycle/exporter.go
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ func (e *exportCmd) DefineFlags() {
 	cli.FlagLaunchCacheDir(&e.LaunchCacheDir)
 	cli.FlagLauncherPath(&e.LauncherPath)
 	cli.FlagLayersDir(&e.LayersDir)
+	cli.FlagParallelExport(&e.ParallelExport)
 	cli.FlagProcessType(&e.DefaultProcessType)
 	cli.FlagProjectMetadataPath(&e.ProjectMetadataPath)
 	cli.FlagReportPath(&e.ReportPath)
@@ -229,6 +230,11 @@ func (e *exportCmd) export(group buildpack.Group, cacheStore lifecycle.Cache, an
 		})
 	}()
 
+	// waiting here if parallel export is not enabled
+	if !e.ParallelExport {
+		exportWaitGroup.Wait()
+	}
+
 	exportWaitGroup.Add(1)
 	go func() {
 		defer exportWaitGroup.Done()
diff --git a/platform/defaults.go b/platform/defaults.go
index cfd1d60c9..603a7b191 100644
--- a/platform/defaults.go
+++ b/platform/defaults.go
@@ -186,6 +186,9 @@ const (
 
 	// EnvKanikoCacheTTL is the amount of time to persist layers cached by kaniko during the `extend` phase.
 	EnvKanikoCacheTTL = "CNB_KANIKO_CACHE_TTL"
+
+	// EnvParallelExport is a flag used to instruct the lifecycle to export of application image and cache image in parallel, if true.
+	EnvParallelExport = "CNB_PARALLEL_EXPORT"
 )
 
 // DefaultKanikoCacheTTL is the default kaniko cache TTL (2 weeks).
diff --git a/platform/lifecycle_inputs.go b/platform/lifecycle_inputs.go
index e7cbde28e..dae5234d8 100644
--- a/platform/lifecycle_inputs.go
+++ b/platform/lifecycle_inputs.go
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ type LifecycleInputs struct {
 	UID                   int
 	GID                   int
 	ForceRebase           bool
+	ParallelExport        bool
 	SkipLayers            bool
 	UseDaemon             bool
 	UseLayout             bool
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ func NewLifecycleInputs(platformAPI *api.Version) *LifecycleInputs {
 		KanikoDir:      "/kaniko",
 		LaunchCacheDir: os.Getenv(EnvLaunchCacheDir),
 		SkipLayers:     skipLayers,
+		ParallelExport: boolEnv(EnvParallelExport),
 
 		// Images used by the lifecycle during the build
 
@@ -147,6 +149,7 @@ func NewLifecycleInputs(platformAPI *api.Version) *LifecycleInputs {
 		ProjectMetadataPath: envOrDefault(EnvProjectMetadataPath, filepath.Join(PlaceholderLayers, DefaultProjectMetadataFile)),
 
 		// Configuration options for rebasing
+
 		ForceRebase: boolEnv(EnvForceRebase),
 	}