diff --git a/doc/index.rst b/doc/index.rst
index 4947f3cae..5c819eee2 100644
--- a/doc/index.rst
+++ b/doc/index.rst
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ Note that some of these currently tied only to a single option, but we still lea
 * `USE_DEB` (*DEPRECATED*: use `UPSTREAM_WORKSPACE` instead. default: true): if `true`, `UPSTREAM_WORKSPACE` will be set as `debian`. if `false`, `file` will be set. See `UPSTREAM_WORKSPACE` section for more info.
 * `USE_MOCKUP` (default: not set): reletive path to mockup packages to be used for the tests
 * `VERBOSE_OUTPUT` (default: not set): If `true`, build tool (e.g. Catkin) output prints in verbose mode.
+* `WRITABLE_SOURCE` (default: false): Set this to true if you need the target source to be writable at build (not recommended).
 
 Note: You see some `*PKGS*` variables. These make things very flexible but in normal usecases you don't need to be bothered with them - just keep them blank.
 
diff --git a/industrial_ci/src/docker.env b/industrial_ci/src/docker.env
index 4b97272e4..430122a6c 100644
--- a/industrial_ci/src/docker.env
+++ b/industrial_ci/src/docker.env
@@ -39,3 +39,4 @@ UPSTREAM_WORKSPACE
 USE_DEB
 USE_MOCKUP
 VERBOSE_OUTPUT
+WRITABLE_SOURCE
diff --git a/industrial_ci/src/tests/source_tests.sh b/industrial_ci/src/tests/source_tests.sh
index 23a558044..ce25fdcdc 100644
--- a/industrial_ci/src/tests/source_tests.sh
+++ b/industrial_ci/src/tests/source_tests.sh
@@ -110,8 +110,13 @@ if [ -e $CATKIN_WORKSPACE/src/.rosinstall ]; then
      && echo "$ROSWS ignored $TARGET_REPO_NAME found in $CATKIN_WORKSPACE/src/.rosinstall file. Its source fetched from your repository is used instead." || true) # TODO: add warn function
     $ROSWS update -t $CATKIN_WORKSPACE/src
 fi
+
 # TARGET_REPO_PATH is the path of the downstream repository that we are testing. Link it to the catkin workspace
-ln -s $TARGET_REPO_PATH $CATKIN_WORKSPACE/src
+if [ "$WRITABLE_SOURCE" = true ]; then
+    cp -a "$TARGET_REPO_PATH" "$CATKIN_WORKSPACE/src/"
+else
+    ln -s $TARGET_REPO_PATH $CATKIN_WORKSPACE/src
+fi
 
 if [ "${USE_MOCKUP// }" != "" ]; then
     if [ ! -d "$TARGET_REPO_PATH/$USE_MOCKUP" ]; then