diff --git a/packages/serverless-nextjs-component/README.md b/packages/serverless-nextjs-component/README.md
index ebb0cc01fa..b531d4e912 100644
--- a/packages/serverless-nextjs-component/README.md
+++ b/packages/serverless-nextjs-component/README.md
@@ -76,10 +76,19 @@ AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=accesskey
 AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=sshhh
 ```
 
+Set next.js build target to `serverless`:
+```js
+// next.config.js
+
+module.exports = {
+  target: 'serverless'
+}
+```
+
 And simply deploy:
 
 ```bash
-$ serverless
+$ next-build && serverless
 ```
 
 ### Custom domain name
@@ -170,13 +179,14 @@ The fourth cache behaviour handles next API requests `api/*`.
 
 ### Inputs
 
-| Name          | Type      | Default Value | Description                                                                                                                                             |
-| ------------- | --------- | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| domain        | `Array`   | `null`        | For example `['admin', 'portal.com']`.                                                                                                                  |
-| bucketName    | `string`  | `null`        | Custom bucket name where static assets are stored. By default is autogenerated.                                                                         |
-| nextConfigDir | `string`  | `.`           | Directory where your application `next.config.js` file is. This input is useful when the `serverless.yml` is not in the same directory as the next app. |
-| build         | `boolean` | `true`        | When true builds and deploys app, when false assume the app has been built and uses the .next .serverless_nextjs directories in nextConfigDir to deploy |
-| memory         | `number` or `object` | `512`        | When assigned a number, both the default and api lambdas will assigned memory of that value. When assigned to an object, values for the default and api lambdas can be separately defined |
+| Name           | Type                 | Default Value | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
+| -------------- | -------------------- | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| domain         | `Array`              | `null`        | For example `['admin', 'portal.com']`.                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
+| bucketName     | `string`             | `null`        | Custom bucket name where static assets are stored. By default is autogenerated.                                                                                                                                                            |
+| nextConfigDir  | `string`             | `./`          | Directory where your application `next.config.js` file is. This input is useful when the `serverless.yml` is not in the same directory as the next app. <br>**Note:** `nextConfigDir` should be set if `next.config.js` `distDir` is used. |
+| build          | `boolean`            | `true`        | When true builds and deploys app, when false assume the app has been built and uses the .next .serverless_nextjs directories in nextConfigDir to deploy                                                                                    |  |
+| staticDir      | `string`             | `./`          | If your `static` or `public` directory is not a direct child of `nextConfigDir` this is needed.                                                                                                                                            |
+| memory         | `number` or `object` | `512`         | When assigned a number, both the default and api lambdas will assigned memory of that value. When assigned to an object, values for the default and api lambdas can be separately defined |
 
 Custom inputs can be configured like this:
 
diff --git a/packages/serverless-nextjs-component/serverless.js b/packages/serverless-nextjs-component/serverless.js
index b263dfbb74..ab746a7b3f 100644
--- a/packages/serverless-nextjs-component/serverless.js
+++ b/packages/serverless-nextjs-component/serverless.js
@@ -237,10 +237,6 @@ class NextjsComponent extends Component {
       ? path.resolve(inputs.nextConfigDir)
       : process.cwd();
 
-    await execa("node_modules/.bin/next", ["build"], {
-      cwd: nextConfigPath
-    });
-
     await this.emptyBuildDirectory(nextConfigPath);
 
     const {
@@ -263,6 +259,8 @@ class NextjsComponent extends Component {
     const nextConfigPath = inputs.nextConfigDir
       ? path.resolve(inputs.nextConfigDir)
       : process.cwd();
+    const nextStaticPath = inputs.nextStaticDir || "";
+    const staticPath = nextStaticPath || nextConfigPath;
 
     const [defaultBuildManifest, apiBuildManifest] = await Promise.all([
       this.readDefaultBuildManifest(nextConfigPath),
@@ -312,14 +310,14 @@ class NextjsComponent extends Component {
     ];
 
     const [publicDirExists, staticDirExists] = await Promise.all([
-      fse.exists(join(nextConfigPath, "public")),
-      fse.exists(join(nextConfigPath, "static"))
+      fse.exists(join(staticPath, "public")),
+      fse.exists(join(staticPath, "static"))
     ]);
 
     if (publicDirExists) {
       assetsUpload.push(
         bucket.upload({
-          dir: join(nextConfigPath, "public"),
+          dir: join(staticPath, "public"),
           keyPrefix: "public"
         })
       );
@@ -328,7 +326,7 @@ class NextjsComponent extends Component {
     if (staticDirExists) {
       assetsUpload.push(
         bucket.upload({
-          dir: join(nextConfigPath, "static"),
+          dir: join(staticPath, "static"),
           keyPrefix: "static"
         })
       );