diff --git a/build_iso.sh b/build_iso.sh
index 48f5bef6d0..a8d43f88f0 100755
--- a/build_iso.sh
+++ b/build_iso.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,16 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-packages_file="/tmp/archlive/packages.x86_64"
+set -eu
 
-# Packages to add to the archiso profile packages
+readonly base_profile="/usr/share/archiso/configs/releng/"
+readonly custom_profile="/tmp/archlive"
+readonly packages_file="$custom_profile/packages.x86_64"
+readonly airootfs="$custom_profile/airootfs"
+readonly archinstall_dir="/root/archinstall"
+readonly build_script="/root/build-archinstall.sh"
+readonly build_service="/etc/systemd/system/build-archinstall.service"
+
+# Packages to add to the archiso custom profile
 packages=(
 	git
 	python
@@ -13,34 +21,79 @@ packages=(
 	python-pyparted
 )
 
-mkdir -p /tmp/archlive/airootfs/root/archinstall-git
-cp -r . /tmp/archlive/airootfs/root/archinstall-git
-
-cat <<- _EOF_ | tee /tmp/archlive/airootfs/root/.zprofile
-	cd archinstall-git
-	rm -rf dist
-
-	python -m build --wheel --no-isolation
-	pip install dist/archinstall*.whl
-
-	echo "This is an unofficial ISO for development and testing of archinstall. No support will be provided."
-	echo "This ISO was built from Git SHA $GITHUB_SHA"
-	echo "Type archinstall to launch the installer."
-_EOF_
-
 pacman -Sy
 pacman --noconfirm -S git archiso
 
-cp -r /usr/share/archiso/configs/releng/* /tmp/archlive
+# Copy an archiso base profile to create a custom profile from
+cp -r $base_profile $custom_profile
+
+# Copy the archinstall directory to the archiso custom profile
+cp -r "$(dirname "$0")" ${airootfs}${archinstall_dir}
 
+# Remove the archinstall package from the archiso custom profile
 sed -i /archinstall/d $packages_file
 
-# Add packages to the archiso profile packages
+# Add packages to the archiso custom profile
 for package in "${packages[@]}"; do
 	echo "$package" >> $packages_file
 done
 
-find /tmp/archlive
-cd /tmp/archlive
+# Use the `GITHUB_SHA` environment variable for the commit hash if it exists
+if [[ -v GITHUB_SHA ]]; then
+	commit_hash="$GITHUB_SHA"
+# Use git for the commit hash if the `GITHUB_SHA` environment varible is not set
+else
+	commit_hash="$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
+fi
+
+# Append an archinstall developement message to motd
+cat <<- _EOF_ >> $airootfs/etc/motd
+
+	archinstall development ISO
+	Git commit hash: $commit_hash
+	This is an unofficial ISO for development and testing of archinstall. No support will be provided.
+_EOF_
+
+# A script to build archinstall in the live environment
+cat <<- _EOF_ > ${airootfs}${build_script}
+	cd $archinstall_dir
+	rm -rf dist
+
+	python -m build --wheel --no-isolation
+	pip install dist/*.whl
+_EOF_
+
+# A service to run the archinstall build script in the live environment
+cat <<- _EOF_ > ${airootfs}${build_service}
+	[Unit]
+	Description=Build archinstall
+	After=network.target
+
+	[Service]
+	Type=oneshot
+	ExecStart=/bin/sh $build_script
+
+	[Install]
+	WantedBy=multi-user.target
+_EOF_
+
+# Enable the service that runs the archinstall build script
+ln -sf $build_service $airootfs/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/
+
+# At a root login shell wait for the service that runs the archinstall build script to finish running
+cat <<- _EOF_ > $airootfs/root/.zprofile
+	if [ "\$(systemctl show -p SubState --value ${build_service##*/})" != "dead" ]; then
+	    printf "Building archinstall (${build_service##*/})..."
+	    while [ "\$(systemctl show -p SubState --value ${build_service##*/})" != "dead" ]; do
+	        sleep 1
+	    done
+	    echo " done"
+	    echo "Type archinstall to launch the installer."
+	fi
+
+	cd $archinstall_dir
+_EOF_
+
+cd $custom_profile
 
-mkarchiso -v -w work/ -o out/ ./
+mkarchiso -v $custom_profile