The present invention relates to a method for the customization of virtual machine images. The method comprises identifying and retrieving a virtual machine image template. A customized virtual machine image is created from the virtual machine image template. The customized virtual machine image template being created by identifying at least one file-system or memory image that is associated with the virtual machine image template, identifying within the at least one file-system or memory image at least one data set, wherein the at least one data set comprises metadata. The metadata contains information detailing the required execution context customization aspects for at least one specified image subset of the virtual machine. Execution context-specific information that is required to customize the image subset of the virtual machine is retrieved. Further, the image subset of the virtual machine is modified in accordance with the retrieved execution context-specific information.