diff --git a/fix-permissions b/fix-permissions
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..0a2245a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fix-permissions
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.build/fix-permissions
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/generate_Dockerfile.sh b/generate_Dockerfile.sh
index 095ef09..90051ba 100644
--- a/generate_Dockerfile.sh
+++ b/generate_Dockerfile.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ cd $STACKS_DIR && git pull && cd -
 # Write the contents into the DOCKERFILE and start with the header
 cat src/Dockerfile.header > $DOCKERFILE
 cp src/jupyter_notebook_config.json .build/
+ln -sf .build/jupyter_notebook_config.json jupyter_notebook_config.json
 
 echo "
 ############################################################################
@@ -22,12 +23,21 @@ echo "
 ############################################################################
 " >> $DOCKERFILE
 cat $STACKS_DIR/base-notebook/Dockerfile | grep -v BASE_CONTAINER >> $DOCKERFILE
-cp $STACKS_DIR/base-notebook/fix-permissions .build/
+
+# copy files that are used during the build
 cp $STACKS_DIR/base-notebook/jupyter_notebook_config.py .build/
+cp $STACKS_DIR/base-notebook/fix-permissions .build/
 cp $STACKS_DIR/base-notebook/start.sh .build/
 cp $STACKS_DIR/base-notebook/start-notebook.sh .build/
 cp $STACKS_DIR/base-notebook/start-singleuser.sh .build/
 
+# create softlinks for files used during the build
+ln -sf .build/jupyter_notebook_config.py jupyter_notebook_config.py
+ln -sf .build/fix-permissions fix-permissions
+ln -sf .build/start.sh start.sh
+ln -sf .build/start-notebook.sh start-notebook.sh
+ln -sf .build/start-singleuser.sh start-singleuser.sh
+
 echo "
 ############################################################################
 ################# Dependency: jupyter/minimal-notebook #####################
diff --git a/jupyter_notebook_config.json b/jupyter_notebook_config.json
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..2a66308
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jupyter_notebook_config.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.build/jupyter_notebook_config.json
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/jupyter_notebook_config.py b/jupyter_notebook_config.py
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..1d675c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jupyter_notebook_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.build/jupyter_notebook_config.py
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/start-notebook.sh b/start-notebook.sh
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..564e807
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start-notebook.sh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.build/start-notebook.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/start-singleuser.sh b/start-singleuser.sh
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..dd0ac20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start-singleuser.sh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.build/start-singleuser.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..acdbb50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.build/start.sh
\ No newline at end of file