diff --git a/js/packages/binderhub-client/lib/index.js b/js/packages/binderhub-client/lib/index.js
index 65f2c0ca8..9f87b923a 100644
--- a/js/packages/binderhub-client/lib/index.js
+++ b/js/packages/binderhub-client/lib/index.js
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ export class BinderRepository {
    * @param {string} providerSpec Spec of the form <provider>/<repo>/<ref> to pass to the binderhub API.
    * @param {URL} buildEndpointUrl API URL of the build endpoint to talk to
    * @param {string} buildToken Optional JWT based build token if this binderhub installation requires using build tokens
+   * @param {boolean} buildOnly Opt out of launching built image by default by passing `build_only` param
    */
-  constructor(providerSpec, buildEndpointUrl, buildToken) {
+  constructor(providerSpec, buildEndpointUrl, buildToken, buildOnly) {
     this.providerSpec = providerSpec;
     // Make sure that buildEndpointUrl is a real URL - this ensures hostname is properly set
     if (!(buildEndpointUrl instanceof URL)) {
@@ -36,6 +37,10 @@ export class BinderRepository {
       this.buildUrl.searchParams.append("build_token", buildToken);
     }
 
+    if (buildOnly) {
+      this.buildUrl.searchParams.append("build_only", "true");
+    }
+
     this.eventIteratorQueue = null;
   }
 
diff --git a/js/packages/binderhub-client/tests/index.test.js b/js/packages/binderhub-client/tests/index.test.js
index dc1362c03..1dd189459 100644
--- a/js/packages/binderhub-client/tests/index.test.js
+++ b/js/packages/binderhub-client/tests/index.test.js
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@ test("Invalid URL errors out", () => {
   }).toThrow(TypeError);
 });
 
+test("Passing buildOnly flag works", () => {
+  const buildEndpointUrl = new URL("https://test-binder.org/build");
+  const br = new BinderRepository("gh/test/test", buildEndpointUrl, null, true);
+  expect(br.buildUrl.toString()).toEqual(
+    "https://test-binder.org/build/gh/test/test?build_only=true",
+  );
+});
+
 test("Trailing slash added if needed", () => {
   const buildEndpointUrl = new URL("https://test-binder.org/build");
   const br = new BinderRepository("gh/test/test", buildEndpointUrl);