diff --git a/docs/intro.md b/docs/intro.md
index 807edf3fd..6154f1a28 100644
--- a/docs/intro.md
+++ b/docs/intro.md
@@ -290,6 +290,31 @@ targets:
             image: docker.io/my/custom:mariner2
 ```
 
+### Metadata
+
+You can include client-side metadata in the spec file.
+This may be useful when you want to parse the spec file and do something with your own tooling.
+
+Any field at the top-level that begins with `x-` will be ignored by the dalec parser.
+Any unknown fields besides those that start with `x-` will cause the parser to fail.
+
+```yaml
+soruces:
+  src:
+    http:
+      url: https://example.com/foo.tar.gz
+
+x-my-custom-field: "foo"
+```
+
+As an example use-case, you may want to use this to store the targeted image name for a CI/CD pipeline.
+
+```yaml
+x-image-name: "my-package-image:1.0.0"
+```
+
+Your CI/CD tooling can then parse the spec file and use the `x-image-name` field to tag the built image.
+
 ## Additional Reading
 
 * Details on editor support in [editor-support.md](editor-support.md)
diff --git a/load.go b/load.go
index b6ad8300d..56511067b 100644
--- a/load.go
+++ b/load.go
@@ -292,6 +292,12 @@ func (s *Spec) SubstituteArgs(env map[string]string) error {
 // LoadSpec loads a spec from the given data.
 func LoadSpec(dt []byte) (*Spec, error) {
 	var spec Spec
+
+	dt, err := stripXFields(dt)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error stripping x-fields: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if err := yaml.UnmarshalWithOptions(dt, &spec, yaml.Strict()); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error unmarshalling spec: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -304,6 +310,21 @@ func LoadSpec(dt []byte) (*Spec, error) {
 	return &spec, nil
 }
 
+func stripXFields(dt []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	var obj map[string]interface{}
+	if err := yaml.Unmarshal(dt, &obj); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error unmarshalling spec: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	for k := range obj {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(k, "x-") {
+			delete(obj, k)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return yaml.Marshal(obj)
+}
+
 func (s *BuildStep) processBuildArgs(lex *shell.Lex, args map[string]string, i int) error {
 	for k, v := range s.Env {
 		updated, err := lex.ProcessWordWithMap(v, args)
diff --git a/load_test.go b/load_test.go
index d172ae33f..f130f58d7 100644
--- a/load_test.go
+++ b/load_test.go
@@ -399,3 +399,53 @@ func TestSourceNameWithPathSeparator(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected error to be sourceNamePathSeparatorError, got: %v", err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestUnmarshal(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("x-fields are stripped from spec", func(t *testing.T) {
+		dt := []byte(`
+sources:
+  test:
+    inline:
+      file:
+        contents: "Hello world!"
+x-some-field: "some value"
+x-some-other-field: "some other value"
+`)
+
+		spec, err := LoadSpec(dt)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		src, ok := spec.Sources["test"]
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatal("expected source to be present")
+		}
+
+		if src.Inline == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected inline source to be present")
+		}
+
+		if src.Inline.File == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected inline file to be present")
+		}
+
+		const xContents = "Hello world!"
+		if src.Inline.File.Contents != xContents {
+			t.Fatalf("expected %q, got %s", xContents, src.Inline.File.Contents)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("unknown fields cause parse error", func(t *testing.T) {
+		dt := []byte(`
+sources:
+  test:
+    noSuchField: "some value"
+`)
+
+		_, err := LoadSpec(dt)
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected error, but received none")
+		}
+	})
+}