diff --git a/.github/workflows/check_base_image.yml b/.github/workflows/check_base_image.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d94222
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/check_base_image.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+name: Check Base Docker Image
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - master
+    paths:
+      - 'docker/base/**'
+      - '.github/workflows/check_base_image.yml'
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - master
+    paths:
+      - 'docker/base/**'
+      - '.github/workflows/check_base_image.yml'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  build_base_image:
+    name: Build Base Docker Image
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Build Docker base image
+        run: |
+          docker build \
+            --file docker/base/Dockerfile.base \
+            --tag ere-base-check:latest \
+            .
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/base/Dockerfile.base b/docker/base/Dockerfile.base
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7a7bd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/base/Dockerfile.base
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# TODO: change to 24?
+ARG UBUNTU_VERSION=22.04
+FROM ubuntu:${UBUNTU_VERSION}
+
+# Set DEBIAN_FRONTEND to noninteractive to avoid prompts during package installation
+ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+
+# Install common dependencies and build tools
+RUN apt-get update && \
+    apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+    build-essential \
+    cmake \
+    pkg-config \
+    curl \
+    wget \
+    git \
+    jq \
+    tar \
+    unzip \
+    ca-certificates \
+    openssl \
+    libssl-dev \
+    # Clean up apt cache
+    && apt-get clean && \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Install rustup.
+# RUST_VERSION can be 1.85, stable, nightly, etc
+ARG RUST_VERSION=1.85.0 
+
+ENV RUSTUP_HOME=/usr/local/rustup \
+    CARGO_HOME=/usr/local/cargo \
+    PATH=/usr/local/cargo/bin:$PATH
+
+RUN curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y --default-toolchain ${RUST_VERSION} --no-modify-path
+
+# Add a non-root user for subsequent stages or use in derived images
+# This is generally best practice.
+ARG USERNAME=ere_user
+ARG USER_UID=1000
+ARG USER_GID=${USER_UID}
+RUN groupadd --gid ${USER_GID} ${USERNAME} && \
+    useradd --uid ${USER_UID} --gid ${USER_GID} --shell /bin/bash --create-home ${USERNAME}
+
+# Set a default working directory (optional, can be overridden)
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# TODO: Default to the non-root user?
+# USER ${USERNAME}
+
+# Verify Rust installation went well
+RUN rustc --version
+RUN cargo --version
+
+CMD ["/bin/bash"] 
\ No newline at end of file