diff --git a/debootstrap-ng.sh b/debootstrap-ng.sh
index b4cacd610c..b6484f9a14 100644
--- a/debootstrap-ng.sh
+++ b/debootstrap-ng.sh
@@ -494,15 +494,22 @@ create_image()
 		mv -f $CACHEDIR/$VERSION.raw $DEST/images/$VERSION.raw
 		display_alert "Done building" "$DEST/images/$VERSION.raw" "info"
 	else
-		display_alert "Signing and compressing" "$VERSION.zip" "info"
+		display_alert "Signing and compressing" "Please wait!" "info"
 		# stage: sign with PGP
 		if [[ -n $GPG_PASS ]]; then
 			echo $GPG_PASS | gpg --passphrase-fd 0 --armor --detach-sign --batch --yes $VERSION.raw
 			echo $GPG_PASS | gpg --passphrase-fd 0 --armor --detach-sign --batch --yes armbian.txt
 		fi
-		zip -FSq $DEST/images/$VERSION.zip $VERSION.raw* armbian.txt
+		if [[ $SEVENZIP == yes ]]; then
+			FILENAME=$DEST/images/$VERSION.7z
+			7za a -t7z -bd -m0=lzma2 -mx=4 -mfb=64 -md=32m -ms=on $FILENAME $VERSION.raw* armbian.txt >/dev/null 2>&1
+		else
+			FILENAME=$DEST/images/$VERSION.zip
+			zip -FSq $FILENAME $VERSION.raw* armbian.txt
+		fi
 		rm -f $VERSION.raw *.asc armbian.txt
-		display_alert "Done building" "$DEST/images/$VERSION.zip" "info"
+		FILESIZE=$(ls -l --b=M $FILENAME | cut -d " " -f5)
+		display_alert "Done building" "$FILENAME [$FILESIZE]" "info"		
 	fi
 } #############################################################################
 
diff --git a/debootstrap.sh b/debootstrap.sh
index 4ab597ae4d..91475d42b2 100644
--- a/debootstrap.sh
+++ b/debootstrap.sh
@@ -292,14 +292,22 @@ if [[ $GPG_PASS != "" ]] ; then
 	echo $GPG_PASS | gpg --passphrase-fd 0 --armor --detach-sign --batch --yes imagewriter.exe
 	echo $GPG_PASS | gpg --passphrase-fd 0 --armor --detach-sign --batch --yes armbian.txt
 fi
-display_alert "Create and sign" "$VERSION.zip" "info"
+display_alert "Signing and compressing" "Please wait!" "info"
 mkdir -p $DEST/images
 if [[ $COMPRESS_OUTPUTIMAGE == no ]]; then
 	rm -f *.asc imagewriter.* armbian.txt
 	mv *.raw $DEST/images/
 else
-	zip -FSq $DEST/images/$VERSION.zip $VERSION.raw* armbian.txt imagewriter.*
-	rm -f $VERSION.raw *.asc imagewriter.* armbian.txt
+	if [[ $SEVENZIP == yes ]]; then
+		FILENAME=$DEST/images/$VERSION.7z
+		7za a -t7z -bd -m0=lzma2 -mx=4 -mfb=64 -md=32m -ms=on $FILENAME $VERSION.raw* armbian.txt imagewriter.* >/dev/null 2>&1
+	else
+		FILENAME=$DEST/images/$VERSION.zip
+		zip -FSq $FILENAME $VERSION.raw* armbian.txt imagewriter.*
+	fi
+	rm -f $VERSION.raw *.asc armbian.txt
+	FILESIZE=$(ls -l --b=M $FILENAME | cut -d " " -f5)
+	display_alert "Done building" "$FILENAME [$FILESIZE]" "info"
 fi
 }
 
diff --git a/documentation/geek-faq.md b/documentation/geek-faq.md
index 7d750c7c88..16c7f03e49 100644
--- a/documentation/geek-faq.md
+++ b/documentation/geek-faq.md
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ Run the script
 - **FORCE_USE_RAMDISK** (yes|no): overrides autodetect for using tmpfs in new debootstrap and image creation process. Takes effect only if `EXTENDED_DEBOOTSTRAP` is set to "yes"
 - **FIXED_IMAGE_SIZE** (integer): create image file of this size (in megabytes) instead of minimal. Takes effect only if `EXTENDED_DEBOOTSTRAP` is set to "yes"
 - **COMPRESS_OUTPUTIMAGE** (**yes**|no): create zip archive with image file and GPG signature for redistribution
+- **SEVENZIP** (yes|**no**): create .7z archive with extreme compression ratio instead of .zip
 - **ROOTFS_TYPE** (**ext4**|f2fs|btrfs|nfs|fel): create image with different root filesystems instead of default ext4. Requires setting FIXED_IMAGE_SIZE to actual size of your SD card for F2FS and BTRFS. Takes effect only if `EXTENDED_DEBOOTSTRAP` is set to "yes"
 
 ### Supplying options via command line parameters