diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 17181f8ca..2db82db02 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -582,11 +582,11 @@ Run `make package-victoria-metrics`. It builds `victoriametrics/victoria-metrics
 `<PKG_TAG>` is auto-generated image tag, which depends on source code in the repository.
 The `<PKG_TAG>` may be manually set via `PKG_TAG=foobar make package-victoria-metrics`.
 
-By default the image is built on top of `scratch` image. It is possible to build the package on top of any other base image
-by setting it via `<ROOT_IMAGE>` environment variable. For example, the following command builds the image on top of `alpine:3.11` image:
+By default the image is built on top of `alpine` image for improved debuggability. It is possible to build the package on top of any other base image
+by setting it via `<ROOT_IMAGE>` environment variable. For example, the following command builds the image on top of `scratch` image:
 
 ```bash
-ROOT_IMAGE=alpine:3.11 make package-victoria-metrics
+ROOT_IMAGE=scratch make package-victoria-metrics
 ```
 
 ### Start with docker-compose
diff --git a/deployment/docker/Makefile b/deployment/docker/Makefile
index 1c0558c75..5c3a6f7c0 100644
--- a/deployment/docker/Makefile
+++ b/deployment/docker/Makefile
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 DOCKER_NAMESPACE := victoriametrics
 
-ROOT_IMAGE ?= scratch
-CERTS_IMAGE := alpine:3.11
+ROOT_IMAGE ?= alpine:3.12
+CERTS_IMAGE := alpine:3.12
 GO_BUILDER_IMAGE := golang:1.14.3
 BUILDER_IMAGE := local/builder:2.0.0-$(shell echo $(GO_BUILDER_IMAGE) | tr : _)
 BASE_IMAGE := local/base:1.1.1-$(shell echo $(ROOT_IMAGE) | tr : _)-$(shell echo $(CERTS_IMAGE) | tr : _)
diff --git a/docs/Cluster-VictoriaMetrics.md b/docs/Cluster-VictoriaMetrics.md
index 7c9f81ba1..b9a25f242 100644
--- a/docs/Cluster-VictoriaMetrics.md
+++ b/docs/Cluster-VictoriaMetrics.md
@@ -112,11 +112,11 @@ Run `make package`. It will build the following docker images locally:
 `<PKG_TAG>` is auto-generated image tag, which depends on source code in the repository.
 The `<PKG_TAG>` may be manually set via `PKG_TAG=foobar make package`.
 
-By default images are built on top of `scratch` image. It is possible to build on top of any other base image
-by setting it via `<ROOT_IMAGE>` environment variable. For example, the following command builds images on top of `alpine:3.11` image:
+By default images are built on top of `alpine` image in order to improve debuggability. It is possible to build an image on top of any other base image
+by setting it via `<ROOT_IMAGE>` environment variable. For example, the following command builds images on top of `scratch` image:
 
 ```bash
-ROOT_IMAGE=alpine:3.11 make package
+ROOT_IMAGE=scratch make package
 ```
 
 ## Operation
diff --git a/docs/Single-server-VictoriaMetrics.md b/docs/Single-server-VictoriaMetrics.md
index 17181f8ca..2db82db02 100644
--- a/docs/Single-server-VictoriaMetrics.md
+++ b/docs/Single-server-VictoriaMetrics.md
@@ -582,11 +582,11 @@ Run `make package-victoria-metrics`. It builds `victoriametrics/victoria-metrics
 `<PKG_TAG>` is auto-generated image tag, which depends on source code in the repository.
 The `<PKG_TAG>` may be manually set via `PKG_TAG=foobar make package-victoria-metrics`.
 
-By default the image is built on top of `scratch` image. It is possible to build the package on top of any other base image
-by setting it via `<ROOT_IMAGE>` environment variable. For example, the following command builds the image on top of `alpine:3.11` image:
+By default the image is built on top of `alpine` image for improved debuggability. It is possible to build the package on top of any other base image
+by setting it via `<ROOT_IMAGE>` environment variable. For example, the following command builds the image on top of `scratch` image:
 
 ```bash
-ROOT_IMAGE=alpine:3.11 make package-victoria-metrics
+ROOT_IMAGE=scratch make package-victoria-metrics
 ```
 
 ### Start with docker-compose