diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b259f2fae0f..3781536afed 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 out/
 examples/bazel/bazel-*
 integration/examples/bazel/bazel-*
-integration/examples/test-plugin/local/bazel/bazel-*
+integration/testdata/plugin/local/bazel/bazel-*
 *.new
 .idea/
 docs/.firebase
diff --git a/docs/content/en/schemas/v1beta6.json b/docs/content/en/schemas/v1beta6.json
index 14906e68769..cdc96da81c4 100755
--- a/docs/content/en/schemas/v1beta6.json
+++ b/docs/content/en/schemas/v1beta6.json
@@ -1042,12 +1042,6 @@
           "x-intellij-html-description": "should build dependencies be skipped.",
           "default": "false"
         },
-        "useHelmSecrets": {
-          "type": "boolean",
-          "description": "instructs skaffold to use secrets plugin on deployment.",
-          "x-intellij-html-description": "instructs skaffold to use secrets plugin on deployment.",
-          "default": "false"
-        },
         "values": {
           "additionalProperties": {
             "type": "string"
@@ -1090,7 +1084,6 @@
         "wait",
         "recreatePods",
         "skipBuildDependencies",
-        "useHelmSecrets",
         "overrides",
         "packaged",
         "imageStrategy"
diff --git a/docs/content/en/schemas/v1beta7.json b/docs/content/en/schemas/v1beta7.json
index ad789defb44..9670b6dd27c 100755
--- a/docs/content/en/schemas/v1beta7.json
+++ b/docs/content/en/schemas/v1beta7.json
@@ -1042,6 +1042,12 @@
           "x-intellij-html-description": "should build dependencies be skipped.",
           "default": "false"
         },
+        "useHelmSecrets": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "description": "instructs skaffold to use secrets plugin on deployment.",
+          "x-intellij-html-description": "instructs skaffold to use secrets plugin on deployment.",
+          "default": "false"
+        },
         "values": {
           "additionalProperties": {
             "type": "string"
@@ -1084,6 +1090,7 @@
         "wait",
         "recreatePods",
         "skipBuildDependencies",
+        "useHelmSecrets",
         "overrides",
         "packaged",
         "imageStrategy"
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/build/local/bazel.go b/pkg/skaffold/build/local/bazel.go
index 62b523568dd..cc63253c949 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/build/local/bazel.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/build/local/bazel.go
@@ -18,136 +18,24 @@ package local
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"net/http"
-	"os"
-	"os/exec"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/docker"
+	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/config"
+	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/schema/latest"
-	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/util"
-	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/authn"
-	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
-	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/v1/remote"
-	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/v1/tarball"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
-func (b *Builder) buildBazel(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, workspace string, a *latest.BazelArtifact, tag string) (string, error) {
-	args := []string{"build"}
-	args = append(args, a.BuildArgs...)
-	args = append(args, a.BuildTarget)
+func (b *Builder) buildBazel(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, a *latest.Artifact, tag string) (string, error) {
+	builder := bazel.NewBuilder()
+	builder.LocalBuild = b.cfg
+	builder.LocalDocker = b.localDocker
+	builder.KubeContext = b.kubeContext
+	builder.PushImages = b.pushImages
+	builder.PluginMode = false
 
-	// FIXME: is it possible to apply b.skipTests?
-	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "bazel", args...)
-	cmd.Dir = workspace
-	cmd.Stdout = out
-	cmd.Stderr = out
-	if err := util.RunCmd(cmd); err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "running command")
+	opts := &config.SkaffoldOptions{
+		SkipTests: b.skipTests,
 	}
-
-	bazelBin, err := bazelBin(ctx, workspace, a)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "getting path of bazel-bin")
-	}
-
-	tarPath := filepath.Join(bazelBin, buildTarPath(a.BuildTarget))
-
-	if b.pushImages {
-		return pushImage(tarPath, tag)
-	}
-
-	return b.loadImage(ctx, out, tarPath, a, tag)
-}
-
-func pushImage(tarPath, tag string) (string, error) {
-	t, err := name.NewTag(tag, name.WeakValidation)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, "parsing tag %q", tag)
-	}
-
-	auth, err := authn.DefaultKeychain.Resolve(t.Registry)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, "getting creds for %q", t)
-	}
-
-	i, err := tarball.ImageFromPath(tarPath, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, "reading image %q", tarPath)
-	}
-
-	if err := remote.Write(t, i, auth, http.DefaultTransport); err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, "writing image %q", t)
-	}
-
-	return docker.RemoteDigest(tag)
-}
-
-func (b *Builder) loadImage(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, tarPath string, a *latest.BazelArtifact, tag string) (string, error) {
-	imageTar, err := os.Open(tarPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "opening image tarball")
-	}
-	defer imageTar.Close()
-
-	bazelTag := buildImageTag(a.BuildTarget)
-	imageID, err := b.localDocker.Load(ctx, out, imageTar, bazelTag)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "loading image into docker daemon")
-	}
-
-	if err := b.localDocker.Tag(ctx, imageID, tag); err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "tagging the image")
-	}
-
-	return imageID, nil
-}
-
-func bazelBin(ctx context.Context, workspace string, a *latest.BazelArtifact) (string, error) {
-	args := []string{"info", "bazel-bin"}
-	args = append(args, a.BuildArgs...)
-
-	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "bazel", args...)
-	cmd.Dir = workspace
-
-	buf, err := util.RunCmdOut(cmd)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-
-	return strings.TrimSpace(string(buf)), nil
-}
-
-func trimTarget(buildTarget string) string {
-	//TODO(r2d4): strip off leading //:, bad
-	trimmedTarget := strings.TrimPrefix(buildTarget, "//")
-	// Useful if root target "//:target"
-	trimmedTarget = strings.TrimPrefix(trimmedTarget, ":")
-
-	return trimmedTarget
-}
-
-func buildTarPath(buildTarget string) string {
-	tarPath := trimTarget(buildTarget)
-	tarPath = strings.Replace(tarPath, ":", string(os.PathSeparator), 1)
-
-	return tarPath
-}
-
-func buildImageTag(buildTarget string) string {
-	imageTag := trimTarget(buildTarget)
-	imageTag = strings.TrimPrefix(imageTag, ":")
-
-	//TODO(r2d4): strip off trailing .tar, even worse
-	imageTag = strings.TrimSuffix(imageTag, ".tar")
-
-	if strings.Contains(imageTag, ":") {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("bazel/%s", imageTag)
-	}
-
-	return fmt.Sprintf("bazel:%s", imageTag)
+	builder.Init(opts, &latest.ExecutionEnvironment{})
+	return builder.BuildArtifact(ctx, out, a, tag)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/build/local/local.go b/pkg/skaffold/build/local/local.go
index c7f0a7d41dd..5ec355d4bc1 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/build/local/local.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/build/local/local.go
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/bazel"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/build"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/build/tag"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/color"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/docker"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/jib"
+	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/schema/latest"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/util"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (b *Builder) runBuildForArtifact(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, artifa
 		return b.buildDocker(ctx, out, artifact, tag)
 
 	case artifact.BazelArtifact != nil:
-		return b.buildBazel(ctx, out, artifact.Workspace, artifact.BazelArtifact, tag)
+		return b.buildBazel(ctx, out, artifact, tag)
 
 	case artifact.JibMavenArtifact != nil:
 		return b.buildJibMaven(ctx, out, artifact.Workspace, artifact.JibMavenArtifact, tag)
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/bazel.go b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/bazel.go
index 5c718bf8d36..e6fe14f27f6 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/bazel.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/bazel.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ limitations under the License.
 package bazel
 
 import (
-	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/build/bazel"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/plugin/shared"
 	plugin "github.com/hashicorp/go-plugin"
 )
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ import (
 func Execute() error {
 	// pluginMap is the map of plugins we can dispense.
 	var pluginMap = map[string]plugin.Plugin{
-		"bazel": &shared.BuilderPlugin{Impl: bazel.NewBuilder()},
+		"bazel": &shared.BuilderPlugin{Impl: NewBuilder()},
 	}
 
 	plugin.Serve(&plugin.ServeConfig{
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/build/bazel/bazel.go b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/builder.go
similarity index 69%
rename from pkg/skaffold/build/bazel/bazel.go
rename to pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/builder.go
index 9131461da7e..b6ea4b7edff 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/build/bazel/bazel.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/builder.go
@@ -20,14 +20,12 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"io"
 
-	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/bazel"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/build"
-	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/build/local"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/build/tag"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/config"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/constants"
+	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/docker"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/event"
-	kubectx "github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/kubernetes/context"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/schema/latest"
 	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/util"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -39,18 +37,28 @@ import (
 type Builder struct {
 	opts *config.SkaffoldOptions
 	env  *latest.ExecutionEnvironment
+	*latest.LocalBuild
+	LocalDocker  docker.LocalDaemon
+	LocalCluster bool
+	PushImages   bool
+	PluginMode   bool
+	KubeContext  string
 }
 
 // NewBuilder creates a new Builder that builds artifacts with Bazel.
 func NewBuilder() *Builder {
-	return &Builder{}
+	return &Builder{
+		PluginMode: true,
+	}
 }
 
 // Init stores skaffold options and the execution environment
 func (b *Builder) Init(opts *config.SkaffoldOptions, env *latest.ExecutionEnvironment) {
-	if err := event.SetupRPCClient(opts); err != nil {
-		logrus.Warn("error establishing gRPC connection to skaffold process; events will not be handled correctly")
-		logrus.Warn(err.Error())
+	if b.PluginMode {
+		if err := event.SetupRPCClient(opts); err != nil {
+			logrus.Warn("error establishing gRPC connection to skaffold process; events will not be handled correctly")
+			logrus.Warn(err.Error())
+		}
 	}
 	b.opts = opts
 	b.env = env
@@ -71,7 +79,7 @@ func (b *Builder) DependenciesForArtifact(ctx context.Context, artifact *latest.
 	if artifact.BazelArtifact == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("bazel artifact is nil")
 	}
-	paths, err := bazel.GetDependencies(ctx, artifact.Workspace, artifact.BazelArtifact)
+	paths, err := GetDependencies(ctx, artifact.Workspace, artifact.BazelArtifact)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getting bazel dependencies")
 	}
@@ -89,31 +97,6 @@ func (b *Builder) Build(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, tags tag.ImageTags,
 	}
 }
 
-// local sets any necessary defaults and then builds artifacts with bazel locally
-func (b *Builder) local(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, tags tag.ImageTags, artifacts []*latest.Artifact) ([]build.Artifact, error) {
-	var l *latest.LocalBuild
-	if err := util.CloneThroughJSON(b.env.Properties, &l); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "converting execution env to localBuild struct")
-	}
-	if l == nil {
-		l = &latest.LocalBuild{}
-	}
-	kubeContext, err := kubectx.CurrentContext()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getting current cluster context")
-	}
-	builder, err := local.NewBuilder(l, kubeContext, b.opts.SkipTests)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getting local builder")
-	}
-	for _, a := range artifacts {
-		if err := setArtifact(a); err != nil {
-			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "setting artifact %s", a.ImageName)
-		}
-	}
-	return builder.Build(ctx, out, tags, artifacts)
-}
-
 func setArtifact(artifact *latest.Artifact) error {
 	if artifact.ArtifactType.BazelArtifact != nil {
 		return nil
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/build/bazel/bazel_test.go b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/builder_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from pkg/skaffold/build/bazel/bazel_test.go
rename to pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/builder_test.go
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/bazel/bazel.go b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/dependencies.go
similarity index 100%
rename from pkg/skaffold/bazel/bazel.go
rename to pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/dependencies.go
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/bazel/bazel_test.go b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/dependencies_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from pkg/skaffold/bazel/bazel_test.go
rename to pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/dependencies_test.go
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/local.go b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/local.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ee37fcdbbb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/local.go
@@ -0,0 +1,234 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 The Skaffold Authors
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package bazel
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	configutil "github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/config"
+	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/build"
+	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/build/tag"
+	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/color"
+	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/docker"
+	kubectx "github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/kubernetes/context"
+	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/schema/latest"
+	"github.com/GoogleContainerTools/skaffold/pkg/skaffold/util"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/authn"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/v1/remote"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/v1/tarball"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+)
+
+// local sets any necessary defaults and then builds artifacts with bazel locally
+func (b *Builder) local(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, tags tag.ImageTags, artifacts []*latest.Artifact) ([]build.Artifact, error) {
+	localCluster, err := configutil.GetLocalCluster()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getting localCluster")
+	}
+	b.LocalCluster = localCluster
+	kubeContext, err := kubectx.CurrentContext()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getting current cluster context")
+	}
+	b.KubeContext = kubeContext
+	localDocker, err := docker.NewAPIClient()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getting docker client")
+	}
+	b.LocalDocker = localDocker
+	var l *latest.LocalBuild
+	if err := util.CloneThroughJSON(b.env.Properties, &l); err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "converting execution env to localBuild struct")
+	}
+	if l == nil {
+		l = &latest.LocalBuild{}
+	}
+	b.LocalBuild = l
+	var pushImages bool
+	if b.LocalBuild.Push == nil {
+		pushImages = !localCluster
+		logrus.Debugf("push value not present, defaulting to %t because localCluster is %t", pushImages, localCluster)
+	} else {
+		pushImages = *b.LocalBuild.Push
+	}
+	b.PushImages = pushImages
+	for _, a := range artifacts {
+		if err := setArtifact(a); err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "setting artifact %s", a.ImageName)
+		}
+	}
+	return b.buildArtifacts(ctx, out, tags, artifacts)
+}
+
+func (b *Builder) buildArtifacts(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, tags tag.ImageTags, artifacts []*latest.Artifact) ([]build.Artifact, error) {
+	if b.LocalCluster {
+		color.Default.Fprintf(out, "Found [%s] context, using local docker daemon.\n", b.KubeContext)
+	}
+	return build.InSequence(ctx, out, tags, artifacts, b.runBuild)
+}
+
+func (b *Builder) runBuild(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, artifact *latest.Artifact, tag string) (string, error) {
+	digestOrImageID, err := b.BuildArtifact(ctx, out, artifact, tag)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "build artifact")
+	}
+	if b.PushImages {
+		digest := digestOrImageID
+		return tag + "@" + digest, nil
+	}
+
+	// k8s doesn't recognize the imageID or any combination of the image name
+	// suffixed with the imageID, as a valid image name.
+	// So, the solution we chose is to create a tag, just for Skaffold, from
+	// the imageID, and use that in the manifests.
+	imageID := digestOrImageID
+	uniqueTag := artifact.ImageName + ":" + strings.TrimPrefix(imageID, "sha256:")
+	if err := b.LocalDocker.Tag(ctx, imageID, uniqueTag); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	return uniqueTag, nil
+}
+
+// BuildArtifact builds the bazel artifact
+func (b *Builder) BuildArtifact(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, artifact *latest.Artifact, tag string) (string, error) {
+	args := []string{"build"}
+	a := artifact.ArtifactType.BazelArtifact
+	workspace := artifact.Workspace
+	args = append(args, a.BuildArgs...)
+	args = append(args, a.BuildTarget)
+
+	// FIXME: is it possible to apply b.skipTests?
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "bazel", args...)
+	cmd.Dir = workspace
+	cmd.Stdout = out
+	cmd.Stderr = out
+	if err := util.RunCmd(cmd); err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "running command")
+	}
+
+	bazelBin, err := bazelBin(ctx, workspace, a)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "getting path of bazel-bin")
+	}
+
+	tarPath := filepath.Join(bazelBin, buildTarPath(a.BuildTarget))
+
+	if b.PushImages {
+		return PushImage(tarPath, tag)
+	}
+
+	return b.loadImage(ctx, out, tarPath, a, tag)
+}
+
+// PushImage pushes the tarball image created by bazel
+func PushImage(tarPath, tag string) (string, error) {
+	t, err := name.NewTag(tag, name.WeakValidation)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, "parsing tag %q", tag)
+	}
+
+	auth, err := authn.DefaultKeychain.Resolve(t.Registry)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, "getting creds for %q", t)
+	}
+
+	i, err := tarball.ImageFromPath(tarPath, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, "reading image %q", tarPath)
+	}
+
+	if err := remote.Write(t, i, auth, http.DefaultTransport); err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, "writing image %q", t)
+	}
+
+	return docker.RemoteDigest(tag)
+}
+
+func (b *Builder) loadImage(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, tarPath string, a *latest.BazelArtifact, tag string) (string, error) {
+	imageTar, err := os.Open(tarPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "opening image tarball")
+	}
+	defer imageTar.Close()
+
+	bazelTag := buildImageTag(a.BuildTarget)
+	imageID, err := b.LocalDocker.Load(ctx, out, imageTar, bazelTag)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "loading image into docker daemon")
+	}
+
+	if err := b.LocalDocker.Tag(ctx, imageID, tag); err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "tagging the image")
+	}
+
+	return imageID, nil
+}
+
+func bazelBin(ctx context.Context, workspace string, a *latest.BazelArtifact) (string, error) {
+	args := []string{"info", "bazel-bin"}
+	args = append(args, a.BuildArgs...)
+
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "bazel", args...)
+	cmd.Dir = workspace
+
+	buf, err := util.RunCmdOut(cmd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(buf)), nil
+}
+
+func trimTarget(buildTarget string) string {
+	//TODO(r2d4): strip off leading //:, bad
+	trimmedTarget := strings.TrimPrefix(buildTarget, "//")
+	// Useful if root target "//:target"
+	trimmedTarget = strings.TrimPrefix(trimmedTarget, ":")
+
+	return trimmedTarget
+}
+
+func buildTarPath(buildTarget string) string {
+	tarPath := trimTarget(buildTarget)
+	tarPath = strings.Replace(tarPath, ":", string(os.PathSeparator), 1)
+
+	return tarPath
+}
+
+func buildImageTag(buildTarget string) string {
+	imageTag := trimTarget(buildTarget)
+	imageTag = strings.TrimPrefix(imageTag, ":")
+
+	//TODO(r2d4): strip off trailing .tar, even worse
+	imageTag = strings.TrimSuffix(imageTag, ".tar")
+
+	if strings.Contains(imageTag, ":") {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("bazel/%s", imageTag)
+	}
+
+	return fmt.Sprintf("bazel:%s", imageTag)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/build/local/bazel_test.go b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/local_test.go
similarity index 99%
rename from pkg/skaffold/build/local/bazel_test.go
rename to pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/local_test.go
index 1e06ba6cc60..85f097154da 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/build/local/bazel_test.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/plugin/builders/bazel/local_test.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-package local
+package bazel
 
 import (
 	"context"