diff --git a/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile
index 03a9e73eaf7..e5b977c4aa6 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ FROM php:7.2-alpine3.9
 
 RUN apk add autoconf g++ make zlib-dev git bash wget
 
+ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
@@ -26,10 +28,7 @@ RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-5.7.27.phar && \
 
 WORKDIR /github/grpc
 
-RUN git clone https://github.com/grpc/grpc . && \
-  git submodule update --init
-
-COPY src/ ./src
+COPY . .
 
 RUN pear package && \
   find . -name grpc-*.tgz | xargs -I{} pecl install {}
diff --git a/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile
index 4b9e898690c..93d0307c4a0 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ RUN apt-get -qq update && apt-get -qq install -y \
   autoconf automake git libtool pkg-config \
   valgrind wget zlib1g-dev
 
+ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
@@ -28,10 +30,7 @@ RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-5.7.27.phar && \
 
 WORKDIR /github/grpc
 
-RUN git clone https://github.com/grpc/grpc . && \
-  git submodule update --init
-
-COPY src/ ./src
+COPY . .
 
 RUN pear package && \
   find . -name grpc-*.tgz | xargs -I{} pecl install {}
diff --git a/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile
index 595ee37e2c3..4998ab7dd1d 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ RUN apt-get -qq update && apt-get -qq install -y \
   autoconf automake git libtool pkg-config \
   valgrind wget zlib1g-dev
 
+ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
@@ -28,16 +30,12 @@ RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-5.7.27.phar && \
 
 WORKDIR /github/grpc
 
-RUN git clone https://github.com/grpc/grpc . && \
-  git submodule update --init && \
-  make && make install
+COPY . .
 
+RUN make && make install
 
-WORKDIR /github/grpc/src/php/ext/grpc
 
-COPY src/php/ext/grpc/*.c ./
-COPY src/php/ext/grpc/*.h ./
-COPY src/php/ext/grpc/config.m4 ./
+WORKDIR /github/grpc/src/php/ext/grpc
 
 RUN phpize && \
   ./configure --enable-tests && \
diff --git a/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile
index a3625a807e7..b0f6c886902 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ RUN apt-get -qq update && apt-get -qq install -y \
   autoconf automake git libtool pkg-config \
   wget zlib1g-dev
 
+ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
@@ -28,10 +30,7 @@ RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-5.7.27.phar && \
 
 WORKDIR /github/grpc
 
-RUN git clone https://github.com/grpc/grpc . && \
-  git submodule update --init
-
-COPY src/ ./src
+COPY . .
 
 RUN pear package && \
   find . -name grpc-*.tgz | xargs -I{} pecl install {}
diff --git a/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile
index b225e00e402..972a297aafe 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ RUN wget http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/bison/bison-3.4.2.tar.gz && \
 
 WORKDIR /github/php-src
 
+ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 RUN git clone https://github.com/php/php-src .
 
 RUN git checkout php-7.2.22 && \
@@ -50,10 +52,7 @@ RUN git checkout php-7.2.22 && \
 
 WORKDIR /github/grpc
 
-RUN git clone https://github.com/grpc/grpc . && \
-  git submodule update --init
-
-COPY src/ ./src
+COPY . .
 
 RUN pear package && \
   find . -name grpc-*.tgz | xargs -I{} pecl install {}
diff --git a/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile
index 1ce321c8fd7..9bc9d37152d 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ RUN apt-get -qq update && apt-get -qq install -y \
   autoconf automake git libtool pkg-config \
   wget zlib1g-dev
 
+ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
@@ -28,10 +30,7 @@ RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-5.7.27.phar && \
 
 WORKDIR /github/grpc
 
-RUN git clone https://github.com/grpc/grpc . && \
-  git submodule update --init
-
-COPY src/ ./src
+COPY . .
 
 RUN pear package && \
   find . -name grpc-*.tgz | xargs -I{} pecl install {}
diff --git a/src/php/docker/php5/Dockerfile b/src/php/docker/php5/Dockerfile
index a6202559466..a350e7c9b63 100644
--- a/src/php/docker/php5/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/php/docker/php5/Dockerfile
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ RUN apt-get -qq update && apt-get -qq install -y \
   autoconf automake git libtool pkg-config \
   valgrind wget zlib1g-dev
 
+ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
 WORKDIR /tmp
 
@@ -28,10 +30,7 @@ RUN wget https://phar.phpunit.de/phpunit-5.7.27.phar && \
 
 WORKDIR /github/grpc
 
-RUN git clone https://github.com/grpc/grpc . && \
-  git submodule update --init
-
-COPY src/ ./src
+COPY . .
 
 RUN pear package && \
   find . -name grpc-*.tgz | xargs -I{} pecl install {}
diff --git a/templates/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile.template b/templates/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile.template
index 8bd0ca6ac4d..493b320e831 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile.template
+++ b/templates/src/php/docker/alpine/Dockerfile.template
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
   RUN apk add autoconf g++ make zlib-dev git bash wget
 
+  ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
   WORKDIR /tmp
 
diff --git a/templates/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile.template b/templates/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile.template
index 23f2011d407..8dbfd35b065 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile.template
+++ b/templates/src/php/docker/grpc-ext/Dockerfile.template
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
     autoconf automake git libtool pkg-config ${'\\'}
     valgrind wget zlib1g-dev
 
+  ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
   WORKDIR /tmp
 
diff --git a/templates/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile.template b/templates/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile.template
index dcaf7cc8ea9..57db1039318 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile.template
+++ b/templates/src/php/docker/grpc-src/Dockerfile.template
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
     autoconf automake git libtool pkg-config ${'\\'}
     valgrind wget zlib1g-dev
 
+  ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
   WORKDIR /tmp
 
@@ -27,16 +29,12 @@
 
   WORKDIR /github/grpc
 
-  RUN git clone https://github.com/grpc/grpc . && ${'\\'}
-    git submodule update --init && ${'\\'}
-    make && make install
+  COPY . .
 
+  RUN make && make install
 
-  WORKDIR /github/grpc/src/php/ext/grpc
 
-  COPY src/php/ext/grpc/*.c ./
-  COPY src/php/ext/grpc/*.h ./
-  COPY src/php/ext/grpc/config.m4 ./
+  WORKDIR /github/grpc/src/php/ext/grpc
 
   RUN phpize && ${'\\'}
     ./configure --enable-tests && ${'\\'}
diff --git a/templates/src/php/docker/pecl_ext_build_src.include b/templates/src/php/docker/pecl_ext_build_src.include
index 45d2f426163..0f9300c4dda 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/docker/pecl_ext_build_src.include
+++ b/templates/src/php/docker/pecl_ext_build_src.include
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 WORKDIR /github/grpc
 
-RUN git clone https://github.com/grpc/grpc . && ${'\\'}
-  git submodule update --init
-
-COPY src/ ./src
+COPY . .
 
 RUN pear package && ${'\\'}
   find . -name grpc-*.tgz | xargs -I{} pecl install {}
diff --git a/templates/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile.template b/templates/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile.template
index 4a5dfe960dc..f9abb2fc509 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile.template
+++ b/templates/src/php/docker/php-future/Dockerfile.template
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
     autoconf automake git libtool pkg-config ${'\\'}
     wget zlib1g-dev
 
+  ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
   WORKDIR /tmp
 
diff --git a/templates/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile.template b/templates/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile.template
index e5c637bcb93..d048aa6e4b4 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile.template
+++ b/templates/src/php/docker/php-src/Dockerfile.template
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
 
   WORKDIR /github/php-src
 
+  ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
   RUN git clone https://github.com/php/php-src .
 
   RUN git checkout php-7.2.22 && ${'\\'}
diff --git a/templates/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile.template b/templates/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile.template
index 75675f08382..1190d61424d 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile.template
+++ b/templates/src/php/docker/php-zts/Dockerfile.template
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
     autoconf automake git libtool pkg-config ${'\\'}
     wget zlib1g-dev
 
+  ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
   WORKDIR /tmp
 
diff --git a/templates/src/php/docker/php5/Dockerfile.template b/templates/src/php/docker/php5/Dockerfile.template
index e6c7b59c9e0..1f97bc50a71 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/docker/php5/Dockerfile.template
+++ b/templates/src/php/docker/php5/Dockerfile.template
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
     autoconf automake git libtool pkg-config ${'\\'}
     valgrind wget zlib1g-dev
 
+  ARG MAKEFLAGS=-j8
+
 
   WORKDIR /tmp