diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 04257a92..c9a9357b 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -10,4 +10,7 @@ ENV JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS -Djava.net.preferIPv4Stack=true -Xtune:virtualized -Xminf0
 COPY commafeed-server/config.yml.example config.yml
 COPY commafeed-server/target/commafeed.jar .
 
-CMD ["java", "-jar", "commafeed.jar", "server", "config.yml"]
+# build openj9 shared classes cache to improve startup time
+RUN java -Xshareclasses -jar commafeed.jar
+
+CMD ["java", "-Xshareclasses", "-jar", "commafeed.jar", "server", "config.yml"]