diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/codebuild-step.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/codebuild-step.ts
index 43519fdda97bf..12bb058fceddb 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/codebuild-step.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/codebuild-step.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,13 @@ export interface CodeBuildStepProps extends ShellStepProps {
    */
   readonly role?: iam.IRole;
 
+  /**
+   * Custom execution role to be used for the Code Build Action
+   *
+   * @default - A role is automatically created
+   */
+  readonly actionRole?: iam.IRole;
+
   /**
    * Changes to environment
    *
@@ -146,6 +153,13 @@ export class CodeBuildStep extends ShellStep {
    */
   public readonly role?: iam.IRole;
 
+  /**
+   * Custom execution role to be used for the Code Build Action
+   *
+   * @default - A role is automatically created
+   */
+  readonly actionRole?: iam.IRole;
+
   /**
    * Build environment
    *
@@ -183,6 +197,7 @@ export class CodeBuildStep extends ShellStep {
     this.vpc = props.vpc;
     this.subnetSelection = props.subnetSelection;
     this.role = props.role;
+    this.actionRole = props.actionRole;
     this.rolePolicyStatements = props.rolePolicyStatements;
     this.securityGroups = props.securityGroups;
     this.timeout = props.timeout;
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/private/codebuild-factory.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/private/codebuild-factory.ts
index 3103586f71546..85697104e2cc4 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/private/codebuild-factory.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/lib/codepipeline/private/codebuild-factory.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ export interface CodeBuildFactoryProps {
    */
   readonly role?: iam.IRole;
 
+  /**
+   * Custom execution role to be used for the Code Build Action
+   *
+   * @default - A role is automatically created
+   */
+  readonly actionRole?: iam.IRole;
+
   /**
    * If true, the build spec will be passed via the Cloud Assembly instead of rendered onto the Project
    *
@@ -145,6 +152,7 @@ export class CodeBuildFactory implements ICodePipelineActionFactory {
     const factory = CodeBuildFactory.fromShellStep(constructId, step, {
       projectName: step.projectName,
       role: step.role,
+      actionRole: step.actionRole,
       ...additional,
       projectOptions: mergeCodeBuildOptions(additional?.projectOptions, {
         buildEnvironment: step.buildEnvironment,
@@ -322,6 +330,7 @@ export class CodeBuildFactory implements ICodePipelineActionFactory {
       outputs: outputArtifacts,
       project,
       runOrder: options.runOrder,
+      role: this.props.actionRole,
       variablesNamespace: options.variablesNamespace,
 
       // Inclusion of the hash here will lead to the pipeline structure for any changes
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/codepipeline/codebuild-step.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/codepipeline/codebuild-step.test.ts
index a48b41ce1d6c6..ad3a5b3be9923 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/codepipeline/codebuild-step.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/pipelines/test/codepipeline/codebuild-step.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { Template, Match } from '@aws-cdk/assertions';
+import * as iam from '@aws-cdk/aws-iam';
 import { Duration, Stack } from '@aws-cdk/core';
 import * as cdkp from '../../lib';
 import { PIPELINE_ENV, TestApp, ModernTestGitHubNpmPipeline, AppWithOutput } from '../testhelpers';
@@ -143,6 +144,68 @@ test('envFromOutputs works even with very long stage and stack names', () => {
   // THEN - did not throw an error about identifier lengths
 });
 
+test('role passed it used for project and code build action', () => {
+  const projectRole = new iam.Role(
+    pipelineStack,
+    'ProjectRole',
+    {
+      roleName: 'ProjectRole',
+      assumedBy: new iam.ServicePrincipal('codebuild.amazon.com'),
+    },
+  );
+  const buildRole = new iam.Role(
+    pipelineStack,
+    'BuildRole',
+    {
+      roleName: 'BuildRole',
+      assumedBy: new iam.ServicePrincipal('codebuild.amazon.com'),
+    },
+  );
+  // WHEN
+  new cdkp.CodePipeline(pipelineStack, 'Pipeline', {
+    synth: new cdkp.CodeBuildStep('Synth', {
+      commands: ['/bin/true'],
+      input: cdkp.CodePipelineSource.gitHub('test/test', 'main'),
+      role: projectRole,
+      actionRole: buildRole,
+    }),
+  });
+
+  // THEN
+  Template.fromStack(pipelineStack).hasResourceProperties('AWS::CodeBuild::Project', {
+    ServiceRole: {
+      'Fn::GetAtt': [
+        'ProjectRole5B707505',
+        'Arn',
+      ],
+    },
+  });
+
+  expect(pipelineStack).toHaveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
+    Stages: [
+      // source stage
+      {},
+      // build stage,
+      {
+        Actions: [
+          {
+            ActionTypeId: {
+              Category: 'Build',
+              Owner: 'AWS',
+              Provider: 'CodeBuild',
+            },
+            RoleArn: {
+              'Fn::GetAtt': [
+                'BuildRole41B77417',
+                'Arn',
+              ],
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    ],
+  });
+});
 test('exportedVariables', () => {
   const pipeline = new ModernTestGitHubNpmPipeline(pipelineStack, 'Cdk');
 
@@ -207,4 +270,4 @@ test('exportedVariables', () => {
       })),
     },
   });
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});