diff --git a/.github/workflows/overcloud-host-image-build.yml b/.github/workflows/overcloud-host-image-build.yml
index 8582b1eb4..13f6cf6ac 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/overcloud-host-image-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/overcloud-host-image-build.yml
@@ -248,22 +248,6 @@ jobs:
           KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD }}
         if: steps.build_rocky_9.outcome == 'failure'
 
-      - name: Upload Rocky Linux 9 overcloud host image to Ark
-        run: |
-          source venvs/kayobe/bin/activate &&
-          source src/kayobe-config/kayobe-env --environment ci-builder &&
-          kayobe playbook run \
-          src/kayobe-config/etc/kayobe/ansible/pulp/pulp-artifact-upload.yml \
-          -e artifact_path=/opt/kayobe/images/overcloud-rocky-9 \
-          -e artifact_tag=${{ steps.host_image_tag.outputs.host_image_tag }} \
-          -e artifact_type="kayobe-images" \
-          -e file_regex="*.qcow2" \
-          -e os_distribution="rocky" \
-          -e os_release="9"
-        env:
-          KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD }}
-        if: inputs.rocky9 && steps.build_rocky_9.outcome == 'success'
-
       - name: Upload Rocky Linux 9 overcloud host image to current Dev Cloud (SMS/Leafcloud)
         run: |
           source venvs/kayobe/bin/activate &&
@@ -292,6 +276,22 @@ jobs:
           OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_SECRET: ${{ secrets.OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_SECRET_OTHER_CLOUD }}
         if: inputs.rocky9 && steps.build_rocky_9.outcome == 'success'
 
+      - name: Upload Rocky Linux 9 overcloud host image to Ark
+        run: |
+          source venvs/kayobe/bin/activate &&
+          source src/kayobe-config/kayobe-env --environment ci-builder &&
+          kayobe playbook run \
+          src/kayobe-config/etc/kayobe/ansible/pulp/pulp-artifact-upload.yml \
+          -e artifact_path=/opt/kayobe/images/overcloud-rocky-9 \
+          -e artifact_tag=${{ steps.host_image_tag.outputs.host_image_tag }} \
+          -e artifact_type="kayobe-images" \
+          -e file_regex="*.qcow2" \
+          -e os_distribution="rocky" \
+          -e os_release="9"
+        env:
+          KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD }}
+        if: inputs.rocky9 && steps.build_rocky_9.outcome == 'success'
+
       - name: Build an Ubuntu Noble 24.04 overcloud host image
         id: build_ubuntu_noble
         continue-on-error: true
@@ -316,22 +316,6 @@ jobs:
           KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD }}
         if: steps.build_ubuntu_noble.outcome == 'failure'
 
-      - name: Upload Ubuntu Noble 24.04 overcloud host image to Ark
-        run: |
-          source venvs/kayobe/bin/activate &&
-          source src/kayobe-config/kayobe-env --environment ci-builder &&
-          kayobe playbook run \
-          src/kayobe-config/etc/kayobe/ansible/pulp/pulp-artifact-upload.yml \
-          -e artifact_path=/opt/kayobe/images/overcloud-ubuntu-noble \
-          -e artifact_tag=${{ steps.host_image_tag.outputs.host_image_tag }} \
-          -e artifact_type="kayobe-images" \
-          -e file_regex="*.qcow2" \
-          -e os_distribution="ubuntu" \
-          -e os_release="noble"
-        env:
-          KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD }}
-        if: inputs.ubuntu-noble && steps.build_ubuntu_noble.outcome == 'success'
-
       - name: Upload Ubuntu Noble overcloud host image to current Dev Cloud (SMS/Leafcloud)
         run: |
           source venvs/kayobe/bin/activate &&
@@ -360,6 +344,22 @@ jobs:
           OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_SECRET: ${{ secrets.OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_SECRET_OTHER_CLOUD }}
         if: inputs.ubuntu-noble && steps.build_ubuntu_noble.outcome == 'success'
 
+      - name: Upload Ubuntu Noble 24.04 overcloud host image to Ark
+        run: |
+          source venvs/kayobe/bin/activate &&
+          source src/kayobe-config/kayobe-env --environment ci-builder &&
+          kayobe playbook run \
+          src/kayobe-config/etc/kayobe/ansible/pulp/pulp-artifact-upload.yml \
+          -e artifact_path=/opt/kayobe/images/overcloud-ubuntu-noble \
+          -e artifact_tag=${{ steps.host_image_tag.outputs.host_image_tag }} \
+          -e artifact_type="kayobe-images" \
+          -e file_regex="*.qcow2" \
+          -e os_distribution="ubuntu" \
+          -e os_release="noble"
+        env:
+          KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.KAYOBE_VAULT_PASSWORD }}
+        if: inputs.ubuntu-noble && steps.build_ubuntu_noble.outcome == 'success'
+
       - name: Copy logs back
         continue-on-error: true
         run: |
diff --git a/etc/kayobe/pulp-host-image-versions.yml b/etc/kayobe/pulp-host-image-versions.yml
index 71292d934..1e8aa8370 100644
--- a/etc/kayobe/pulp-host-image-versions.yml
+++ b/etc/kayobe/pulp-host-image-versions.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
 # Overcloud host image versioning tags
 # These images must be in SMS, since they are used by our AIO CI runners
-stackhpc_rocky_9_overcloud_host_image_version: "2025.1-20251216T122459"
+stackhpc_rocky_9_overcloud_host_image_version: "2025.1-20260113T105634"
 stackhpc_ubuntu_noble_overcloud_host_image_version: "2025.1-20250930T144255"
diff --git a/etc/kayobe/stackhpc-overcloud-dib.yml b/etc/kayobe/stackhpc-overcloud-dib.yml
index 03b2700fe..45c924825 100644
--- a/etc/kayobe/stackhpc-overcloud-dib.yml
+++ b/etc/kayobe/stackhpc-overcloud-dib.yml
@@ -37,12 +37,19 @@ stackhpc_overcloud_dib_elements:
 # StackHPC overcloud DIB image environment variables.
 stackhpc_overcloud_dib_env_vars: "{{ stackhpc_overcloud_dib_env_vars_default | combine(stackhpc_overcloud_dib_env_vars_ark if stackhpc_build_overcloud_image_from_pulp_package_mirrors | bool else {}) }}"
 
+# mind the dot before stackhpc_pulp_repo_rocky_9_minor_version.
+# Set an empty ROCKY_MINOR_DOT_VERSION to use rockylinux:9 as the base image
+stackhpc_overcloud_dib_container_opts_default: >-
+    --build-arg=ROCKY_MINOR_DOT_VERSION=.{{ stackhpc_pulp_repo_rocky_9_minor_version }}
+
 stackhpc_overcloud_dib_env_vars_default:
   DIB_BLOCK_DEVICE_CONFIG: "{{ stackhpc_overcloud_dib_block_device_config_uefi_lvm }}"
   DIB_BOOTLOADER_DEFAULT_CMDLINE: "nofb nomodeset gfxpayload=text net.ifnames=1 rd.auto"
   DIB_GRUB_TIMEOUT: "5"
   DIB_GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE: "menu"
   DIB_CLOUD_INIT_DATASOURCES: "OpenStack, ConfigDrive"
+  DIB_CONTAINERFILE_BUILDOPTS: >-
+    {{ stackhpc_overcloud_dib_container_opts_default }}
   DIB_CONTAINERFILE_RUNTIME: "docker"
   DIB_CONTAINERFILE_NETWORK_DRIVER: "host"
   DIB_CONTAINERFILE_DOCKERFILE: "/opt/kayobe/src/stackhpc-image-elements/elements/rocky-container-stackhpc/containerfiles/9-stackhpc"
@@ -62,6 +69,7 @@ stackhpc_overcloud_dib_env_vars_ark:
   DIB_CONTAINERFILE_BUILDOPTS: >-
     --build-arg=ROCKY_USE_CUSTOM_DNF_MIRRORS=true
     --build-arg=ROCKY_CUSTOM_DNF_MIRROR_URLS={{ [stackhpc_repo_rocky_9_baseos_url, stackhpc_repo_rocky_9_appstream_url] | join(',') }}
+    {{ stackhpc_overcloud_dib_container_opts_default }}
   DIB_DISTRIBUTION_MIRROR: "{{ stackhpc_repo_ubuntu_noble_url if os_distribution == 'ubuntu' else '' }}"
   # Ensure upstream repofiles are re-enabled after image build, otherwise `yum.repos.d` is left empty
   DIB_ROCKY_CONTAINER_STACKHPC_RESTORE_UPSTREAM_REPOFILES: true
diff --git a/etc/kayobe/stackhpc.yml b/etc/kayobe/stackhpc.yml
index 720d4ffcb..f6006a041 100644
--- a/etc/kayobe/stackhpc.yml
+++ b/etc/kayobe/stackhpc.yml
@@ -208,5 +208,5 @@ stackhpc_ca_secret_store: openbao
 stackhpc_dib_image_elements_repos:
   - repo: "https://github.com/stackhpc/stackhpc-image-elements"
     local: "{{ source_checkout_path }}/stackhpc-image-elements"
-    version: "v1.6.4"
+    version: "fix/rocky-9-minor-version"
     elements_path: "elements"