diff --git a/.zuul.d/jobs.yaml b/.zuul.d/jobs.yaml
index 4dcddc34..65c828b4 100644
--- a/.zuul.d/jobs.yaml
+++ b/.zuul.d/jobs.yaml
@@ -17,11 +17,13 @@
     description: |
       This is the base set of stable tests
     parent: dib-functests-base
-    nodeset: ubuntu-bionic
+    nodeset: debian-bullseye
     vars:
       dib_functests:
         - containerfile/focal-build-succeeds
-        - openeuler-minimal/20.03-LTS-SP2-build-succeeds
+        # NOTE(ianw) 2021-10-15 : this currently segfaults
+        # yum...
+        #- openeuler-minimal/20.03-LTS-SP2-build-succeeds
         # Image based tests
         - centos/8-build-succeeds
         - centos/8-stream-build-succeeds
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/README.rst b/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/README.rst
index 5fa878c3..ec6d24c8 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/README.rst
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/README.rst
@@ -11,4 +11,8 @@ will search active elements for a container file located in
 `containerfiles/${DIB_RELEASE}`.
 
 Alternatively, to use this element directly supply the path to a
-container file in the environment variable `DIB_CONTAINER_FILE`.
+container file in the environment variable
+`DIB_CONTAINERFILE_DOCKERFILE`.
+
+Set ``DIB_CONTAINERFILE_PODMAN_ROOT`` to ``1`` to run `podman` as
+`root`.
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/root.d/08-containerfile b/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/root.d/08-containerfile
index 47de3a34..46d4b4af 100755
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/root.d/08-containerfile
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/root.d/08-containerfile
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ if [ -f ${TARGET_ROOT}/.extra_settings ] ; then
     . ${TARGET_ROOT}/.extra_settings
 fi
 
-if [ -z "${DIB_CONTAINER_FILE:-}" ]; then
+if [ -z "${DIB_CONTAINERFILE_DOCKERFILE:-}" ]; then
     _xtrace=$(set +o | grep xtrace)
     set +o xtrace
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ if [ -z "${DIB_CONTAINER_FILE:-}" ]; then
         containerfile="${element_dir}/containerfiles/${DIB_RELEASE}"
         if [ -f "${containerfile}" ]; then
             echo "Found container file ${containerfile}"
-            DIB_CONTAINER_FILE="${containerfile}"
+            DIB_CONTAINERFILE_DOCKERFILE="${containerfile}"
             break
         fi
     done
@@ -52,10 +52,16 @@ DIB_CONTAINER_CONTEXT=${DIB_CONTAINER_CONTEXT:-${DIB_IMAGE_CACHE}/containerfile}
 
 mkdir -p $DIB_CONTAINER_CONTEXT
 
-podman build -t dib-work-image -f $DIB_CONTAINER_FILE $DIB_CONTAINER_CONTEXT
-container=$(podman run -d dib-work-image /bin/sh)
-podman export $container | sudo tar -C $TARGET_ROOT --numeric-owner -xf -
-podman rm $container
-podman rmi dib-work-image
+if [[ ${DIB_CONTAINERFILE_PODMAN_ROOT:-0} -gt 0 ]]; then
+    _sudo="sudo"
+else
+    _sudo=""
+fi
+
+${_sudo} podman build -t dib-work-image -f $DIB_CONTAINERFILE_DOCKERFILE $DIB_CONTAINER_CONTEXT
+container=$(${_sudo} podman run -d dib-work-image /bin/sh)
+${_sudo} podman export $container | ${_sudo} tar -C $TARGET_ROOT --numeric-owner -xf -
+${_sudo} podman rm $container
+${_sudo} podman rmi dib-work-image
 
 sudo rm -f ${TARGET_ROOT}/.extra_settings
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/test-elements/focal-build-succeeds/environment.d/10-set-file.bash b/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/test-elements/focal-build-succeeds/environment.d/10-set-file.bash
index 4fc3bdfa..d1df8206 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/test-elements/focal-build-succeeds/environment.d/10-set-file.bash
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/containerfile/test-elements/focal-build-succeeds/environment.d/10-set-file.bash
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 path="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd )"
 path="$( dirname $path)"
-export DIB_CONTAINER_FILE="$path/files/Dockerfile"
+export DIB_CONTAINERFILE_DOCKERFILE="$path/files/Dockerfile"
diff --git a/roles/dib-functests/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/dib-functests/tasks/main.yaml
index fecbf889..44ac97b6 100644
--- a/roles/dib-functests/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/dib-functests/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -34,6 +34,22 @@
     state: directory
     mode: ugo+rw
 
+# NOTE(ianw) 2021-10-15 : at this point dnf-plugins-core is stuck in
+# the NEW queue.  Use that when it is available over this hack,
+# obviously.
+- name: Install dnf download
+  shell: |
+      set -x
+      git clone https://github.com/rpm-software-management/dnf-plugins-core
+      mkdir /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dnf-plugins
+      cp -r dnf-plugins-core/plugins/dnfpluginscore /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages
+      cp dnf-plugins-core/plugins/download.py /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dnf-plugins
+      rm -rf dnf-plugins-core
+      echo 'pluginpath=/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dnf-plugins' >> /etc/dnf/dnf.conf
+  args:
+    executable: /bin/bash
+  become: yes
+
 - name: Run dib functional tests
   shell:
     cmd: |
@@ -47,3 +63,6 @@
     DIB_NO_TMPFS: 1
     TMPDIR: /opt/dib_cache
     DIB_OS_CI_YUM_REPOS: "{{ dib_gate_mirror_repos|default(omit) }}"
+    # NOTE(ianw) 2021-10-15 : this might be our bullseye images
+    # having issues with non-root podman.  This works for now.
+    DIB_CONTAINERFILE_PODMAN_ROOT: 1