diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/centos-minimal/environment.d/10-centos-distro-name.bash b/diskimage_builder/elements/centos-minimal/environment.d/10-centos-distro-name.bash
index 501df444..39449b15 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/centos-minimal/environment.d/10-centos-distro-name.bash
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/centos-minimal/environment.d/10-centos-distro-name.bash
@@ -4,6 +4,3 @@ export DIB_RELEASE=${DIB_RELEASE:-7}
 # by default, enable DHCP configuration of eth0 & eth1 in network
 # scripts.  See yum-minimal for full details
 export DIB_YUM_MINIMAL_CREATE_INTERFACES=${DIB_YUM_MINIMAL_CREATE_INTERFACES:-1}
-
-# Useful for elements that work with fedora (dnf) & centos
-export YUM=${YUM:-yum}
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/centos-minimal/environment.d/11-yum-dnf.bash b/diskimage_builder/elements/centos-minimal/environment.d/11-yum-dnf.bash
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cd637f65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/centos-minimal/environment.d/11-yum-dnf.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+if [ $DIB_RELEASE -ge 8 ]; then
+    export YUM=dnf
+else
+    export YUM=yum
+fi