diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index fae893b..d3209fa 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -2,9 +2,13 @@ default:
   image: $CONTAINER_REGISTRY_DOMAIN_WITH_ORG/gitlab-runner-image
 
 variables:
-    VM_DISK_OUTPUT_DIR: "/rockyDisks/"
+    VM_DISK_OUTPUT_DIR: "/rockyDisks"
     SECURE_FILES_DOWNLOAD_PATH: "/secureFiles"
 
+stages:
+  - build
+  - build-push
+
 build-builder-vm-disk:
   stage: build
   rules:
@@ -12,6 +16,9 @@ build-builder-vm-disk:
       changes:
         - scripts/utils/**/*
         - scripts/setupBuilder/**/*
+  artifacts:
+    paths:
+    - /rockyDisks
   variables:
     # Values should match the ones in .devcontainer/.env
     ROCKY_VERSION: "9.4"
@@ -24,8 +31,7 @@ build-builder-vm-disk:
 # This job is NOT using the host's Docker, but the one within the VM that is generated from the job above
 # The VM is needed due to the bootc build process requiring a full Rocky host to be used for it
 build-push-base-image:
-  depends_on: build-builder-vm-disk
-  stage: build
+  stage: build-push
   rules:
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"
       changes: