diff --git a/.ci/build.sh b/.ci/build.sh
index bd22e634..1043e3c5 100755
--- a/.ci/build.sh
+++ b/.ci/build.sh
@@ -12,8 +12,15 @@
 #   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 #   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 #   limitations under the License.
+shopt -s expand_aliases
 
 ABSOLUTE_PATH="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+USE_PODMAN=${USE_PODMAN:-false}
+
+if [[ ${USE_PODMAN} == true ]]; then
+    alias docker=podman
+    echo "using podman as container engine"
+fi
 
 if [ $# -eq 1 ] && [ $1 == "offline" ]
 then
diff --git a/.ci/build_and_deploy.sh b/.ci/build_and_deploy.sh
index a0a7c8ba..105f6ecb 100755
--- a/.ci/build_and_deploy.sh
+++ b/.ci/build_and_deploy.sh
@@ -12,12 +12,20 @@
 #   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 #   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 #   limitations under the License.
+shopt -s expand_aliases
 set -ex
 ABSOLUTE_PATH="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 GIT_REV="$(git rev-parse --short=7 HEAD)"
 INDEX_IMAGE="${INDEX_IMAGE:-quay.io/app-sre/devfile-index}"
 VIEWER_IMAGE="${VIEWER_IMAGE:-quay.io/app-sre/registry-viewer}"
 IMAGE_TAG="${IMAGE_TAG:-${GIT_REV}}"
+USE_PODMAN=${USE_PODMAN:-false}
+
+# Ensure container engine is set properly for devfile-web scripts
+if [[ ${USE_PODMAN} == true ]]; then
+    alias docker=podman
+    echo "using podman as container engine"
+fi
 
 # Run the build script
 bash $ABSOLUTE_PATH/build.sh
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 018c136a..f64f2c10 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ If you are a stack owner and need to request an urgent refresh of <https://regis
 
 ### Build
 
-To build this devfile registry into a container image run `bash .ci/build.sh`. A container image will be built using the [devfile registry build tools](https://github.com/devfile/registry-support/tree/master/build-tools).
+To build this devfile registry into a container image run `bash .ci/build.sh`. A container image will be built using the [devfile registry build tools](https://github.com/devfile/registry-support/tree/master/build-tools). By default these scripts will use `docker`, if you want to use `podman` you should first run `export USE_PODMAN=true` before executing the build script.
 
 From there, push the container image to a container registry of your choice and deploy using one of the methods outlined [here](https://github.com/devfile/registry-support#deploy).