diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-38.yml b/.github/workflows/build-38.yml
index 0496f426..3242085d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-38.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-38.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name: ublue akmods 38
 on:
-  pull_request:
+  #pull_request:
   merge_group:
   schedule:
     - cron: '10 14 * * *'  # 2pm-ish UTC everyday (timed against official fedora container pushes, and after 'config')
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-39.yml b/.github/workflows/build-39.yml
index 11ad11f8..90596696 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-39.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-39.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name: ublue akmods 39
 on:
-  pull_request:
+  #pull_request:
   merge_group:
   schedule:
     - cron: '0 14 * * *'  # 2pm-ish UTC everyday (timed against official fedora container pushes, and after 'config')
diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-build.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-build.yml
index 47eb3f8e..9403c31f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-build.yml
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ jobs:
               echo "SOURCE_IMAGE=base" >> $GITHUB_ENV
               echo "SOURCE_ORG=fedora-ostree-desktops" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           fi
+          echo "FQ_SOURCE_IMAGE=quay.io/${{ env.SOURCE_ORG }}/${{ env.SOURCE_IMAGE }}:${{ matrix.fedora_version }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
 
       - name: Generate tags
         id: generate-tags
@@ -120,27 +122,35 @@ jobs:
           # DEBUG: get character count of key
           wc -c certs/private_key.priv
 
-      - name: Get current version
-        id: labels
+      - name: Pull build image
         uses: Wandalen/wretry.action@v2.1.0
         with:
           attempt_limit: 3
           attempt_delay: 15000
           command: |
-            set -eo pipefail
-            skopeo inspect docker://quay.io/${{ env.SOURCE_ORG }}/${{ env.SOURCE_IMAGE }}:${{ matrix.fedora_version }} > inspect.json
-            ver=$(jq -r '.Labels["org.opencontainers.image.version"]' inspect.json)
-            linux=$(jq -r '.Labels["ostree.linux"]' inspect.json)
-            if [ -z "$ver" ] || [ "null" = "$ver" ]; then
-              echo "inspected image version must not be empty or null"
-              exit 1
-            fi
-            if [ -z "$linux" ] || [ "null" = "$linux" ]; then
-              echo "inspected image linux version must not be empty or null"
-              exit 1
-            fi
-            echo "SOURCE_IMAGE_VERSION=$ver" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-            echo "SOURCE_IMAGE_LINUX=$linux" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+            # pull the base image used for FROM in containerfile so
+            # we can retry on that unfortunately common failure case
+            podman pull ${{ env.FQ_SOURCE_IMAGE }}
+
+      - name: Get current version
+        id: labels
+        uses: docker://${{ FQ_SOURCE_IMAGE }}
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          set -eo pipefail
+          skopeo inspect docker://${{ env.FQ_SOURCE_IMAGE }} > inspect.json
+          ver=$(jq -r '.Labels["org.opencontainers.image.version"]' inspect.json)
+          linux=$(jq -r '.Labels["ostree.linux"]' inspect.json)
+          if [ -z "$ver" ] || [ "null" = "$ver" ]; then
+            echo "inspected image version must not be empty or null"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [ -z "$linux" ] || [ "null" = "$linux" ]; then
+            echo "inspected image linux version must not be empty or null"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "SOURCE_IMAGE_VERSION=$ver" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "SOURCE_IMAGE_LINUX=$linux" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
       # Build metadata
       - name: Image Metadata
@@ -157,16 +167,6 @@ jobs:
             io.artifacthub.package.readme-url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/${{ github.repository }}/main/README.md
             io.artifacthub.package.logo-url=https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/1728152?s=200&v=4
 
-      - name: Pull build image
-        uses: Wandalen/wretry.action@v2.1.0
-        with:
-          attempt_limit: 3
-          attempt_delay: 15000
-          command: |
-            # pull the base image used for FROM in containerfile so
-            # we can retry on that unfortunately common failure case
-            podman pull quay.io/${{ env.SOURCE_ORG }}/${{ env.SOURCE_IMAGE }}:${{ matrix.fedora_version }}
-
       # Build image using Buildah action
       - name: Build Image
         id: build_image