diff --git a/cmake/sysbuild/b0_mcuboot_signing.cmake b/cmake/sysbuild/b0_mcuboot_signing.cmake
index a404d3a2a335..7ff84dfe0f71 100644
--- a/cmake/sysbuild/b0_mcuboot_signing.cmake
+++ b/cmake/sysbuild/b0_mcuboot_signing.cmake
@@ -11,26 +11,12 @@
 # function to avoid polluting the top-level scope.
 
 function(ncs_secure_boot_mcuboot_sign application bin_files signed_targets prefix)
+  find_program(IMGTOOL imgtool.py HINTS ${ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR}/scripts/ NAMES imgtool NAMES_PER_DIR)
   set(keyfile "${SB_CONFIG_BOOT_SIGNATURE_KEY_FILE}")
   string(CONFIGURE "${keyfile}" keyfile)
 
-  # Find imgtool. Even though west is installed, imgtool might not be.
-  # The user may also have a custom manifest which doesn't include
-  # MCUboot.
-  #
-  # Therefore, go with an explicitly installed imgtool first, falling
-  # back on mcuboot/scripts/imgtool.py.
-  if(IMGTOOL)
-    set(imgtool_path "${IMGTOOL}")
-  elseif(DEFINED ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR)
-    set(IMGTOOL_PY "${ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR}/scripts/imgtool.py")
-    if(EXISTS "${IMGTOOL_PY}")
-      set(imgtool_path "${IMGTOOL_PY}")
-    endif()
-  endif()
-
   # No imgtool, no signed binaries.
-  if(NOT DEFINED imgtool_path)
+  if(NOT DEFINED IMGTOOL)
     message(FATAL_ERROR "Can't sign images for MCUboot: can't find imgtool. To fix, install imgtool with pip3, or add the mcuboot repository to the west manifest and ensure it has a scripts/imgtool.py file.")
     return()
   endif()
@@ -40,7 +26,7 @@ function(ncs_secure_boot_mcuboot_sign application bin_files signed_targets prefi
   sysbuild_get(CONFIG_BUILD_OUTPUT_HEX IMAGE ${application} VAR CONFIG_BUILD_OUTPUT_HEX KCONFIG)
 
   string(TOUPPER "${application}" application_uppercase)
-  set(imgtool_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${imgtool_path} sign --version ${SB_CONFIG_SECURE_BOOT_MCUBOOT_VERSION} --align 4 --slot-size $<TARGET_PROPERTY:partition_manager,${prefix}PM_${application_uppercase}_SIZE> --pad-header --header-size ${SB_CONFIG_PM_MCUBOOT_PAD})
+  set(imgtool_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${IMGTOOL} sign --version ${SB_CONFIG_SECURE_BOOT_MCUBOOT_VERSION} --align 4 --slot-size $<TARGET_PROPERTY:partition_manager,${prefix}PM_${application_uppercase}_SIZE> --pad-header --header-size ${SB_CONFIG_PM_MCUBOOT_PAD})
 
   if(SB_CONFIG_MCUBOOT_HARDWARE_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION)
     set(imgtool_extra --security-counter ${SB_CONFIG_MCUBOOT_HW_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION_COUNTER_VALUE})
diff --git a/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing.cmake b/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing.cmake
index 73f65e2f61b5..485a19b9167d 100644
--- a/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing.cmake
+++ b/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing.cmake
@@ -49,27 +49,8 @@ function(zephyr_mcuboot_tasks)
     endif()
   endforeach()
 
-  # Find imgtool. Even though west is installed, imgtool might not be.
-  # The user may also have a custom manifest which doesn't include
-  # MCUboot.
-  #
-  # Therefore, go with an explicitly installed imgtool first, falling
-  # back on mcuboot/scripts/imgtool.py. We exclude the system imgtool when
-  # compressed image support is enabled due to needing a version of imgtool
-  # that has features not in the most recent public release.
-  if(IMGTOOL AND
-     (NOT CONFIG_MCUBOOT_COMPRESSED_IMAGE_SUPPORT_ENABLED AND
-      NOT (CONFIG_SOC_SERIES_NRF54LX AND CONFIG_MCUBOOT_BOOTLOADER_SIGNATURE_TYPE_ED25519)))
-    set(imgtool_path "${IMGTOOL}")
-  elseif(DEFINED ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR)
-    set(IMGTOOL_PY "${ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR}/scripts/imgtool.py")
-    if(EXISTS "${IMGTOOL_PY}")
-      set(imgtool_path "${IMGTOOL_PY}")
-    endif()
-  endif()
-
   # No imgtool, no signed binaries.
-  if(NOT DEFINED imgtool_path)
+  if(NOT DEFINED IMGTOOL)
     message(FATAL_ERROR "Can't sign images for MCUboot: can't find imgtool. To fix, install imgtool with pip3, or add the mcuboot repository to the west manifest and ensure it has a scripts/imgtool.py file.")
     return()
   endif()
@@ -106,7 +87,7 @@ function(zephyr_mcuboot_tasks)
   # TODO: NCSDK-28461 sysbuild PM fields cannot be updated without a pristine build, will become
   # invalid if a static PM file is updated without pristine build
   set(imgtool_sign_sysbuild --slot-size @PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_SIZE@ --pad-header --header-size @PM_MCUBOOT_PAD_SIZE@ ${imgtool_rom_command} CACHE STRING "imgtool sign sysbuild replacement")
-  set(imgtool_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${imgtool_path} sign --version ${CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION} --align ${write_block_size} ${imgtool_sign_sysbuild})
+  set(imgtool_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${IMGTOOL} sign --version ${CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION} --align ${write_block_size} ${imgtool_sign_sysbuild})
 
   # Arguments to imgtool.
   if(NOT CONFIG_MCUBOOT_EXTRA_IMGTOOL_ARGS STREQUAL "")
diff --git a/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_firmware_loader.cmake b/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_firmware_loader.cmake
index 8b42bfa0d64f..a2a05b243ee0 100644
--- a/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_firmware_loader.cmake
+++ b/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_firmware_loader.cmake
@@ -47,23 +47,8 @@ function(zephyr_mcuboot_tasks)
     endif()
   endforeach()
 
-  # Find imgtool. Even though west is installed, imgtool might not be.
-  # The user may also have a custom manifest which doesn't include
-  # MCUboot.
-  #
-  # Therefore, go with an explicitly installed imgtool first, falling
-  # back on mcuboot/scripts/imgtool.py.
-  if(IMGTOOL)
-    set(imgtool_path "${IMGTOOL}")
-  elseif(DEFINED ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR)
-    set(IMGTOOL_PY "${ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR}/scripts/imgtool.py")
-    if(EXISTS "${IMGTOOL_PY}")
-      set(imgtool_path "${IMGTOOL_PY}")
-    endif()
-  endif()
-
   # No imgtool, no signed binaries.
-  if(NOT DEFINED imgtool_path)
+  if(NOT DEFINED IMGTOOL)
     message(FATAL_ERROR "Can't sign images for MCUboot: can't find imgtool. To fix, install imgtool with pip3, or add the mcuboot repository to the west manifest and ensure it has a scripts/imgtool.py file.")
     return()
   endif()
@@ -85,7 +70,7 @@ function(zephyr_mcuboot_tasks)
   # TODO: NCSDK-28461 sysbuild PM fields cannot be updated without a pristine build, will become
   # invalid if a static PM file is updated without pristine build
   set(imgtool_sign_sysbuild --slot-size @PM_MCUBOOT_SECONDARY_SIZE@ --pad-header --header-size @PM_MCUBOOT_PAD_SIZE@ ${imgtool_rom_command} CACHE STRING "imgtool sign sysbuild replacement")
-  set(imgtool_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${imgtool_path} sign --version ${CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION} --align ${write_block_size} ${imgtool_sign_sysbuild})
+  set(imgtool_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${IMGTOOL} sign --version ${CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION} --align ${write_block_size} ${imgtool_sign_sysbuild})
 
   # Arguments to imgtool.
   if(NOT CONFIG_MCUBOOT_EXTRA_IMGTOOL_ARGS STREQUAL "")
diff --git a/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_nrf700x.cmake b/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_nrf700x.cmake
index a0698383c959..e704877b0fba 100644
--- a/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_nrf700x.cmake
+++ b/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_nrf700x.cmake
@@ -19,23 +19,8 @@ function(nrf7x_signing_tasks input output_hex output_bin dependencies)
     endif()
   endif()
 
-  # Find imgtool. Even though west is installed, imgtool might not be.
-  # The user may also have a custom manifest which doesn't include
-  # MCUboot.
-  #
-  # Therefore, go with an explicitly installed imgtool first, falling
-  # back on mcuboot/scripts/imgtool.py.
-  if(IMGTOOL)
-    set(imgtool_path "${IMGTOOL}")
-  elseif(DEFINED ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR)
-    set(IMGTOOL_PY "${ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR}/scripts/imgtool.py")
-    if(EXISTS "${IMGTOOL_PY}")
-      set(imgtool_path "${IMGTOOL_PY}")
-    endif()
-  endif()
-
   # No imgtool, no signed binaries.
-  if(NOT DEFINED imgtool_path)
+  if(NOT DEFINED IMGTOOL)
     message(FATAL_ERROR "Can't sign images for MCUboot: can't find imgtool. To fix, install imgtool with pip3, or add the mcuboot repository to the west manifest and ensure it has a scripts/imgtool.py file.")
     return()
   endif()
@@ -52,7 +37,7 @@ function(nrf7x_signing_tasks input output_hex output_bin dependencies)
   endif()
 
   sysbuild_get(CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION IMAGE ${DEFAULT_IMAGE} VAR CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION KCONFIG)
-  set(imgtool_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${imgtool_path} sign --version ${CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION} --align 4 --slot-size $<TARGET_PROPERTY:partition_manager,PM_NRF70_WIFI_FW_SIZE> --pad-header --header-size ${SB_CONFIG_PM_MCUBOOT_PAD})
+  set(imgtool_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${IMGTOOL} sign --version ${CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION} --align 4 --slot-size $<TARGET_PROPERTY:partition_manager,PM_NRF70_WIFI_FW_SIZE> --pad-header --header-size ${SB_CONFIG_PM_MCUBOOT_PAD})
 
   sysbuild_get(CONFIG_MCUBOOT_HARDWARE_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION IMAGE ${DEFAULT_IMAGE} VAR CONFIG_MCUBOOT_HARDWARE_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION KCONFIG)
   if(CONFIG_MCUBOOT_HARDWARE_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION)
diff --git a/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_split.cmake b/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_split.cmake
index 784ff9b949b0..ebfa3ff507a9 100644
--- a/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_split.cmake
+++ b/cmake/sysbuild/image_signing_split.cmake
@@ -74,23 +74,8 @@ function(zephyr_mcuboot_tasks)
     endif()
   endforeach()
 
-  # Find imgtool. Even though west is installed, imgtool might not be.
-  # The user may also have a custom manifest which doesn't include
-  # MCUboot.
-  #
-  # Therefore, go with an explicitly installed imgtool first, falling
-  # back on mcuboot/scripts/imgtool.py.
-  if(IMGTOOL)
-    set(imgtool_path "${IMGTOOL}")
-  elseif(DEFINED ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR)
-    set(IMGTOOL_PY "${ZEPHYR_MCUBOOT_MODULE_DIR}/scripts/imgtool.py")
-    if(EXISTS "${IMGTOOL_PY}")
-      set(imgtool_path "${IMGTOOL_PY}")
-    endif()
-  endif()
-
   # No imgtool, no signed binaries.
-  if(NOT DEFINED imgtool_path)
+  if(NOT DEFINED IMGTOOL)
     message(FATAL_ERROR "Can't sign images for MCUboot: can't find imgtool. To fix, install imgtool with pip3, or add the mcuboot repository to the west manifest and ensure it has a scripts/imgtool.py file.")
     return()
   endif()
@@ -127,8 +112,8 @@ function(zephyr_mcuboot_tasks)
   # invalid if a static PM file is updated without pristine build
   set(imgtool_internal_sign_sysbuild --slot-size @PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_SIZE@ --pad-header --header-size @PM_MCUBOOT_PAD_SIZE@ ${imgtool_internal_rom_command} CACHE STRING "imgtool sign (internal flash) sysbuild replacement")
   set(imgtool_external_sign_sysbuild --slot-size @PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_${qspi_xip_image_number}_SIZE@ --pad-header --header-size @PM_MCUBOOT_PAD_SIZE@ ${imgtool_external_rom_command} CACHE STRING "imgtool sign (external flash) sysbuild replacement")
-  set(imgtool_internal_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${imgtool_path} sign --version ${CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION} --align ${write_block_size} ${imgtool_internal_sign_sysbuild})
-  set(imgtool_external_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${imgtool_path} sign --version ${CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION} --align ${write_block_size} ${imgtool_external_sign_sysbuild})
+  set(imgtool_internal_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${IMGTOOL} sign --version ${CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION} --align ${write_block_size} ${imgtool_internal_sign_sysbuild})
+  set(imgtool_external_sign ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${IMGTOOL} sign --version ${CONFIG_MCUBOOT_IMGTOOL_SIGN_VERSION} --align ${write_block_size} ${imgtool_external_sign_sysbuild})
 
   # Arguments to imgtool.
   if(NOT CONFIG_MCUBOOT_EXTRA_IMGTOOL_ARGS STREQUAL "")