diff --git a/mock/py/mock-isolated-repo.py b/mock/py/mock-isolated-repo.py
index f873eee6e..98393e687 100755
--- a/mock/py/mock-isolated-repo.py
+++ b/mock/py/mock-isolated-repo.py
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ def prepare_image(image_specification, outputdir):
     Store the tarball into the same directory where the RPMs are
     """
     subprocess.check_output(["podman", "pull", image_specification])
-    subprocess.check_output(["podman", "save", "--quiet", "-o",
-                             os.path.join(outputdir, "bootstrap.tar"),
+    subprocess.check_output(["podman", "save", "--format=oci-archive" "--quiet",
+                             "-o", os.path.join(outputdir, "bootstrap.tar"),
                              image_specification])
 
 
diff --git a/mock/py/mockbuild/buildroot.py b/mock/py/mockbuild/buildroot.py
index 704f89e13..566236d8f 100644
--- a/mock/py/mockbuild/buildroot.py
+++ b/mock/py/mockbuild/buildroot.py
@@ -264,6 +264,12 @@ def _fallback(message):
             with _fallback("Can't initialize from bootstrap image"):
                 if not self.config["image_skip_pull"]:
                     podman.retry_image_pull(self.config["image_keep_getting"])
+
+                if self.config["isolated_build"]:
+                    tarball = os.path.join(self.config["local_directory"],
+                                           "bootstrap.tar")
+                    podman.import_tarball(tarball)
+
                 podman.cp(self.make_chroot_path(), self.config["tar_binary"])
                 file_util.unlink_if_exists(os.path.join(self.make_chroot_path(),
                                                         "etc/rpm/macros.image-language-conf"))
diff --git a/mock/py/mockbuild/config.py b/mock/py/mockbuild/config.py
index 8d91019af..13daf7697 100644
--- a/mock/py/mockbuild/config.py
+++ b/mock/py/mockbuild/config.py
@@ -390,6 +390,7 @@ def setup_default_config_opts():
     config_opts["recursion_limit"] = 5000
 
     config_opts["calculatedeps"] = None
+    config_opts["isolated_build"] = False
 
     return config_opts
 
@@ -411,6 +412,8 @@ def process_isolated_build_config(cmdline_opts, config_opts):
     if not cmdline_opts.isolated_build_config:
         return
 
+    config_opts["isolated_build"] = True
+
     json_conf, local_repo = cmdline_opts.isolated_build_config
     with open(json_conf, "r", encoding="utf-8") as fd:
         data = json.load(fd)
diff --git a/mock/py/mockbuild/podman.py b/mock/py/mockbuild/podman.py
index 9ece97502..e46d3d670 100644
--- a/mock/py/mockbuild/podman.py
+++ b/mock/py/mockbuild/podman.py
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@ def pull_image(self):
             logger.error(out)
         return not exit_status
 
+    def import_tarball(self, tarball):
+        """
+        Import tarball using podman into the local database.
+        """
+        getLog().info("Loading bootstrap image from %s", tarball)
+        cmd = [self.podman_binary, "load", "-i", tarball]
+        util.do_with_status(cmd, env=self.buildroot.env)
+
     def retry_image_pull(self, max_time):
         """ Try pulling the image multiple times """
         @backoff.on_predicate(backoff.expo, lambda x: not x,