diff --git a/.github/workflows/smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/smoke.yml
index 53651590c837..9aeeb5ea1fd4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/smoke.yml
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ jobs:
         addons: '["dns", "hostpath-storage", "rbac"]'
         launch-configuration: "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/.github/microk8s-launch-config-aws.yaml"
 
+    - name: Setup rockcraft
+      run: |
+        sudo snap install rockcraft --classic
+
     - name: Set up Go
       uses: actions/setup-go@v5
       with:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e456983a6d1e..086198204776 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ OCI_IMAGE_PLATFORMS ?= linux/$(GOARCH)
 # Build tags passed to go install/build.
 # Passing no-dqlite will disable building with dqlite.
 # Example: BUILD_TAGS="minimal provider_kubernetes"
-BUILD_TAGS ?= 
+BUILD_TAGS ?=
 
 # EXTRA_BUILD_TAGS is not passed in, but built up from context.
 EXTRA_BUILD_TAGS =
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ check-deps:
 
 
 # CAAS related targets
-export OCI_BUILDER         ?= $(shell (which podman 2>&1 > /dev/null && echo podman) || echo docker )
+export OCI_BUILDER         ?= $(shell (which rockcraft 2>&1 > /dev/null && echo rockcraft) || echo docker )
 DOCKER_USERNAME            ?= docker.io/jujusolutions
 DOCKER_BUILDX_CONTEXT      ?= juju-make
 DOCKER_STAGING_DIR         ?= ${BUILD_DIR}/docker-staging
diff --git a/make_functions.sh b/make_functions.sh
index c422bfa58ebb..a23c8f2b2b57 100755
--- a/make_functions.sh
+++ b/make_functions.sh
@@ -146,8 +146,14 @@ build_push_operator_image() {
         if [[ "$push_image" = true ]]; then
             "$DOCKER_BIN" manifest push -f v2s2 "$(operator_image_path)" "docker://$(operator_image_path)"
         fi
+    elif [[ "${OCI_BUILDER}" == "rockcraft" ]]; then
+        rockcraft pack -v
+        mv *.rock "${BUILD_DIR}/oci.tar.gz"
+        rockcraft.skopeo copy --insecure-policy \
+            oci-archive:"${BUILD_DIR}/oci.tar.gz" \
+            "docker-daemon:$(operator_image_path)"
     else
-        echo "unknown OCI_BUILDER=${OCI_BUILDER} expected docker or podman"
+        echo "unknown OCI_BUILDER=${OCI_BUILDER} expected docker, podman or rockcraft"
         exit 1
     fi
 }
@@ -166,7 +172,7 @@ seed_repository() {
     else
       break
     fi
-  done	
+  done
 }
 
 wait_for_dpkg() {