diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml
index 0d49ef0a..f1b1f1dc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml
@@ -91,12 +91,12 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Set Up Container Image Tags for zrok CLI Container
         env:
-          RELEASE_REPO: openziti/zrok
-          ZROK_VERSION: ${{ steps.slug.outputs.branch_tag }}
+          ZROK_CONTAINER_IMAGE_REPO: ${{ vars.ZROK_CONTAINER_IMAGE_REPO || 'openziti/zrok' }}
+          ZROK_CONTAINER_IMAGE_TAG: ${{ steps.slug.outputs.branch_tag }}
         id: tagprep_cli
         run: |
           DOCKER_TAGS=""
-          DOCKER_TAGS="${RELEASE_REPO}:${ZROK_VERSION}"
+          DOCKER_TAGS="${ZROK_CONTAINER_IMAGE_REPO}:${ZROK_CONTAINER_IMAGE_TAG}"
           echo "DEBUG: DOCKER_TAGS=${DOCKER_TAGS}"
           echo DOCKER_TAGS="${DOCKER_TAGS}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
diff --git a/docker/images/zrok/Dockerfile b/docker/images/zrok/Dockerfile
index 49e04206..f9ff31fb 100644
--- a/docker/images/zrok/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/images/zrok/Dockerfile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # this builds docker.io/openziti/zrok
-FROM registry.access.redhat.com/ubi8/ubi-minimal
+FROM docker.io/openziti/ziti-cli:0.27.9
 # This build stage grabs artifacts that are copied into the final image.
 # It uses the same base as the final image to maximize docker cache hits.
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ LABEL name="openziti/zrok" \
 USER root
 
 ### add licenses to this directory
-RUN mkdir -m0755 /licenses
+RUN mkdir -p -m0755 /licenses
 COPY ./LICENSE /licenses/apache.txt
 
 RUN mkdir -p /usr/local/bin