diff --git a/test/bin/common.sh b/test/bin/common.sh
index 3a29c0cf58..d915f254c1 100644
--- a/test/bin/common.sh
+++ b/test/bin/common.sh
@@ -200,6 +200,10 @@ export MIRROR_REGISTRY_PORT=5000
 MIRROR_REGISTRY_URL="${VM_BRIDGE_IP:-$(hostname)}:${MIRROR_REGISTRY_PORT}/microshift"
 export MIRROR_REGISTRY_URL
 
+# File names containing credentials for the OpenShift mirror repositories
+export OCP_MIRROR_USERNAME_FILE="${OCP_MIRROR_USERNAME_FILE:-"${HOME}/.ocp_mirror_username"}"
+export OCP_MIRROR_PASSWORD_FILE="${OCP_MIRROR_PASSWORD_FILE:-"${HOME}/.ocp_mirror_password"}"
+
 get_build_branch() {
     local -r ocp_ver="$(grep ^OCP_VERSION "${ROOTDIR}/Makefile.version.$(uname -m).var"  | awk '{print $NF}' | awk -F. '{print $1"."$2}')"
     local -r cur_branch="$(git branch --show-current 2>/dev/null)"
diff --git a/test/bin/pyutils/build_bootc_images.py b/test/bin/pyutils/build_bootc_images.py
index b907c1088e..88428fda01 100644
--- a/test/bin/pyutils/build_bootc_images.py
+++ b/test/bin/pyutils/build_bootc_images.py
@@ -284,17 +284,31 @@ def should_skip(image, cached):
             # Note:
             # - The pull secret is necessary in some builds for pulling embedded
             #   container images referenced in release-info RPMs
+            # - The OpenShift mirror repository credentials are optional and are used
+            #   for accessing pre-release RHEL RPM repositories.
             # - The explicit push-to-mirror sets the 'latest' tag as all the build
             #   layers are in the mirror due to 'cache-to' option
             build_args = [
                 "sudo", "podman", "build",
                 "--authfile", PULL_SECRET,
-                "--secret", f"id=pullsecret,src={PULL_SECRET}",
+                "--secret", f"id=pullsecret,src={PULL_SECRET}"
+            ]
+
+            ocp_mirror_ufile = common.get_env_var('OCP_MIRROR_USERNAME_FILE')
+            ocp_mirror_pfile = common.get_env_var('OCP_MIRROR_PASSWORD_FILE')
+            if common.file_has_valid_lines(ocp_mirror_ufile) and common.file_has_valid_lines(ocp_mirror_pfile):
+                common.print_msg(f"Using OpenShift mirror repository credentials from '{ocp_mirror_ufile}' and '{ocp_mirror_pfile}'")
+                build_args += [
+                    "--volume", f"{ocp_mirror_ufile}:/etc/dnf/vars/ocp_mirror_username:z",
+                    "--volume", f"{ocp_mirror_pfile}:/etc/dnf/vars/ocp_mirror_password:z"
+                ]
+            build_args += [
                 "--cache-to", f"{MIRROR_REGISTRY}/{cf_outname}",
                 "--cache-from", f"{MIRROR_REGISTRY}/{cf_outname}",
                 "-t", cf_outname, "-f", cf_outfile,
                 IMAGEDIR
             ]
+
             start = time.time()
             common.retry_on_exception(3, common.run_command_in_shell, build_args, dry_run, logfile, logfile)
             common.record_junit(cf_path, "build-container", "OK", start)
diff --git a/test/image-blueprints-bootc/layer1-base/group1/rhel98-test-agent.containerfile b/test/image-blueprints-bootc/layer1-base/group1/rhel98-test-agent.containerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b8e2e3b8da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/image-blueprints-bootc/layer1-base/group1/rhel98-test-agent.containerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+FROM registry.stage.redhat.io/rhel9/rhel-bootc:9.8
+
+# Build arguments
+ARG USHIFT_RPM_REPO_NAME=microshift-local
+ARG USHIFT_RPM_REPO_PATH=/tmp/$USHIFT_RPM_REPO_NAME
+
+# Configure the RPM repositories (no EUS in staging environment)
+COPY --chmod=755 ./bootc-images/rpm-repo-config.sh /tmp/rpm-repo-config.sh
+RUN /tmp/rpm-repo-config.sh && rm -f /tmp/rpm-repo-config.sh
+
+# Configure the RHEL mirror RPM repositories (for use in the staging environment)
+ARG RHEL_MIRROR_REPO_NAME=rhel98-mirror.repo
+ARG RHEL_MIRROR_REPO_PATH=/etc/yum.repos.d/$RHEL_MIRROR_REPO_NAME
+COPY --chmod=644 ./bootc-images/$RHEL_MIRROR_REPO_NAME $RHEL_MIRROR_REPO_PATH
+
+# Copy the MicroShift repository contents
+COPY ./rpm-repos/$USHIFT_RPM_REPO_NAME $USHIFT_RPM_REPO_PATH
+
+# Copy repository configuration
+COPY ./bootc-images/$USHIFT_RPM_REPO_NAME.repo /etc/yum.repos.d/
+
+# Install the test agent and cleanup
+RUN dnf install -y microshift-test-agent && \
+    systemctl enable microshift-test-agent && \
+    rm -vf /etc/yum.repos.d/microshift-*.repo && \
+    rm -rvf $USHIFT_RPM_REPO_PATH && \
+    dnf clean all
diff --git a/test/package-sources-bootc/rhel98-mirror.repo b/test/package-sources-bootc/rhel98-mirror.repo
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..677d73786e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/package-sources-bootc/rhel98-mirror.repo
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+[rhel-9.8-appstream]
+name = rhel-9.8-appstream
+baseurl = https://mirror2.openshift.com/enterprise/reposync/4.22{{ if eq .Env.UNAME_M "aarch64" }}_aarch64{{ end }}/rhel-98-appstream
+enabled = 1
+sslverify = false
+gpgcheck = 0
+username = $ocp_mirror_username
+password = $ocp_mirror_password
+skip_if_unavailable = false
+
+[rhel-9.8-baseos]
+name = rhel-9.8-baseos
+baseurl = https://mirror2.openshift.com/enterprise/reposync/4.22{{ if eq .Env.UNAME_M "aarch64" }}_aarch64{{ end }}/rhel-98-baseos
+enabled = 1
+sslverify = false
+gpgcheck = 0
+username = $ocp_mirror_username
+password = $ocp_mirror_password
+skip_if_unavailable = false