diff --git a/.github/workflows/extra.yml b/.github/workflows/extra.yml
index c91d6fe78..bcbefb492 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/extra.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/extra.yml
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ jobs:
           -var "source_image_name=${{ fromJSON(env.FAT_IMAGES)['cluster_image'][matrix.build.source_image_name_key] }}" \
           -var "image_name=${{ matrix.build.image_name }}" \
           -var "inventory_groups=${{ matrix.build.inventory_groups }}" \
+          -var "use_blockstorage_volume=true" \
           -var "volume_size=${{ matrix.build.volume_size }}" \
           openstack.pkr.hcl
         
@@ -118,10 +119,16 @@ jobs:
           echo $IMAGE_ID > image-id.txt
           echo $IMAGE_NAME > image-name.txt
 
-      - name: Make image usable for further builds
+      - name: Make image usable for further builds (if signature_verified property exists)
         run: |
           . venv/bin/activate
-          openstack image unset --property signature_verified "${{ steps.manifest.outputs.image-id }}"
+          IMAGE_ID="${{ steps.manifest.outputs.image-id }}"
+          if openstack image show "$IMAGE_ID" -f json | jq -e '.properties.signature_verified' > /dev/null; then
+            echo "Unsetting signature_verified..."
+            openstack image unset --property signature_verified "$IMAGE_ID"
+          else
+            echo "signature_verified not set, skipping unset."
+          fi
 
       - name: Delete image for automatically-run workflows
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/fatimage.yml b/.github/workflows/fatimage.yml
index c3b91fefa..221ff47d8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/fatimage.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/fatimage.yml
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Make image usable for further builds
         run: |
           . venv/bin/activate
-          openstack image unset --property signature_verified "${{ steps.manifest.outputs.image-id }}"
+          # if there, remove signature_verified
+          openstack image unset --property signature_verified "${{ steps.manifest.outputs.image-id }}" || true
 
       - name: Upload manifest artifact
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
diff --git a/environments/.stackhpc/tofu/cluster_image.auto.tfvars.json b/environments/.stackhpc/tofu/cluster_image.auto.tfvars.json
index ea8d46e4a..476755815 100644
--- a/environments/.stackhpc/tofu/cluster_image.auto.tfvars.json
+++ b/environments/.stackhpc/tofu/cluster_image.auto.tfvars.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "cluster_image": {
-        "RL8": "openhpc-RL8-250401-1100-9a3cffdb",
-        "RL9": "openhpc-RL9-250401-1100-9a3cffdb"
+        "RL8": "openhpc-RL8-250407-1445-7a49b018",
+        "RL9": "openhpc-RL9-250407-1445-7a49b018"
     }
 }
diff --git a/packer/openstack.pkr.hcl b/packer/openstack.pkr.hcl
index 2ba0a1e63..5295c42e2 100644
--- a/packer/openstack.pkr.hcl
+++ b/packer/openstack.pkr.hcl
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ variable "manifest_output_path" {
 
 variable "use_blockstorage_volume" {
   type = bool
-  default = true
+  default = false
 }
 
 variable "volume_type" {
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ variable "volume_type" {
 
 variable "volume_size" {
   type = number
-  default = 15
+  default = null
 }
 
 variable "image_disk_format" {
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ source "openstack" "openhpc" {
   ssh_bastion_private_key_file = var.ssh_bastion_private_key_file
   
   # Output image:
-  image_disk_format = "qcow2"
+  image_disk_format = var.use_blockstorage_volume ? "qcow2" : null
   image_visibility = var.image_visibility
   
 }