diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 61c9d58529..99b058d7e9 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@ stages:
   - init
   - gen
   - build
-  - ostree-gen
-  - ostree-build
-  - verify
   - finish
 
 variables:
@@ -21,21 +18,6 @@ init:
   script:
     - schutzbot/update_github_status.sh start
 
-check-build-coverage:
-  stage: verify
-  extends: .terraform
-  variables:
-    RUNNER: aws/rhel-9.4-ga-x86_64
-    INTERNAL_NETWORK: "true"
-    PYTHONUNBUFFERED: 1
-  script:
-    - sudo ./test/scripts/install-dependencies
-    - ./test/scripts/check-build-coverage ./s3configs/
-  cache:
-    key: testcache
-    paths:
-      - .cache/osbuild-images
-
 finish:
   stage: finish
   dependencies: []
@@ -127,70 +109,6 @@ image-build-trigger-rhel-9.4-x86_64:
   needs:
     - generate-build-config-rhel-9.4-x86_64
 
-generate-ostree-build-config-rhel-9.4-aarch64:
-  stage: ostree-gen
-  extends: .terraform
-  variables:
-    RUNNER: aws/rhel-9.4-ga-aarch64
-    INTERNAL_NETWORK: "true"
-  script:
-    - sudo ./test/scripts/setup-osbuild-repo
-    - sudo ./test/scripts/install-dependencies
-    - ./test/scripts/generate-ostree-build-config --distro rhel-9.4 --arch aarch64 build-config.yml build-configs
-  artifacts:
-    paths:
-      - build-config.yml
-      - build-configs
-  needs:
-    - image-build-trigger-rhel-9.4-aarch64
-  cache:
-    key: testcache
-    paths:
-      - .cache/osbuild-images
-
-
-generate-ostree-build-config-rhel-9.4-x86_64:
-  stage: ostree-gen
-  extends: .terraform
-  variables:
-    RUNNER: aws/rhel-9.4-ga-x86_64
-    INTERNAL_NETWORK: "true"
-  script:
-    - sudo ./test/scripts/setup-osbuild-repo
-    - sudo ./test/scripts/install-dependencies
-    - ./test/scripts/generate-ostree-build-config --distro rhel-9.4 --arch x86_64 build-config.yml build-configs
-  artifacts:
-    paths:
-      - build-config.yml
-      - build-configs
-  needs:
-    - image-build-trigger-rhel-9.4-x86_64
-  cache:
-    key: testcache
-    paths:
-      - .cache/osbuild-images
-
-image-build-ostree-trigger-rhel-9.4-aarch64:
-  stage: ostree-build
-  trigger:
-    include:
-      - artifact: build-config.yml
-        job: generate-ostree-build-config-rhel-9.4-aarch64
-    strategy: depend
-  needs:
-    - generate-ostree-build-config-rhel-9.4-aarch64
-
-
-image-build-ostree-trigger-rhel-9.4-x86_64:
-  stage: ostree-build
-  trigger:
-    include:
-      - artifact: build-config.yml
-        job: generate-ostree-build-config-rhel-9.4-x86_64
-    strategy: depend
-  needs:
-    - generate-ostree-build-config-rhel-9.4-x86_64
-
 generate-manifests-rhel-9.4-ppc64le:
   stage: gen
   extends: .terraform
@@ -200,7 +118,7 @@ generate-manifests-rhel-9.4-ppc64le:
   script:
     - sudo ./test/scripts/setup-osbuild-repo
     - sudo ./test/scripts/install-dependencies
-    - go run ./cmd/gen-manifests --arches ppc64le --distros rhel-9.4 --workers 10 --metadata=false --output ./manifests
+    - go run -tags=exclude_graphdriver_btrfs ./cmd/gen-manifests --arches ppc64le --distros rhel-9.4 --workers 10 --metadata=false --output ./manifests
     - for manifest in ./manifests/*; do
         if osbuild --inspect $manifest > output; then
           echo "$manifest OK";
@@ -219,7 +137,7 @@ generate-manifests-rhel-9.4-s390x:
   script:
     - sudo ./test/scripts/setup-osbuild-repo
     - sudo ./test/scripts/install-dependencies
-    - go run ./cmd/gen-manifests --arches s390x --distros rhel-9.4 --workers 10 --metadata=false --output ./manifests
+    - go run -tags=exclude_graphdriver_btrfs ./cmd/gen-manifests --arches s390x --distros rhel-9.4 --workers 10 --metadata=false --output ./manifests
     - for manifest in ./manifests/*; do
         if osbuild --inspect $manifest > output; then
           echo "$manifest OK";
diff --git a/test/scripts/boot-image b/test/scripts/boot-image
index 404ffae76f..ea8af978ec 100755
--- a/test/scripts/boot-image
+++ b/test/scripts/boot-image
@@ -198,18 +198,12 @@ def main():
 
     print(f"Testing image at {image_path}")
     bib_image_id = ""
-    match image_type:
-        case "ami" | "ec2" | "ec2-ha" | "ec2-sap" | "edge-ami":
-            boot_ami(distro, arch, image_type, image_path, build_config_path)
-        case "iot-bootable-container":
-            manifest_id = build_info["manifest-checksum"]
-            boot_container(distro, arch, image_type, image_path, manifest_id)
-            bib_ref = testlib.get_bib_ref()
-            bib_image_id = testlib.skopeo_inspect_id(f"docker://{bib_ref}", testlib.host_container_arch())
-        case _:
-            # skip
-            print(f"{image_type} boot tests are not supported yet")
-            return
+    if image_type in ("ami", "ec2", "ec2-ha", "ec2-sap", "edge-ami"):
+        boot_ami(distro, arch, image_type, image_path, build_config_path)
+    else:
+        # skip
+        print(f"{image_type} boot tests are not supported yet")
+        return
 
     print("✅ Marking boot successful")
     # amend build info with boot success
diff --git a/test/scripts/build-image b/test/scripts/build-image
index ad8994568b..8ca9e73fd1 100755
--- a/test/scripts/build-image
+++ b/test/scripts/build-image
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def main():
         print(json.dumps(config, indent=2))
         config_name = config["name"]
 
-    testlib.runcmd(["go", "build", "-o", "./bin/build", "./cmd/build"])
+    testlib.runcmd(["go", "build", "-tags=exclude_graphdriver_btrfs", "-o", "./bin/build", "./cmd/build"])
 
     cmd = ["sudo", "-E", "./bin/build", "--output", "./build",
            "--distro", distro, "--image", image_type, "--config", config_path]
diff --git a/test/scripts/generate-build-config b/test/scripts/generate-build-config
index 4fa01f2871..d8d2b7c2c6 100755
--- a/test/scripts/generate-build-config
+++ b/test/scripts/generate-build-config
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ build/{distro}/{arch}/{image_type}/{config_name}:
     - sudo ./test/scripts/install-dependencies
     - ./test/scripts/build-image "{distro}" "{image_type}" "{config}"
     - ./test/scripts/boot-image "{distro}" "{arch}" "{image_type}" "{image_path}"
-    - ./test/scripts/upload-results "{distro}" "{image_type}" "{config}"
   extends: .terraform
   variables:
     RUNNER: aws/rhel-9.4-ga-{arch}
diff --git a/test/scripts/generate-gitlab-ci b/test/scripts/generate-gitlab-ci
index 482ee7c045..056e105806 100755
--- a/test/scripts/generate-gitlab-ci
+++ b/test/scripts/generate-gitlab-ci
@@ -14,9 +14,6 @@ stages:
   - init
   - gen
   - build
-  - ostree-gen
-  - ostree-build
-  - verify
   - finish
 
 variables:
@@ -32,21 +29,6 @@ init:
   script:
     - schutzbot/update_github_status.sh start
 
-check-build-coverage:
-  stage: verify
-  extends: .terraform
-  variables:
-    RUNNER: aws/rhel-9.4-ga-x86_64
-    INTERNAL_NETWORK: "true"
-    PYTHONUNBUFFERED: 1
-  script:
-    - sudo ./test/scripts/install-dependencies
-    - ./test/scripts/check-build-coverage ./s3configs/
-  cache:
-    key: testcache
-    paths:
-      - .cache/osbuild-images
-
 finish:
   stage: finish
   dependencies: []
@@ -97,42 +79,6 @@ image-build-trigger-{distro}-{arch}:
     - generate-build-config-{distro}-{arch}
 """
 
-OSTREE_GEN_TEMPLATE = """
-generate-ostree-build-config-{distro}-{arch}:
-  stage: ostree-gen
-  extends: .terraform
-  variables:
-    RUNNER: aws/rhel-9.4-ga-{arch}
-    INTERNAL_NETWORK: "true"
-  script:
-    - sudo ./test/scripts/setup-osbuild-repo
-    - sudo ./test/scripts/install-dependencies
-    - ./test/scripts/generate-ostree-build-config --distro {distro} --arch {arch} build-config.yml build-configs
-  artifacts:
-    paths:
-      - build-config.yml
-      - build-configs
-  needs:
-    - image-build-trigger-{distro}-{arch}
-  cache:
-    key: testcache
-    paths:
-      - {cache}
-"""
-
-OSTREE_TRIGGER_TEMPLATE = """
-image-build-ostree-trigger-{distro}-{arch}:
-  stage: ostree-build
-  trigger:
-    include:
-      - artifact: build-config.yml
-        job: generate-ostree-build-config-{distro}-{arch}
-    strategy: depend
-  needs:
-    - generate-ostree-build-config-{distro}-{arch}
-"""
-
-
 MANIFEST_GEN_TEMPLATE = """
 generate-manifests-{distro}-{arch}:
   stage: gen
@@ -143,7 +89,7 @@ generate-manifests-{distro}-{arch}:
   script:
     - sudo ./test/scripts/setup-osbuild-repo
     - sudo ./test/scripts/install-dependencies
-    - go run ./cmd/gen-manifests --arches {arch} --distros {distro} --workers 10 --metadata=false --output ./manifests
+    - go run -tags=exclude_graphdriver_btrfs ./cmd/gen-manifests --arches {arch} --distros {distro} --workers 10 --metadata=false --output ./manifests
     - for manifest in ./manifests/*; do
         if osbuild --inspect $manifest > output; then
           echo "$manifest OK";
@@ -167,8 +113,6 @@ def main():
 
     gen_stage = []
     trigger_stage = []
-    ostree_gen_stage = []
-    ostree_trigger_stage = []
     for img in sort_configs(images):
         combo = (img["distro"], img["arch"])
         if combo in combos:
@@ -177,8 +121,6 @@ def main():
         combos.add(combo)
         gen_stage.append(GEN_TEMPLATE.format(distro=img["distro"], arch=img["arch"], cache=cache))
         trigger_stage.append(TRIGGER_TEMPLATE.format(distro=img["distro"], arch=img["arch"], cache=cache))
-        ostree_gen_stage.append(OSTREE_GEN_TEMPLATE.format(distro=img["distro"], arch=img["arch"], cache=cache))
-        ostree_trigger_stage.append(OSTREE_TRIGGER_TEMPLATE.format(distro=img["distro"], arch=img["arch"], cache=cache))
 
     man_only_images = testlib.list_images(arches=MANIFEST_ONLY_ARCHES)
     man_gen_stage = []
@@ -195,8 +137,6 @@ def main():
         config_file.write(testlib.BASE_CONFIG)
         config_file.write("\n".join(gen_stage))
         config_file.write("\n".join(trigger_stage))
-        config_file.write("\n".join(ostree_gen_stage))
-        config_file.write("\n".join(ostree_trigger_stage))
         config_file.write("\n".join(man_gen_stage))
 
 
diff --git a/test/scripts/generate-ostree-build-config b/test/scripts/generate-ostree-build-config
index 6c66e8ad95..d90c053101 100755
--- a/test/scripts/generate-ostree-build-config
+++ b/test/scripts/generate-ostree-build-config
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ build/{distro}/{arch}/{image_type}/{config_name}:
     - {start_container}
     - ./test/scripts/build-image "{distro}" "{image_type}" "{config}"
     - ./test/scripts/boot-image "{distro}" "{arch}" "{image_type}" "{image_path}"
-    - ./test/scripts/upload-results "{distro}" "{image_type}" "{config}"
   extends: .terraform
   variables:
     RUNNER: aws/rhel-9.4-ga-{arch}
diff --git a/test/scripts/imgtestlib.py b/test/scripts/imgtestlib.py
index ad29703963..45d5bb73fe 100644
--- a/test/scripts/imgtestlib.py
+++ b/test/scripts/imgtestlib.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ def list_images(distros=None, arches=None, images=None):
     images_arg = "*"
     if images:
         images_arg = ",".join(images)
-    out, _ = runcmd(["go", "run", "./cmd/list-images", "--json",
+    out, _ = runcmd(["go", "run", "-tags=exclude_graphdriver_btrfs", "./cmd/list-images", "--json",
                      "--distros", distros_arg, "--arches", arches_arg, "--images", images_arg])
     return json.loads(out)
 
@@ -201,7 +201,9 @@ def check_config_names():
 def gen_manifests(outputdir, config_map=None, distros=None, arches=None, images=None,
                   commits=False, skip_no_config=False):
     # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments
-    cmd = ["go", "run", "./cmd/gen-manifests",
+    cmd = ["go", "run",
+           "-tags=exclude_graphdriver_btrfs",
+           "./cmd/gen-manifests",
            "--cache", os.path.join(TEST_CACHE_ROOT, "rpmmd"),
            "--output", outputdir,
            "--workers", "100"]
@@ -316,12 +318,8 @@ def filter_builds(manifests, distro=None, arch=None, skip_ostree_pull=True):
     os.makedirs(dl_path, exist_ok=True)
     build_requests = []
 
-    out, dl_ok = dl_build_info(dl_path, distro=distro, arch=arch)
-    # continue even if the dl failed; will build all configs
-    if dl_ok:
-        # print output which includes list of downloaded files for CI job log
-        print(out)
-
+    # NOTE: disabled cache download for RHEL because there no aws-cli, the build matrix is smaller, and we wont be
+    # making many PRs to the branch.
     osbuild_ver = get_osbuild_nevra()
 
     errors: list[str] = []
diff --git a/test/scripts/install-dependencies b/test/scripts/install-dependencies
index 8d8d0c1473..6a5d8f5da8 100755
--- a/test/scripts/install-dependencies
+++ b/test/scripts/install-dependencies
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 dnf -y install \
-    awscli2 \
-    btrfs-progs-devel \
     device-mapper-devel \
     gcc \
     go \