diff --git a/roles/candlepin_repositories/defaults/main.yml b/roles/candlepin_repositories/defaults/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2f099db7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/candlepin_repositories/defaults/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+---
+candlepin_repositories_version: '4.3'
diff --git a/roles/candlepin_repositories/tasks/main.yml b/roles/candlepin_repositories/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..296f6c9ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/candlepin_repositories/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+- name: "Add Candlepin {{ candlepin_repositories_version }} repository"
+  yum_repository:
+    name: candlepin-repository
+    description: Candlepin {{ candlepin_repositories_version }}
+    baseurl: "https://yum.theforeman.org/candlepin/{{ candlepin_repositories_version }}/el{{ ansible_distribution_major_version }}/$basearch/"
+    gpgcheck: no
+    enabled: yes
+
+- name: 'Enable pki-core module'
+  command: dnf module enable -y pki-core
+  # can't use the `dnf` module for modules without a default stream
+  # https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/56504
+  # https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/64852
+  args:
+    creates: /etc/dnf/modules.d/pki-core.module
diff --git a/roles/forklift_versions/library/forklift_versions.py b/roles/forklift_versions/library/forklift_versions.py
index b53d59212..18993335f 100644
--- a/roles/forklift_versions/library/forklift_versions.py
+++ b/roles/forklift_versions/library/forklift_versions.py
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ def main():
                         'foreman_puppet_repositories_version': version['puppet'],
                         'pulpcore_repositories_version': version['pulpcore'],
                         }
+                if 'candlepin' in version:
+                    forklift_vars['candlepin_repositories_version'] = version['candlepin']
                 ret = forklift_vars
                 break
     else:
@@ -93,10 +95,6 @@ def main():
         for version in reversed(versions['installers']):
             if not scenario_os in version['boxes']:
                 continue
-            # this is a hack, to be removed once all Katello versions support EL8 in the same manner Foreman does
-            # aka: when 4.4 is released
-            if scenario == 'katello' and (scenario_os.startswith('centos8') or scenario_os.startswith('almalinux8')) and version_sort_key(version[scenario]) < version_sort_key('4.0'):
-                continue
             if version_sort_key(version[scenario]) <= version_sort_key(scenario_version):
                 possible_versions.add(version[scenario])
         possible_versions = list(sorted(possible_versions, key=version_sort_key, reverse=True))
diff --git a/roles/forklift_versions/molecule/default/verify.yml b/roles/forklift_versions/molecule/default/verify.yml
index ae48a5a75..77a76c4a0 100644
--- a/roles/forklift_versions/molecule/default/verify.yml
+++ b/roles/forklift_versions/molecule/default/verify.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
           - foreman_repositories_version == '3.6'
           - katello_repositories_version == '4.8'
           - pulpcore_repositories_version == '3.22'
+          - candlepin_repositories_version is not defined
 
     - name: "Include forklift_versions for 4.4 installs"
       include_role:
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@
           - foreman_repositories_version is defined
           - katello_repositories_version is defined
           - pulpcore_repositories_version is defined
+          - candlepin_repositories_version is defined
 
     - name: "Include forklift_versions for upgrades"
       include_role:
diff --git a/roles/katello_repositories/tasks/_stagingyum_staging_repos.yml b/roles/katello_repositories/tasks/_stagingyum_staging_repos.yml
index 265ea8641..9aa9152bf 100644
--- a/roles/katello_repositories/tasks/_stagingyum_staging_repos.yml
+++ b/roles/katello_repositories/tasks/_stagingyum_staging_repos.yml
@@ -7,12 +7,3 @@
     gpgcheck: no
   tags:
     - packages
-
-- name: 'Candlepin {{ katello_repositories_version }} Staging repository'
-  yum_repository:
-    name: candlepin-staging
-    description: "Candlepin {{ katello_repositories_version }} Staging Repository"
-    baseurl: "https://stagingyum.theforeman.org/candlepin/{{ katello_repositories_version }}/el{{ ansible_distribution_major_version }}/x86_64/"
-    gpgcheck: no
-  tags:
-    - packages
diff --git a/roles/katello_repositories/tasks/staging_repos.yml b/roles/katello_repositories/tasks/staging_repos.yml
index 8b3d9d0ab..364f75604 100644
--- a/roles/katello_repositories/tasks/staging_repos.yml
+++ b/roles/katello_repositories/tasks/staging_repos.yml
@@ -21,3 +21,9 @@
 - name: 'Add Pulpcore repository'
   include_role:
     name: pulpcore_repositories
+
+- name: 'Add Candlepin repository'
+  include_role:
+    name: candlepin_repositories
+  when:
+    - candlepin_repositories_version is defined
diff --git a/vagrant/config/versions.yaml b/vagrant/config/versions.yaml
index c3b909521..6f31d3e2b 100644
--- a/vagrant/config/versions.yaml
+++ b/vagrant/config/versions.yaml
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ installers:
 
   - foreman: '3.9'
     katello: '4.11'
+    candlepin: '4.3'
     pulpcore: '3.39'
     puppet: 7
     boxes:
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ installers:
 
   - foreman: 'nightly'
     katello: 'nightly'
+    candlepin: '4.3'
     pulpcore: '3.39'
     puppet: 7
     boxes: