diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 0f8a700..77c6a1c 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -715,6 +715,7 @@ name = "forge-builder"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "dirs",
+ "forge-oci",
  "libc",
  "miette 7.6.0",
  "reqwest",
diff --git a/crates/forge-builder/Cargo.toml b/crates/forge-builder/Cargo.toml
index 9bc6b47..725cf0a 100644
--- a/crates/forge-builder/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/forge-builder/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ rust-version.workspace = true
 
 [dependencies]
 spec-parser = { workspace = true }
+forge-oci = { workspace = true }
 vm-manager = { workspace = true }
 miette = { workspace = true }
 thiserror = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/crates/forge-builder/src/error.rs b/crates/forge-builder/src/error.rs
index 3f06e3b..bd8394b 100644
--- a/crates/forge-builder/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/forge-builder/src/error.rs
@@ -65,6 +65,13 @@ pub enum BuilderError {
     )]
     KeygenFailed { detail: String },
 
+    #[error("failed to push artifact to OCI registry: {detail}")]
+    #[diagnostic(
+        code(forge_builder::artifact_push_failed),
+        help("check that GITHUB_TOKEN is set and the registry reference is valid")
+    )]
+    ArtifactPushFailed { detail: String },
+
     #[error(transparent)]
     #[diagnostic(code(forge_builder::vm_error))]
     VmError(#[from] vm_manager::VmError),
diff --git a/crates/forge-builder/src/lib.rs b/crates/forge-builder/src/lib.rs
index 04a7f5e..161ccda 100644
--- a/crates/forge-builder/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/forge-builder/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ pub mod config;
 pub mod detect;
 pub mod error;
 pub mod lifecycle;
+pub mod push;
 pub mod transfer;
 
 use std::io::{stderr, stdout};
@@ -31,15 +32,23 @@ pub async fn run_in_builder(
     output_dir: &Path,
     target: Option<&str>,
     profiles: &[String],
+    builder_image: Option<&str>,
+    skip_push: bool,
 ) -> Result<(), BuilderError> {
     let distro = DistroFamily::from_distro_str(spec.distro.as_deref());
-    let config = BuilderConfig::resolve(spec.builder.as_ref(), &distro);
+    let mut config = BuilderConfig::resolve(spec.builder.as_ref(), &distro);
+
+    // CLI --builder-image overrides the spec/default image
+    if let Some(img) = builder_image {
+        config.image = img.to_string();
+    }
+
     let binary = binary::resolve_forger_binary(&distro).await?;
 
     info!("Starting builder VM for remote build");
     let session = lifecycle::BuilderSession::start(&config).await?;
 
-    let result = run_build_in_session(&session, spec, &binary.path, spec_path, files_dir, output_dir, target, profiles).await;
+    let result = run_build_in_session(&session, spec, &binary.path, spec_path, files_dir, output_dir, target, profiles, skip_push).await;
 
     // On failure, try to collect diagnostic info before teardown
     if let Err(ref e) = result {
@@ -180,6 +189,7 @@ async fn run_build_in_session(
     output_dir: &Path,
     target: Option<&str>,
     profiles: &[String],
+    skip_push: bool,
 ) -> Result<(), BuilderError> {
     // Verify network connectivity (DNS) before doing anything
     verify_network(session)?;
@@ -190,9 +200,10 @@ async fn run_build_in_session(
     // Upload inputs
     transfer::upload_build_inputs(session, binary_path, spec_path, files_dir)?;
 
-    // Build the remote command
+    // Build the remote command — always pass --skip-push so the VM never attempts
+    // to push to the registry (it lacks GITHUB_TOKEN); the host handles pushing.
     let mut cmd = String::from(
-        "sudo /tmp/forger-build/forger build -s /tmp/forger-build/spec.kdl -o /tmp/forger-build/output/ --local",
+        "sudo /tmp/forger-build/forger build -s /tmp/forger-build/spec.kdl -o /tmp/forger-build/output/ --local --skip-push",
     );
 
     if let Some(t) = target {
@@ -230,5 +241,11 @@ async fn run_build_in_session(
     transfer::download_artifacts(session, output_dir)?;
 
     info!(output = %output_dir.display(), "Build artifacts downloaded successfully");
+
+    // Host-side push: push QCOW2 outputs from the host where GITHUB_TOKEN is available
+    if !skip_push {
+        push::push_qcow2_outputs(spec, output_dir).await?;
+    }
+
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/forge-builder/src/push.rs b/crates/forge-builder/src/push.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ad5da4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/forge-builder/src/push.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+use std::path::Path;
+
+use spec_parser::schema::ImageSpec;
+use tracing::info;
+
+use crate::error::BuilderError;
+
+/// Push QCOW2 outputs to OCI registries from the host side.
+///
+/// Iterates over spec targets, finds QCOW2 files with `push_to` set,
+/// and pushes them via `forge_oci::artifact`. This mirrors
+/// `forge_engine::phase2::push_qcow2_if_configured()` but runs on the
+/// host where `GITHUB_TOKEN` is available.
+pub async fn push_qcow2_outputs(spec: &ImageSpec, output_dir: &Path) -> Result<(), BuilderError> {
+    for target in &spec.targets {
+        let Some(ref push_ref) = target.push_to else {
+            continue;
+        };
+
+        let qcow2_path = output_dir.join(format!("{}.qcow2", target.name));
+
+        if !qcow2_path.exists() {
+            info!(
+                target = %target.name,
+                path = %qcow2_path.display(),
+                "QCOW2 file not found — skipping push"
+            );
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        info!(
+            reference = %push_ref,
+            path = %qcow2_path.display(),
+            "Pushing QCOW2 artifact to OCI registry (host-side)"
+        );
+
+        let qcow2_data =
+            std::fs::read(&qcow2_path).map_err(|e| BuilderError::ArtifactPushFailed {
+                detail: format!("failed to read QCOW2 file {}: {e}", qcow2_path.display()),
+            })?;
+
+        let metadata = forge_oci::artifact::Qcow2Metadata {
+            name: target.name.clone(),
+            version: "latest".to_string(),
+            architecture: "amd64".to_string(),
+            os: "linux".to_string(),
+            description: None,
+        };
+
+        let auth = forge_oci::artifact::resolve_ghcr_auth();
+
+        forge_oci::artifact::push_qcow2_artifact(push_ref, qcow2_data, &metadata, &auth, &[])
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| BuilderError::ArtifactPushFailed {
+                detail: e.to_string(),
+            })?;
+
+        info!(reference = %push_ref, "Host-side push complete");
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/crates/forge-engine/src/lib.rs b/crates/forge-engine/src/lib.rs
index 7d1762d..79b2e81 100644
--- a/crates/forge-engine/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/forge-engine/src/lib.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ pub struct BuildContext<'a> {
     pub output_dir: &'a Path,
     /// Tool runner for executing external commands.
     pub runner: &'a dyn ToolRunner,
+    /// Skip OCI registry push after build (host-side push handles it instead).
+    pub skip_push: bool,
 }
 
 impl<'a> BuildContext<'a> {
@@ -88,8 +90,10 @@ impl<'a> BuildContext<'a> {
         finalize_result?;
         cleanup_result?;
 
-        // Auto-push to OCI registry if configured
-        phase2::push_qcow2_if_configured(target, self.output_dir).await?;
+        // Auto-push to OCI registry if configured (skipped when host-side push handles it)
+        if !self.skip_push {
+            phase2::push_qcow2_if_configured(target, self.output_dir).await?;
+        }
 
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/crates/forger/src/commands/build.rs b/crates/forger/src/commands/build.rs
index 3732825..3b5ea63 100644
--- a/crates/forger/src/commands/build.rs
+++ b/crates/forger/src/commands/build.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ pub async fn run(
     output_dir: &PathBuf,
     local: bool,
     use_builder: bool,
+    skip_push: bool,
+    builder_image: Option<&str>,
 ) -> miette::Result<()> {
     let kdl_content = std::fs::read_to_string(spec_path)
         .into_diagnostic()
@@ -48,6 +50,8 @@ pub async fn run(
                 output_dir,
                 target,
                 profiles,
+                builder_image,
+                skip_push,
             )
             .await
             .map_err(miette::Report::new)
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ pub async fn run(
     // Suppress unused variable warnings when builder feature is disabled
     #[cfg(not(feature = "builder"))]
     {
-        let _ = (local, use_builder);
+        let _ = (local, use_builder, builder_image);
     }
 
     let runner = SystemToolRunner;
@@ -71,6 +75,7 @@ pub async fn run(
         files_dir: &files_dir,
         output_dir,
         runner: &runner,
+        skip_push,
     };
 
     info!(
diff --git a/crates/forger/src/main.rs b/crates/forger/src/main.rs
index 7ebcf5b..d330771 100644
--- a/crates/forger/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/forger/src/main.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,14 @@ enum Commands {
         /// Force build inside a builder VM
         #[arg(long, conflicts_with = "local")]
         use_builder: bool,
+
+        /// Skip OCI registry push (host-side push used with builder VMs)
+        #[arg(long)]
+        skip_push: bool,
+
+        /// Override builder VM image (path, URL, or oci:// reference)
+        #[arg(long)]
+        builder_image: Option<String>,
     },
 
     /// Validate a spec file (parse + resolve includes)
@@ -109,8 +117,20 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
             output_dir,
             local,
             use_builder,
+            skip_push,
+            builder_image,
         } => {
-            commands::build::run(&spec, target.as_deref(), &profile, &output_dir, local, use_builder).await?;
+            commands::build::run(
+                &spec,
+                target.as_deref(),
+                &profile,
+                &output_dir,
+                local,
+                use_builder,
+                skip_push,
+                builder_image.as_deref(),
+            )
+            .await?;
         }
         Commands::Validate { spec } => {
             commands::validate::run(&spec)?;
diff --git a/images/omnios-rust-ci.kdl b/images/omnios-rust-ci.kdl
index 3afb92b..a1e039c 100644
--- a/images/omnios-rust-ci.kdl
+++ b/images/omnios-rust-ci.kdl
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ overlays {
     file destination="/etc/default/init" source="default_init.utc" owner="root" group="root" mode="644"
 }
 
+builder {
+    image "https://downloads.omnios.org/media/bloody/omnios-bloody-cloud.raw.zst"
+    vcpus 4
+    memory 4096
+}
+
 target "qcow2" kind="qcow2" {
     disk-size "4000M"
     bootloader "uefi"
diff --git a/images/ubuntu-rust-ci.kdl b/images/ubuntu-rust-ci.kdl
index 5143435..80b4bc2 100644
--- a/images/ubuntu-rust-ci.kdl
+++ b/images/ubuntu-rust-ci.kdl
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ overlays {
 }
 
 builder {
+    image "https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/jammy/current/jammy-server-cloudimg-amd64.img"
     vcpus 4
     memory 4096
 }