diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-airgap-image-bundle.yml b/.github/workflows/build-airgap-image-bundle.yml
index 72469322450f..c1392eab9f15 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-airgap-image-bundle.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-airgap-image-bundle.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           persist-credentials: false
 
+      - name: "Download :: k0s"
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: k0s-linux-amd64
+
       - name: "Download :: Airgap image list"
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
@@ -44,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: "Cache :: Airgap image bundle :: Calculate cache key"
         id: cache-airgap-image-bundle-calc-key
         env:
-          HASH_VALUE: ${{ hashFiles('Makefile', 'airgap-images.txt', 'hack/image-bundler/*') }}
+          HASH_VALUE: ${{ hashFiles('Makefile', 'airgap-images.txt', 'cmd/airgap/*', 'pkg/airgap/*') }}
         run: |
           printf 'cache-key=build-airgap-image-bundle-%s-%s-%s\n' "$TARGET_OS" "$TARGET_ARCH" "$HASH_VALUE" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/go.yml b/.github/workflows/go.yml
index 7f270e62c472..554c8a05f360 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go.yml
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ jobs:
         id: cache-airgap-image-bundle
         uses: actions/cache@v4
         with:
-          key: airgap-image-bundle-linux-${{ matrix.arch }}-${{ hashFiles('Makefile', 'airgap-images.txt', 'hack/image-bundler/*') }}
+          key: airgap-image-bundle-linux-${{ matrix.arch }}-${{ hashFiles('Makefile', 'airgap-images.txt', 'cmd/airgap/*', 'pkg/airgap/*') }}
           path: |
             airgap-images.txt
             airgap-image-bundle-linux-${{ matrix.arch }}.tar
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5c2825e6df47..8d2dcb5c83b1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ lint-go: .k0sbuild.docker-image.k0s go.sum bindata
 .PHONY: lint
 lint: lint-copyright lint-go
 
-airgap-images.txt: k0s .k0sbuild.docker-image.k0s
+airgap-images.txt: build .k0sbuild.docker-image.k0s
 	$(GO_ENV) ./k0s airgap list-images --all > '$@'
 
 airgap-image-bundle-linux-amd64.tar: TARGET_PLATFORM := linux/amd64
@@ -230,15 +230,8 @@ airgap-image-bundle-linux-arm64.tar: TARGET_PLATFORM := linux/arm64
 airgap-image-bundle-linux-arm.tar:   TARGET_PLATFORM := linux/arm/v7
 airgap-image-bundle-linux-amd64.tar \
 airgap-image-bundle-linux-arm64.tar \
-airgap-image-bundle-linux-arm.tar: .k0sbuild.image-bundler.stamp airgap-images.txt
-	docker run --rm -i --privileged \
-	  -e TARGET_PLATFORM='$(TARGET_PLATFORM)' \
-	  '$(shell cat .k0sbuild.image-bundler.stamp)' < airgap-images.txt > '$@'
-
-.k0sbuild.image-bundler.stamp: hack/image-bundler/* embedded-bins/Makefile.variables
-	docker build --progress=plain --iidfile '$@' \
-	  --build-arg ALPINE_VERSION=$(alpine_patch_version) \
-	  -t k0sbuild.image-bundler -- hack/image-bundler
+airgap-image-bundle-linux-arm.tar: build airgap-images.txt
+	./k0s airgap -v bundle-images --platform='$(TARGET_PLATFORM)' -o '$@' <airgap-images.txt
 
 .PHONY: $(smoketests)
 check-airgap check-ap-airgap: airgap-image-bundle-linux-$(HOST_ARCH).tar
@@ -269,9 +262,7 @@ clean-docker-image:
 	$(clean-iid-files)
 
 .PHONY: clean-airgap-image-bundles
-clean-airgap-image-bundles: IID_FILES = .k0sbuild.image-bundler.stamp
 clean-airgap-image-bundles:
-	$(clean-iid-files)
 	-rm airgap-images.txt
 	-rm airgap-image-bundle-linux-amd64.tar airgap-image-bundle-linux-arm64.tar airgap-image-bundle-linux-arm.tar
 
diff --git a/cmd/airgap/testdata/.gitattributes b/cmd/airgap/testdata/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..43ddf5eee318
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/airgap/testdata/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+oci-layout/blobs/** binary
diff --git a/hack/image-bundler/Dockerfile b/hack/image-bundler/Dockerfile
deleted file mode 100644
index f9dbdf7b1f8d..000000000000
--- a/hack/image-bundler/Dockerfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-ARG ALPINE_VERSION
-FROM docker.io/library/alpine:$ALPINE_VERSION
-
-RUN apk add --no-cache containerd containerd-ctr
-COPY bundler.sh /
-CMD /bundler.sh
diff --git a/hack/image-bundler/bundler.sh b/hack/image-bundler/bundler.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 7e637b769ec3..000000000000
--- a/hack/image-bundler/bundler.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env sh
-
-set -eu
-
-containerd </dev/null >&2 &
-#shellcheck disable=SC2064
-trap "{ kill -- $! && wait -- $!; } || true" INT EXIT
-
-while ! ctr version </dev/null >/dev/null; do
-  kill -0 $!
-  echo containerd not yet available >&2
-  sleep 1
-done
-
-echo containerd up >&2
-
-set --
-
-while read -r image; do
-  echo Fetching content of "$image" ... >&2
-  out="$(ctr content fetch --platform "$TARGET_PLATFORM" -- "$image")" || {
-    code=$?
-    echo "$out" >&2
-    exit $code
-  }
-
-  set -- "$@" "$image"
-done
-
-[ -n "$*" ] || {
-  echo No images provided via STDIN! >&2
-  exit 1
-}
-
-echo Exporting images ... >&2
-ctr images export --platform "$TARGET_PLATFORM" -- - "$@"
-echo Images exported. >&2