diff --git a/.github/actionlint.yaml b/.github/actionlint.yaml
index 9d8ae12db1..ff15338ead 100644
--- a/.github/actionlint.yaml
+++ b/.github/actionlint.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ self-hosted-runner:
     - blacksmith-4vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     - blacksmith-4vcpu-ubuntu-2404-arm
     - blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
+    - blacksmith-16vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     - blacksmith-32vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     - large-linux-arm
     - large-linux-x86
diff --git a/.github/workflows/qemu-image-build.yml b/.github/workflows/qemu-image-build.yml
index d5481ee614..3b17cf3ad7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/qemu-image-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/qemu-image-build.yml
@@ -4,11 +4,20 @@ on:
   push:
     paths:
       - .github/workflows/qemu-image-build.yml
+      - Dockerfile-kubernetes
       - ansible/vars.yml
       - ebssurrogate/scripts/*
       - nix/packages/build-qemu-image/*
       - qemu.pkr.hcl
   workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      arch:
+        description: 'Guest architecture (amd64 is experimental and publishes only to staging)'
+        type: choice
+        default: arm64
+        options:
+          - arm64
+          - amd64
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -34,7 +43,10 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         postgres_version: ${{ fromJson(needs.prepare.outputs.postgres_versions) }}
-    runs-on: arm-native-runner
+        arch: ["${{ inputs.arch || 'arm64' }}"]
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.arch == 'amd64' && 'blacksmith-16vcpu-ubuntu-2404' || 'arm-native-runner' }}
+    env:
+      TARGET_ARCH: ${{ matrix.arch }}
     timeout-minutes: 150
     permissions:
       contents: write
@@ -59,7 +71,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/nix-install-ephemeral
 
       - name: Run checks if triggered manually
-        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && matrix.arch == 'arm64' }}
         run: |
           SUFFIX=$(nix run nixpkgs#yq -- ".postgres_release[\"postgres${{ matrix.postgres_version }}\"]" ansible/vars.yml | sed -E 's/[0-9\.]+(.*)$/\1/')
           if [[ -z $SUFFIX ]] ; then
@@ -67,6 +79,20 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
+      - name: Verify QEMU can use KVM
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          case "$TARGET_ARCH" in
+            amd64) QEMU=qemu-system-x86_64; MACHINE=q35 ;;
+            arm64) QEMU=qemu-system-aarch64; MACHINE=virt,gic-version=max,highmem=on ;;
+            *) echo "Unsupported architecture: $TARGET_ARCH" >&2; exit 1 ;;
+          esac
+          printf '%s\n' '{"execute":"qmp_capabilities"}' '{"execute":"query-kvm"}' '{"execute":"quit"}' |
+            nix shell --inputs-from . nixpkgs#qemu --command \
+              "$QEMU" -machine "$MACHINE,accel=kvm" -cpu host \
+              -m 128M -nodefaults -display none -S -qmp stdio |
+            jq -se 'any(.[]; .return.enabled == true)'
+
       - name: Resolve git sha
         id: resolve-git-sha
         uses: ./.github/actions/resolve-git-sha
@@ -76,12 +102,15 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build QEMU artifact
         env:
           GIT_SHA: ${{ steps.resolve-git-sha.outputs.sha }}
-        run: BUILD_QEMU_IMAGE_HW_VIRT_ONLY=1 nix run .#build-qemu-image "${{ matrix.postgres_version }}" arm64
+        run: BUILD_QEMU_IMAGE_HW_VIRT_ONLY=1 nix run .#build-qemu-image "${{ matrix.postgres_version }}" "$TARGET_ARCH"
 
       - name: Grab release version
         id: process_release_version
         run: |
           PG_VERSION=$(nix run nixpkgs#yq -- -r '.postgres_release["postgres'${{ matrix.postgres_version }}'"]' ansible/vars.yml)
+          if [[ "$TARGET_ARCH" == amd64 ]]; then
+            PG_VERSION="$PG_VERSION-amd64-$GITHUB_RUN_ID-$GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT"
+          fi
           echo "version=$PG_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
       - name: configure aws credentials - staging
@@ -100,7 +129,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           IMAGE_TAG: ${{ steps.process_release_version.outputs.version }}
         run: |
-          docker build -f Dockerfile-kubernetes -t "postgres:$IMAGE_TAG" packer-work-qemu-*
+          docker build --platform "linux/$TARGET_ARCH" -f Dockerfile-kubernetes -t "postgres:$IMAGE_TAG" packer-work-qemu-*
 
       - name: Push docker image to Amazon ECR
         if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release/') }}
@@ -114,19 +143,19 @@ jobs:
 
       # TODO (darora): temporarily also push to prod account from here - add a guard to only publish proper tagged releases to prod?
       - name: configure aws credentials - prod
-        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release/') }}
+        if: ${{ matrix.arch == 'arm64' && (github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release/')) }}
         uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@7474bc4690e29a8392af63c5b98e7449536d5c3a # v4.3.1
         with:
           role-to-assume: ${{ secrets.CONTROL_PLANE_PROD_ROLE }}
           aws-region: "us-east-1"
 
       - name: Login to Amazon ECR Prod
-        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release/') }}
+        if: ${{ matrix.arch == 'arm64' && (github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release/')) }}
         id: login-ecr-private-prod
         uses: aws-actions/amazon-ecr-login@062b18b96a7aff071d4dc91bc00c4c1a7945b076 # v2.0.1
 
-      - name: Push docker image to Amazon ECR
-        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release/') }}
+      - name: Push docker image to Amazon ECR Prod
+        if: ${{ matrix.arch == 'arm64' && (github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release/')) }}
         env:
           REGISTRY: 156470330064.dkr.ecr.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
           REPOSITORY: postgres-vm-image
diff --git a/Dockerfile-kubernetes b/Dockerfile-kubernetes
index 61eda4e1dd..8681c5cb7a 100644
--- a/Dockerfile-kubernetes
+++ b/Dockerfile-kubernetes
@@ -2,11 +2,23 @@ FROM alpine:3.23
 
 ADD output-cloudimg/packer-cloudimg /disk/image.qcow2
 
-RUN apk add --no-cache qemu-system-aarch64 qemu-img openssh-client aavmf virtiofsd \
-    && truncate -s 64M /root/varstore.img \
-    && truncate -s 64M /root/efi.img \
-    && dd if=/usr/share/AAVMF/QEMU_EFI.fd of=/root/efi.img conv=notrunc \
-    && qemu-img create -f qcow2 /tmp/disk.qcow2 -b /disk/image.qcow2 -F qcow2 \
-    && apk del --no-cache aavmf qemu-img
+RUN set -eux; \
+    case "$(apk --print-arch)" in \
+        aarch64) \
+            apk add --no-cache qemu-system-aarch64 aavmf; \
+            truncate -s 64M /root/varstore.img; \
+            truncate -s 64M /root/efi.img; \
+            dd if=/usr/share/AAVMF/QEMU_EFI.fd of=/root/efi.img conv=notrunc; \
+            apk del --no-cache aavmf ;; \
+        x86_64) \
+            apk add --no-cache qemu-system-x86_64 ovmf; \
+            cp /usr/share/OVMF/OVMF_CODE.fd /root/efi.img; \
+            cp /usr/share/OVMF/OVMF_VARS.fd /root/varstore.img; \
+            apk del --no-cache ovmf ;; \
+        *) echo "Unsupported architecture" >&2; exit 1 ;; \
+    esac; \
+    apk add --no-cache qemu-img openssh-client virtiofsd; \
+    qemu-img create -f qcow2 /tmp/disk.qcow2 -b /disk/image.qcow2 -F qcow2; \
+    apk del --no-cache qemu-img
 
 CMD exec /bin/sh -c "trap : TERM INT; sleep 9999999999d & wait"