diff --git a/.github/workflows/__e2e_chainsaw_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/__e2e_chainsaw_tests.yaml
index 27f18e31e7..a744f1ee29 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/__e2e_chainsaw_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/__e2e_chainsaw_tests.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ on:
         description: "Kind node image version"
         type: string
         required: true
+      artifacts_run_id:
+        description: "Workflow run id that produced the e2e image artifact"
+        type: string
+        required: true
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -32,8 +36,15 @@ jobs:
         egress-policy: audit
     - uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
 
-    - name: build docker image
-      run: make docker.build
+    - name: download e2e image artifact
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@70fc10c6e5e1ce46ad2ea6f2b72d43f7d47b13c3 # v8.0.0
+      with:
+        name: kong-operator-e2e-image-${{ inputs.artifacts_run_id }}
+        run-id: ${{ inputs.artifacts_run_id }}
+        github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+    - name: load docker image
+      run: docker load -i kong-operator_e2e.tar
 
     - uses: jdx/mise-action@5228313ee0372e111a38da051671ca30fc5a96db # v3.6.3
       with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
index ccabbf623c..6f85846fab 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
@@ -42,6 +42,40 @@ env:
   MISE_VERBOSE: 1
 
 jobs:
+  build-e2e-image:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: [check-docs-only]
+    if: ${{ needs.check-docs-only.outputs.docs_only != 'true' }}
+    env:
+      IMG: kong-operator
+      TAG: e2e-${{ github.sha }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Harden Runner
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@a90bcbc6539c36a85cdfeb73f7e2f433735f215b # v2.15.0
+        with:
+          egress-policy: audit
+      - name: checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
+
+      - name: setup golang
+        uses: actions/setup-go@4b73464bb391d4059bd26b0524d20df3927bd417 # v6.3.0
+        with:
+          go-version-file: go.mod
+
+      - name: build docker image
+        run: make docker.build
+
+      - name: save docker image as artifact
+        run: docker save ${{ env.IMG }}:${{ env.TAG }} -o kong-operator_e2e.tar
+
+      - name: upload docker image artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@bbbca2ddaa5d8feaa63e36b76fdaad77386f024f # v7.0.0
+        with:
+          name: kong-operator-e2e-image-${{ github.run_id }}
+          path: kong-operator_e2e.tar
+          retention-days: 1
+          if-no-files-found: error
+
   check-docs-only:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
@@ -398,7 +432,7 @@ jobs:
 
   e2e-tests:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: [check-docs-only]
+    needs: [check-docs-only, build-e2e-image]
     if: ${{ needs.check-docs-only.outputs.docs_only != 'true' }}
     steps:
     - name: Harden Runner
@@ -415,11 +449,13 @@ jobs:
       with:
         go-version-file: go.mod
 
-    - name: build docker image
-      env:
-        IMG: kong-operator
-        TAG: e2e-${{ github.sha }}
-      run: make docker.build
+    - name: download e2e image artifact
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@70fc10c6e5e1ce46ad2ea6f2b72d43f7d47b13c3 # v8.0.0
+      with:
+        name: kong-operator-e2e-image-${{ github.run_id }}
+
+    - name: load docker image
+      run: docker load -i kong-operator_e2e.tar
 
     - uses: jdx/mise-action@5228313ee0372e111a38da051671ca30fc5a96db # v3.6.3
       with:
@@ -449,12 +485,14 @@ jobs:
   e2e-tests-chainsaw:
     needs:
       - check-docs-only
+      - build-e2e-image
       - matrix_k8s_node_versions
     if: ${{ needs.check-docs-only.outputs.docs_only != 'true' }}
     uses: ./.github/workflows/__e2e_chainsaw_tests.yaml
     secrets: inherit
     with:
       node_image_version: ${{ needs.matrix_k8s_node_versions.outputs.latest }}
+      artifacts_run_id: ${{ github.run_id }}
 
   buildpulse-report:
     needs:
@@ -509,6 +547,7 @@ jobs:
       - samples
       - install-with-kustomize
       - build
+      - build-e2e-image
       - CRDs
       - unit-tests
       - envtest-tests