diff --git a/.github/workflows/container_integration_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/container_integration_tests.yml
index 8396c714135..41c9b912723 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/container_integration_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/container_integration_tests.yml
@@ -69,7 +69,26 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           mvn -version
+
+      # ---------------------------
+      # FETCH OR BUILD BASE IMAGE
+      # ---------------------------
+      - name: Fetch or Build local base image
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
           
+          # 1. Ask Maven for the expected tag
+          BASE_IMAGE=$(cd modules/container-base && mvn build-helper:parse-version help:evaluate -Dexpression=base.image -q -DforceStdout -Pct)
+          echo "Target base image: $BASE_IMAGE"
+          
+          # 2. Try to pull it. If that fails, build it.
+          if docker pull "$BASE_IMAGE"; then
+            echo "✅ Image found and pulled successfully! Skipping local build."
+          else
+            echo "⚠️ Pull failed (image likely doesn't exist yet). Building locally..."
+            mvn -Pct clean package -f modules/container-base/pom.xml
+          fi
+
       # ---------------------------
       # BUILD IMAGES (Dataverse-native)
       # ---------------------------
@@ -282,4 +301,4 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: docker-logs
           path: docker-logs/
-          retention-days: 14
\ No newline at end of file
+          retention-days: 14
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dataverse_jsf_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/dataverse_jsf_tests.yml
index da4b32bf4d2..6d4f348d4f9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dataverse_jsf_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dataverse_jsf_tests.yml
@@ -67,6 +67,25 @@ jobs:
           set -euo pipefail
           mvn -version
 
+      # ---------------------------
+      # FETCH OR BUILD BASE IMAGE
+      # ---------------------------
+      - name: Fetch or Build local base image
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          
+          # 1. Ask Maven for the expected tag
+          BASE_IMAGE=$(cd modules/container-base && mvn build-helper:parse-version help:evaluate -Dexpression=base.image -q -DforceStdout -Pct)
+          echo "Target base image: $BASE_IMAGE"
+          
+          # 2. Try to pull it. If that fails, build it.
+          if docker pull "$BASE_IMAGE"; then
+            echo "✅ Image found and pulled successfully! Skipping local build."
+          else
+            echo "⚠️ Pull failed (image likely doesn't exist yet). Building locally..."
+            mvn -Pct clean package -f modules/container-base/pom.xml
+          fi
+
       # ---------------------------
       # BUILD IMAGES (Dataverse-native)
       # ---------------------------