diff --git a/images/centos-9-bootc b/images/centos-9-bootc
index fdecf998fe..9397b56076 120000
--- a/images/centos-9-bootc
+++ b/images/centos-9-bootc
@@ -1 +1 @@
-centos-9-bootc-8a227fece37b2710436d8e8345cc7bf858d8499841efc5aa6d6927cd5793857b.qcow2
\ No newline at end of file
+centos-9-bootc-ece5b06636c366554dab7e869a011246c8f34b9b46eedbe2a5f7f20b7bbe9e69.qcow2
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/images/scripts/bootc.setup b/images/scripts/bootc.setup
index 629190e29d..b5f50f5149 100755
--- a/images/scripts/bootc.setup
+++ b/images/scripts/bootc.setup
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ set -eux
 
 IMAGE="$1"
 
+# config.json cannot set GECOS
+usermod -c Administrator admin
+
 podman pull quay.io/cockpit/ws
 podman pull quay.io/jitesoft/nginx
 
diff --git a/images/scripts/lib/bootc.Containerfile b/images/scripts/lib/bootc.Containerfile
index 08846037a7..d58e802f01 100644
--- a/images/scripts/lib/bootc.Containerfile
+++ b/images/scripts/lib/bootc.Containerfile
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@ ARG base_image
 FROM $base_image
 
 # pre-install the distro version, which is useful for testing extensions and manual experiments
+# also pre-install ws and test dependencies
 RUN \
+    dnf update -y --exclude='kernel*' && \
     dnf install -y --setopt install_weak_deps=False cockpit-system cockpit-networkmanager && \
+    dnf install -y dnsmasq pcp python3-pcp rsync sscg strace system-logos wireguard-tools && \
     dnf clean all
 
 ADD lib/mcast1.nmconnection /usr/lib/NetworkManager/system-connections/