diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/lava/utils/lava_job_definition.py b/.gitlab-ci/lava/utils/lava_job_definition.py
index c640f7145db..c3e1116634f 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci/lava/utils/lava_job_definition.py
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/lava/utils/lava_job_definition.py
@@ -46,27 +46,84 @@ def generate_lava_yaml_payload(args) -> dict[str, Any]:
 
     # URLs to our kernel rootfs to boot from, both generated by the base
     # container build
-    deploy = {
-        "timeout": {"minutes": 10},
-        "to": "tftp",
-        "os": "oe",
-        "kernel": {"url": f"{args.kernel_url_prefix}/{args.kernel_image_name}"},
-        "nfsrootfs": {
+
+    nfsrootfs = {
             "url": f"{args.rootfs_url_prefix}/lava-rootfs.tar.zst",
             "compression": "zstd",
+    }
+
+    fastboot_deploy_nfs = {
+        "timeout": {"minutes": 10},
+        "to": "nfs",
+        "nfsrootfs": nfsrootfs,
+    }
+
+    fastboot_deploy_prepare = {
+        "timeout": {"minutes": 5},
+        "to": "downloads",
+        "os": "oe",
+        "images": {
+            "kernel": {
+                "url": f"{args.kernel_url_prefix}/{args.kernel_image_name}",
+            },
         },
+        "postprocess": {
+            "docker": {
+                "image": "registry.gitlab.collabora.com/lava/health-check-docker",
+                "steps": [
+                    'gzip Image',
+                    "cat Image.gz " + args.dtb_filename + ".dtb > Image.gz+dtb",
+                    "mkbootimg --kernel Image.gz+dtb" +
+                    ' --cmdline "root=/dev/nfs rw nfsroot=$NFS_SERVER_IP:$NFS_ROOTFS,tcp,hard rootwait ip=dhcp init=/init"' +
+                    " --pagesize 4096 --base 0x80000000 -o boot.img",
+                ],
+            },
+        }
     }
     if args.kernel_image_type:
-        deploy["kernel"]["type"] = args.kernel_image_type
+        fastboot_deploy_prepare["images"]["kernel"]["type"] = args.kernel_image_type
     if args.dtb_filename:
-        deploy["dtb"] = {"url": f"{args.kernel_url_prefix}/{args.dtb_filename}.dtb"}
+        fastboot_deploy_prepare["images"]["dtb"] = {"url": f"{args.kernel_url_prefix}/{args.dtb_filename}.dtb"}
 
-    # always boot over NFS
-    boot = {
+    tftp_deploy = {
+        "timeout": {"minutes": 5},
+        "to": "tftp",
+        "os": "oe",
+        "kernel": {
+            "url": f"{args.kernel_url_prefix}/{args.kernel_image_name}",
+        },
+        "nfsrootfs": nfsrootfs,
+    }
+    if args.kernel_image_type:
+        tftp_deploy["kernel"]["type"] = args.kernel_image_type
+    if args.dtb_filename:
+        tftp_deploy["dtb"] = {"url": f"{args.kernel_url_prefix}/{args.dtb_filename}.dtb"}
+
+    fastboot_deploy = {
+        "timeout": {"minutes": 2},
+        "to": "fastboot",
+        "docker": {
+            "image": "registry.gitlab.collabora.com/lava/health-check-docker",
+        },
+        "images": {
+            "boot": {"url": "downloads://boot.img"},
+        },
+    }
+
+    fastboot_boot = {
+        "timeout": {"minutes": 2},
+        "docker": {"image": "registry.gitlab.collabora.com/lava/health-check-docker"},
         "failure_retry": NUMBER_OF_ATTEMPTS_LAVA_BOOT,
         "method": args.boot_method,
-        "commands": "nfs",
         "prompts": ["lava-shell:"],
+        "commands": ["set_active a"]
+    }
+
+    tftp_boot = {
+        "failure_retry": NUMBER_OF_ATTEMPTS_LAVA_BOOT,
+        "method": args.boot_method,
+        "prompts": ["lava-shell:"],
+        "commands": "nfs"
     }
 
     # skeleton test definition: only declaring each job as a single 'test'
@@ -136,10 +193,19 @@ def generate_lava_yaml_payload(args) -> dict[str, Any]:
         f"lava-test-case 'mesa-ci_{args.mesa_job_name}' --shell /init-stage2.sh",
     ]
 
-    values["actions"] = [
-        {"deploy": deploy},
-        {"boot": boot},
-        {"test": test},
-    ]
+    if args.boot_method == "fastboot":
+        values["actions"] = [
+            {"deploy": fastboot_deploy_nfs},
+            {"deploy": fastboot_deploy_prepare},
+            {"deploy": fastboot_deploy},
+            {"boot": fastboot_boot},
+            {"test": test},
+        ]
+    else:  # tftp
+        values["actions"] = [
+            {"deploy": tftp_deploy},
+            {"boot": tftp_boot},
+            {"test": test},
+        ]
 
     return values