diff --git a/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images.yaml b/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..afd38d69716
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,488 @@
+apiVersion: cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Cluster
+metadata:
+  labels:
+    cloud-provider: ${CLOUD_PROVIDER_AZURE_LABEL:=azure}
+    cni: calico
+  name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  clusterNetwork:
+    pods:
+      cidrBlocks:
+      - 192.168.0.0/16
+  controlPlaneRef:
+    apiVersion: controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+    kind: KubeadmControlPlane
+    name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-control-plane
+  infrastructureRef:
+    apiVersion: infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+    kind: AzureCluster
+    name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}
+---
+apiVersion: infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: AzureCluster
+metadata:
+  name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  additionalTags:
+    buildProvenance: ${BUILD_PROVENANCE}
+    creationTimestamp: ${TIMESTAMP}
+    jobName: ${JOB_NAME}
+  identityRef:
+    apiVersion: infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+    kind: AzureClusterIdentity
+    name: ${CLUSTER_IDENTITY_NAME}
+  location: ${AZURE_LOCATION}
+  networkSpec:
+    apiServerLB:
+      frontendIPs:
+      - name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-api-lb
+        publicIP:
+          dnsName: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-${APISERVER_LB_DNS_SUFFIX}.${AZURE_LOCATION}.cloudapp.azure.com
+          name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-api-lb
+      - name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-internal-lb-private-ip
+        privateIP: ${AZURE_INTERNAL_LB_PRIVATE_IP}
+    subnets:
+    - cidrBlocks:
+      - ${AZURE_CP_SUBNET_CIDR}
+      name: control-plane-subnet
+      role: control-plane
+    - cidrBlocks:
+      - ${AZURE_NODE_SUBNET_CIDR}
+      name: node-subnet
+      role: node
+    vnet:
+      cidrBlocks:
+      - ${AZURE_VNET_CIDR}
+      name: ${AZURE_VNET_NAME:=${CLUSTER_NAME}-vnet}
+  resourceGroup: ${AZURE_RESOURCE_GROUP:=${CLUSTER_NAME}}
+  subscriptionID: ${AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID}
+---
+apiVersion: controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: KubeadmControlPlane
+metadata:
+  name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-control-plane
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  kubeadmConfigSpec:
+    clusterConfiguration:
+      apiServer:
+        extraArgs: {}
+        timeoutForControlPlane: 20m
+      controllerManager:
+        extraArgs:
+          allocate-node-cidrs: "false"
+          cloud-provider: external
+          cluster-name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}
+          v: "4"
+      etcd:
+        local:
+          dataDir: /var/lib/etcddisk/etcd
+          extraArgs:
+            quota-backend-bytes: "8589934592"
+    diskSetup:
+      filesystems:
+      - device: /dev/disk/azure/scsi1/lun0
+        extraOpts:
+        - -E
+        - lazy_itable_init=1,lazy_journal_init=1
+        filesystem: ext4
+        label: etcd_disk
+      - device: ephemeral0.1
+        filesystem: ext4
+        label: ephemeral0
+        replaceFS: ntfs
+      partitions:
+      - device: /dev/disk/azure/scsi1/lun0
+        layout: true
+        overwrite: false
+        tableType: gpt
+    files:
+    - contentFrom:
+        secret:
+          key: control-plane-azure.json
+          name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-control-plane-azure-json
+      owner: root:root
+      path: /etc/kubernetes/azure.json
+      permissions: "0644"
+    - content: |
+        #!/bin/bash
+
+        set -o nounset
+        set -o pipefail
+        set -o errexit
+        [[ $(id -u) != 0 ]] && SUDO="sudo" || SUDO=""
+
+        LINE_SEPARATOR="*************************************************"
+        echo "$$LINE_SEPARATOR"
+
+        # Custom image handling
+        if [[ -n "${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+          echo "* Using custom kube-apiserver image: ${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE}"
+          # Remove existing image if present
+          echo "* Removing existing kube-apiserver image if present"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images rm "registry.k8s.io/kube-apiserver:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" 2>/dev/null || true
+          echo "* Pulling kube-apiserver: ${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE}"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images pull "${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE}"
+          echo "* Tagging kube-apiserver: ${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE} as registry.k8s.io/kube-apiserver:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images tag "${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE}" "registry.k8s.io/kube-apiserver:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+        else
+          echo "* Custom kube-apiserver image environment variable not set, using default"
+        fi
+
+        if [[ -n "${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+          echo "* Using custom kube-controller-manager image: ${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE}"
+          # Remove existing image if present
+          echo "* Removing existing kube-controller-manager image if present"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images rm "registry.k8s.io/kube-controller-manager:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" 2>/dev/null || true
+          echo "* Pulling kube-controller-manager: ${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE}"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images pull "${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE}"
+          echo "* Tagging kube-controller-manager: ${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE} as registry.k8s.io/kube-controller-manager:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images tag "${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE}" "registry.k8s.io/kube-controller-manager:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+        else
+          echo "* Custom kube-controller-manager image environment variable not set, using default"
+        fi
+
+        if [[ -n "${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+          echo "* Using custom kube-scheduler image: ${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE}"
+          # Remove existing image if present
+          echo "* Removing existing kube-scheduler image if present"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images rm "registry.k8s.io/kube-scheduler:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" 2>/dev/null || true
+          echo "* Pulling kube-scheduler: ${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE}"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images pull "${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE}"
+          echo "* Tagging kube-scheduler: ${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE} as registry.k8s.io/kube-scheduler:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images tag "${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE}" "registry.k8s.io/kube-scheduler:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+        else
+          echo "* Custom kube-scheduler image environment variable not set, using default"
+        fi
+
+        if [[ -n "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+          echo "* Using custom kube-proxy image: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+          # Remove existing image if present
+          echo "* Removing existing kube-proxy image if present"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images rm "registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" 2>/dev/null || true
+          echo "* Pulling kube-proxy: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images pull "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+          echo "* Tagging kube-proxy: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE} as registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+          $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images tag "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}" "registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+        else
+          echo "* Custom kube-proxy image environment variable not set, using default"
+        fi
+
+        echo "* checking binary versions"
+        echo "ctr version: " $(ctr version)
+        echo "kubeadm version: " $(kubeadm version -o=short)
+        echo "kubectl version: " $(kubectl version --client=true)
+        echo "kubelet version: " $(kubelet --version)
+        echo "$$LINE_SEPARATOR"
+      owner: root:root
+      path: /tmp/kubeadm-bootstrap.sh
+      permissions: "0744"
+    initConfiguration:
+      nodeRegistration:
+        kubeletExtraArgs:
+          cloud-provider: external
+        name: '{{ ds.meta_data["local_hostname"] }}'
+    joinConfiguration:
+      nodeRegistration:
+        kubeletExtraArgs:
+          cloud-provider: external
+        name: '{{ ds.meta_data["local_hostname"] }}'
+    mounts:
+    - - LABEL=etcd_disk
+      - /var/lib/etcddisk
+    postKubeadmCommands: []
+    preKubeadmCommands:
+    - bash -c /tmp/kubeadm-bootstrap.sh
+    verbosity: 5
+  machineTemplate:
+    infrastructureRef:
+      apiVersion: infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+      kind: AzureMachineTemplate
+      name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-control-plane
+  replicas: ${CONTROL_PLANE_MACHINE_COUNT:=1}
+  version: ${KUBERNETES_VERSION}
+---
+apiVersion: infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: AzureMachineTemplate
+metadata:
+  name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-control-plane
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  template:
+    spec:
+      dataDisks:
+      - diskSizeGB: 256
+        lun: 0
+        nameSuffix: etcddisk
+      identity: UserAssigned
+      osDisk:
+        diskSizeGB: 128
+        osType: Linux
+      sshPublicKey: ${AZURE_SSH_PUBLIC_KEY_B64:=""}
+      userAssignedIdentities:
+      - providerID: /subscriptions/${AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID}/resourceGroups/${CI_RG:=capz-ci}/providers/Microsoft.ManagedIdentity/userAssignedIdentities/${USER_IDENTITY:=cloud-provider-user-identity}
+      vmSize: ${AZURE_CONTROL_PLANE_MACHINE_TYPE}
+---
+apiVersion: cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: MachineDeployment
+metadata:
+  name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-md-0
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  clusterName: ${CLUSTER_NAME}
+  replicas: ${WORKER_MACHINE_COUNT:=2}
+  selector:
+    matchLabels: null
+  template:
+    spec:
+      bootstrap:
+        configRef:
+          apiVersion: bootstrap.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+          kind: KubeadmConfigTemplate
+          name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-md-0
+      clusterName: ${CLUSTER_NAME}
+      infrastructureRef:
+        apiVersion: infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+        kind: AzureMachineTemplate
+        name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-md-0
+      version: ${KUBERNETES_VERSION}
+---
+apiVersion: infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: AzureMachineTemplate
+metadata:
+  name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-md-0
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  template:
+    spec:
+      identity: UserAssigned
+      osDisk:
+        diskSizeGB: 128
+        osType: Linux
+      sshPublicKey: ${AZURE_SSH_PUBLIC_KEY_B64:=""}
+      userAssignedIdentities:
+      - providerID: /subscriptions/${AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID}/resourceGroups/${CI_RG:=capz-ci}/providers/Microsoft.ManagedIdentity/userAssignedIdentities/${USER_IDENTITY:=cloud-provider-user-identity}
+      vmSize: ${AZURE_NODE_MACHINE_TYPE}
+---
+apiVersion: bootstrap.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: KubeadmConfigTemplate
+metadata:
+  name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-md-0
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  template:
+    spec:
+      files:
+      - contentFrom:
+          secret:
+            key: worker-node-azure.json
+            name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-md-0-azure-json
+        owner: root:root
+        path: /etc/kubernetes/azure.json
+        permissions: "0644"
+      - content: |
+          #!/bin/bash
+
+          set -o nounset
+          set -o pipefail
+          set -o errexit
+          [[ $(id -u) != 0 ]] && SUDO="sudo" || SUDO=""
+
+          LINE_SEPARATOR="*************************************************"
+          echo "$$LINE_SEPARATOR"
+
+          # Custom image handling
+          if [[ -n "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+            echo "* Using custom kube-proxy image: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+            # Remove existing image if present
+            echo "* Removing existing kube-proxy image if present"
+            $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images rm "registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" 2>/dev/null || true
+            echo "* Pulling kube-proxy: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+            $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images pull "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+            echo "* Tagging kube-proxy: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE} as registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+            $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images tag "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}" "registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+          else
+            echo "* Custom kube-proxy image environment variable not set, using default"
+          fi
+          echo "* checking binary versions"
+          echo "ctr version: " $(ctr version)
+          echo "kubeadm version: " $(kubeadm version -o=short)
+          echo "kubectl version: " $(kubectl version --client=true)
+          echo "kubelet version: " $(kubelet --version)
+          echo "$$LINE_SEPARATOR"
+        owner: root:root
+        path: /tmp/kubeadm-bootstrap.sh
+        permissions: "0744"
+      joinConfiguration:
+        nodeRegistration:
+          kubeletExtraArgs:
+            cloud-provider: external
+          name: '{{ ds.meta_data["local_hostname"] }}'
+      preKubeadmCommands:
+      - echo '${AZURE_INTERNAL_LB_PRIVATE_IP}   ${CLUSTER_NAME}-${APISERVER_LB_DNS_SUFFIX}.${AZURE_LOCATION}.cloudapp.azure.com'
+        >> /etc/hosts
+      - bash -c /tmp/kubeadm-bootstrap.sh
+      verbosity: 5
+---
+apiVersion: infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: AzureClusterIdentity
+metadata:
+  labels:
+    clusterctl.cluster.x-k8s.io/move-hierarchy: "true"
+  name: ${CLUSTER_IDENTITY_NAME}
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  allowedNamespaces: {}
+  clientID: ${AZURE_CLIENT_ID_USER_ASSIGNED_IDENTITY}
+  tenantID: ${AZURE_TENANT_ID}
+  type: ${CLUSTER_IDENTITY_TYPE:=WorkloadIdentity}
+---
+apiVersion: cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: MachineHealthCheck
+metadata:
+  name: ${CLUSTER_NAME}-control-plane
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  clusterName: ${CLUSTER_NAME}
+  maxUnhealthy: 100%
+  selector:
+    matchLabels:
+      cluster.x-k8s.io/control-plane: ""
+  unhealthyConditions:
+  - status: Unknown
+    timeout: 300s
+    type: Ready
+  - status: "False"
+    timeout: 300s
+    type: Ready
+---
+apiVersion: addons.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1alpha1
+kind: HelmChartProxy
+metadata:
+  name: calico
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  chartName: tigera-operator
+  clusterSelector:
+    matchLabels:
+      cni: calico
+  namespace: tigera-operator
+  releaseName: projectcalico
+  repoURL: https://docs.tigera.io/calico/charts
+  valuesTemplate: |
+    installation:
+      cni:
+        type: Calico
+        ipam:
+          type: Calico
+      calicoNetwork:
+        bgp: Disabled
+        mtu: 1350
+        ipPools:
+        ipPools:{{range $i, $cidr := .Cluster.spec.clusterNetwork.pods.cidrBlocks }}
+        - cidr: {{ $cidr }}
+          encapsulation: VXLAN{{end}}
+      typhaDeployment:
+        spec:
+          template:
+            spec:
+              affinity:
+                nodeAffinity:
+                  preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
+                  - weight: 50
+                    preference:
+                      matchExpressions:
+                      - key: node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane
+                        operator: Exists
+      registry: mcr.microsoft.com/oss
+    # Image and registry configuration for the tigera/operator pod.
+    tigeraOperator:
+      image: tigera/operator
+      registry: mcr.microsoft.com/oss
+    calicoctl:
+      image: mcr.microsoft.com/oss/calico/ctl
+    # By default, tigera tolerates all NoSchedule taints. This breaks upgrades
+    # when it continuously gets scheduled onto an out-of-date Node that is being
+    # deleted. Tolerate only the NoSchedule taints that are expected.
+    tolerations:
+      - effect: NoExecute
+        operator: Exists
+      - effect: NoSchedule
+        key: node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane
+        operator: Exists
+      - effect: NoSchedule
+        key: node.kubernetes.io/not-ready
+        operator: Exists
+  version: ${CALICO_VERSION}
+---
+apiVersion: addons.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1alpha1
+kind: HelmChartProxy
+metadata:
+  name: azuredisk-csi-driver-chart
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  chartName: azuredisk-csi-driver
+  clusterSelector:
+    matchLabels:
+      azuredisk-csi: "true"
+  namespace: kube-system
+  releaseName: azuredisk-csi-driver-oot
+  repoURL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubernetes-sigs/azuredisk-csi-driver/master/charts
+  valuesTemplate: |-
+    controller:
+      replicas: 1
+      runOnControlPlane: true
+    windows:
+      useHostProcessContainers: {{ hasKey .Cluster.metadata.labels "cni-windows" }}
+---
+apiVersion: addons.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1alpha1
+kind: HelmChartProxy
+metadata:
+  name: cloud-provider-azure-chart
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  chartName: cloud-provider-azure
+  clusterSelector:
+    matchLabels:
+      cloud-provider: azure
+  releaseName: cloud-provider-azure-oot
+  repoURL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubernetes-sigs/cloud-provider-azure/master/helm/repo
+  valuesTemplate: |
+    infra:
+      clusterName: {{ .Cluster.metadata.name }}
+    cloudControllerManager:
+      clusterCIDR: {{ .Cluster.spec.clusterNetwork.pods.cidrBlocks | join "," }}
+      logVerbosity: 4
+---
+apiVersion: addons.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1alpha1
+kind: HelmChartProxy
+metadata:
+  name: cloud-provider-azure-chart-ci
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  chartName: cloud-provider-azure
+  clusterSelector:
+    matchLabels:
+      cloud-provider: azure-ci
+  releaseName: cloud-provider-azure-oot
+  repoURL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubernetes-sigs/cloud-provider-azure/master/helm/repo
+  valuesTemplate: |
+    infra:
+      clusterName: {{ .Cluster.metadata.name }}
+    cloudControllerManager:
+      cloudConfig: ${CLOUD_CONFIG:-"/etc/kubernetes/azure.json"}
+      cloudConfigSecretName: ${CONFIG_SECRET_NAME:-""}
+      clusterCIDR: {{ .Cluster.spec.clusterNetwork.pods.cidrBlocks | join "," }}
+      imageName: "${CCM_IMAGE_NAME:-""}"
+      imageRepository: "${IMAGE_REGISTRY:-""}"
+      imageTag: "${IMAGE_TAG_CCM:-""}"
+      logVerbosity: ${CCM_LOG_VERBOSITY:-4}
+      replicas: ${CCM_COUNT:-1}
+      enableDynamicReloading: ${ENABLE_DYNAMIC_RELOADING:-false}
+    cloudNodeManager:
+      imageName: "${CNM_IMAGE_NAME:-""}"
+      imageRepository: "${IMAGE_REGISTRY:-""}"
+      imageTag: "${IMAGE_TAG_CNM:-""}"
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images/kustomization.yaml b/templates/test/ci/prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..61b49ac7160
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/test/ci/prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+namespace: default
+resources:
+- ../prow-apiserver-ilb
+patches:
+- path: patches/kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-images.yaml
+  target:
+    group: bootstrap.cluster.x-k8s.io
+    kind: KubeadmConfigTemplate
+    name: .*-md-0
+    namespace: default
+    version: v1beta1
+- path: patches/control-plane-kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-images.yaml
+  target:
+    group: controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io
+    kind: KubeadmControlPlane
+    name: .*-control-plane
+    version: v1beta1
+
+sortOptions:
+  order: fifo
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images/patches/control-plane-kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-images.yaml b/templates/test/ci/prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images/patches/control-plane-kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-images.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1107211fe38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/test/ci/prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images/patches/control-plane-kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-images.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+- op: add
+  path: /spec/kubeadmConfigSpec/files/-
+  value:
+    content: |
+      #!/bin/bash
+
+      set -o nounset
+      set -o pipefail
+      set -o errexit
+      [[ $(id -u) != 0 ]] && SUDO="sudo" || SUDO=""
+
+      LINE_SEPARATOR="*************************************************"
+      echo "$$LINE_SEPARATOR"
+
+      # Custom image handling
+      if [[ -n "${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+        echo "* Using custom kube-apiserver image: ${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE}"
+        # Remove existing image if present
+        echo "* Removing existing kube-apiserver image if present"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images rm "registry.k8s.io/kube-apiserver:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" 2>/dev/null || true
+        echo "* Pulling kube-apiserver: ${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE}"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images pull "${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE}"
+        echo "* Tagging kube-apiserver: ${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE} as registry.k8s.io/kube-apiserver:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images tag "${KUBE_APISERVER_IMAGE}" "registry.k8s.io/kube-apiserver:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+      else
+        echo "* Custom kube-apiserver image environment variable not set, using default"
+      fi
+
+      if [[ -n "${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+        echo "* Using custom kube-controller-manager image: ${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE}"
+        # Remove existing image if present
+        echo "* Removing existing kube-controller-manager image if present"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images rm "registry.k8s.io/kube-controller-manager:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" 2>/dev/null || true
+        echo "* Pulling kube-controller-manager: ${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE}"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images pull "${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE}"
+        echo "* Tagging kube-controller-manager: ${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE} as registry.k8s.io/kube-controller-manager:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images tag "${KUBE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER_IMAGE}" "registry.k8s.io/kube-controller-manager:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+      else
+        echo "* Custom kube-controller-manager image environment variable not set, using default"
+      fi
+
+      if [[ -n "${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+        echo "* Using custom kube-scheduler image: ${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE}"
+        # Remove existing image if present
+        echo "* Removing existing kube-scheduler image if present"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images rm "registry.k8s.io/kube-scheduler:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" 2>/dev/null || true
+        echo "* Pulling kube-scheduler: ${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE}"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images pull "${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE}"
+        echo "* Tagging kube-scheduler: ${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE} as registry.k8s.io/kube-scheduler:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images tag "${KUBE_SCHEDULER_IMAGE}" "registry.k8s.io/kube-scheduler:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+      else
+        echo "* Custom kube-scheduler image environment variable not set, using default"
+      fi
+
+      if [[ -n "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+        echo "* Using custom kube-proxy image: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+        # Remove existing image if present
+        echo "* Removing existing kube-proxy image if present"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images rm "registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" 2>/dev/null || true
+        echo "* Pulling kube-proxy: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images pull "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+        echo "* Tagging kube-proxy: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE} as registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images tag "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}" "registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+      else
+        echo "* Custom kube-proxy image environment variable not set, using default"
+      fi
+
+      echo "* checking binary versions"
+      echo "ctr version: " $(ctr version)
+      echo "kubeadm version: " $(kubeadm version -o=short)
+      echo "kubectl version: " $(kubectl version --client=true)
+      echo "kubelet version: " $(kubelet --version)
+      echo "$$LINE_SEPARATOR"
+    path: /tmp/kubeadm-bootstrap.sh
+    owner: "root:root"
+    permissions: "0744"
+- op: add
+  path: /spec/kubeadmConfigSpec/preKubeadmCommands/-
+  value:
+    bash -c /tmp/kubeadm-bootstrap.sh
+- op: add
+  path: /spec/kubeadmConfigSpec/verbosity
+  value: 5
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images/patches/kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-images.yaml b/templates/test/ci/prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images/patches/kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-images.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2c585d1c1a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/test/ci/prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images/patches/kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-images.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+- op: add
+  path: /spec/template/spec/files/-
+  value:
+    content: |
+      #!/bin/bash
+
+      set -o nounset
+      set -o pipefail
+      set -o errexit
+      [[ $(id -u) != 0 ]] && SUDO="sudo" || SUDO=""
+
+      LINE_SEPARATOR="*************************************************"
+      echo "$$LINE_SEPARATOR"
+
+      # Custom image handling
+      if [[ -n "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+        echo "* Using custom kube-proxy image: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+        # Remove existing image if present
+        echo "* Removing existing kube-proxy image if present"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images rm "registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" 2>/dev/null || true
+        echo "* Pulling kube-proxy: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images pull "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}"
+        echo "* Tagging kube-proxy: ${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE} as registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+        $${SUDO} ctr -n k8s.io images tag "${KUBE_PROXY_IMAGE}" "registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy:${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+      else
+        echo "* Custom kube-proxy image environment variable not set, using default"
+      fi
+      echo "* checking binary versions"
+      echo "ctr version: " $(ctr version)
+      echo "kubeadm version: " $(kubeadm version -o=short)
+      echo "kubectl version: " $(kubectl version --client=true)
+      echo "kubelet version: " $(kubelet --version)
+      echo "$$LINE_SEPARATOR"
+    path: /tmp/kubeadm-bootstrap.sh
+    owner: "root:root"
+    permissions: "0744"
+- op: add
+  path: /spec/template/spec/preKubeadmCommands/-
+  value:
+    bash -c /tmp/kubeadm-bootstrap.sh
+- op: add
+  path: /spec/template/spec/verbosity
+  value: 5
diff --git a/test/e2e/config/azure-dev.yaml b/test/e2e/config/azure-dev.yaml
index f6225fe9e41..c868a09592e 100644
--- a/test/e2e/config/azure-dev.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/config/azure-dev.yaml
@@ -182,6 +182,8 @@ providers:
         targetName: "cluster-template-spot.yaml"
       - sourcePath: "${PWD}/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-apiserver-ilb.yaml"
         targetName: "cluster-template-apiserver-ilb.yaml"
+      - sourcePath: "${PWD}/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-apiserver-ilb-custom-images.yaml"
+        targetName: "cluster-template-apiserver-ilb-custom-images.yaml"
       replacements:
       - old: "--v=0"
         new: "--v=2"