diff --git a/roles/build_containers/defaults/main.yml b/roles/build_containers/defaults/main.yml
index 2cac373cc3..daa3889cc7 100644
--- a/roles/build_containers/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/build_containers/defaults/main.yml
@@ -55,3 +55,12 @@ cifmw_build_containers_install_from_source: false
 # cifmw_build_containers_dockerfile_labels
 # cifmw_build_containers_extra_config
 # cifmw_build_containers_build_timeout
+
+# Note(Chandankumar): Remove it once watcher related packages are available downstream.
+cifmw_build_containers_exclude_containers:
+  rhos18:
+    rhel9:
+      - watcher-base
+      - watcher-api
+      - watcher-applier
+      - watcher-decision-engine
diff --git a/roles/build_containers/templates/build_containers.sh.j2 b/roles/build_containers/templates/build_containers.sh.j2
index 9237b46cc1..8bbf511e8f 100644
--- a/roles/build_containers/templates/build_containers.sh.j2
+++ b/roles/build_containers/templates/build_containers.sh.j2
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ openstack tcib container image build \
 {%   if cifmw_build_containers_rhel_modules is defined %}
      --rhel-modules {{ cifmw_build_containers_rhel_modules | join(",") }} \
 {%   endif %}
-{%   if cifmw_build_containers_exclude_containers is defined %}
+{%   if cifmw_build_containers_exclude_containers is defined and cifmw_build_containers_openstack_release in cifmw_build_containers_exclude_containers %}
 {%   set distroversion = cifmw_build_containers_distro + cifmw_build_containers_dist_major_version %}
 {%   for item in cifmw_build_containers_exclude_containers[cifmw_build_containers_openstack_release][distroversion] %}
      --exclude {{ item }} \