diff --git a/ci/playbooks/edpm_baremetal_update/minor-update-edpm.yml b/ci/playbooks/edpm_baremetal_update/minor-update-edpm.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b72be48fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/playbooks/edpm_baremetal_update/minor-update-edpm.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+---
+# CI playbook for OpenStack minor version updates.
+# This playbook performs a minor version update of an OpenStack deployment
+# using index images and install_yamls make targets.
+# This playbook depends on content provider variables from CI jobs.
+# It runs in the same execution context as deploy-edpm.yml,
+# so it can use the install_yamls_makes role that was generated during bootstrap.
+
+- name: OpenStack minor version update
+  hosts: "{{ cifmw_target_host | default('localhost') }}"
+  gather_facts: false
+  tasks:
+    - name: Set cifmw_basedir if not defined
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        cifmw_basedir: "{{ cifmw_basedir | default(ansible_user_dir ~ '/ci-framework-data') }}"
+
+    - name: Load parameters files
+      ansible.builtin.include_vars:
+        dir: "{{ cifmw_basedir }}/artifacts/parameters"
+
+    - name: Run make openstack_cleanup
+      vars:
+        make_openstack_cleanup_env: "{{ cifmw_minor_update_env }}"
+        make_openstack_cleanup_dryrun: false
+      ansible.builtin.include_role:
+        name: 'install_yamls_makes'
+        tasks_from: 'make_openstack_cleanup'
+      ignore_errors: true  # Continue even if cleanup fails
+
+    - name: Run make openstack_wait (minor update)
+      vars:
+        make_openstack_wait_env: "{{ cifmw_minor_update_env }}"
+        make_openstack_wait_dryrun: false
+      ansible.builtin.include_role:
+        name: 'install_yamls_makes'
+        tasks_from: 'make_openstack_wait'
+
+    - name: Run make openstack_init (minor update)
+      vars:
+        make_openstack_init_env: "{{ cifmw_minor_update_env }}"
+        make_openstack_init_dryrun: false
+      ansible.builtin.include_role:
+        name: 'install_yamls_makes'
+        tasks_from: 'make_openstack_init'
+
+    - name: Wait for availableVersion to be different from deployedVersion
+      kubernetes.core.k8s_info:
+        kubeconfig: "{{ cifmw_openshift_kubeconfig }}"
+        api_key: "{{ cifmw_openshift_token | default(omit) }}"
+        context: "{{ cifmw_openshift_context | default(omit) }}"
+        api_version: core.openstack.org/v1beta1
+        kind: OpenStackVersion
+        namespace: "{{ cifmw_install_yamls_defaults['NAMESPACE'] | default('openstack') }}"
+      register: openstackversion_wait_info
+      retries: 10
+      delay: 60
+      until: >
+        openstackversion_wait_info.resources is defined and
+        openstackversion_wait_info.resources | length > 0 and
+        openstackversion_wait_info.resources[0].status.availableVersion is defined and
+        openstackversion_wait_info.resources[0].status.deployedVersion is defined and
+        openstackversion_wait_info.resources[0].status.availableVersion != openstackversion_wait_info.resources[0].status.deployedVersion
+
+    - name: Get available version from OpenStackVersion CR
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        cifmw_minor_update_target_version: "{{ openstackversion_wait_info.resources[0].status.availableVersion }}"
+
+    - name: Patch OpenStackVersion CR availableVersion
+      vars:
+        make_openstack_patch_version_env: "{{ cifmw_minor_update_env }}"
+        make_openstack_patch_version_dryrun: false
+      ansible.builtin.include_role:
+        name: 'install_yamls_makes'
+        tasks_from: 'make_openstack_patch_version'
+
+    - name: Set vars related to update_containers content provider
+      when:
+        - content_provider_os_registry_url is defined
+        - content_provider_os_registry_url != 'null'
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        cifmw_update_containers_registry: "{{ content_provider_os_registry_url  | split('/') | first }}"
+        cifmw_update_containers_org: "{{ content_provider_os_registry_url  | split('/') | last }}"
+        cifmw_update_containers_tag: "{{ content_provider_dlrn_md5_hash }}"
+        cifmw_update_containers_openstack: true
+
+    - name: Prepare and patch OpenStackVersion CR for update
+      vars:
+        cifmw_update_containers_metadata: "controlplane"
+        cifmw_update_containers: true
+      ansible.builtin.include_role:
+        name: update_containers
+      when: >-
+        (cifmw_update_containers_edpm_image_url is defined and
+        cifmw_update_containers_openstack is defined and
+        cifmw_update_containers_openstack | bool) or
+        (cifmw_update_containers_ansibleee_image_url is defined) or
+        (cifmw_update_containers_openstack is defined and
+        cifmw_update_containers_openstack | bool) or
+        (cifmw_update_containers_watcher is defined and
+        cifmw_update_containers_watcher | bool)
+
+    - name: Run make openstack_update_run
+      vars:
+        make_openstack_update_run_env: "{{ cifmw_minor_update_env }}"
+        make_openstack_update_run_params:
+          OPENSTACK_VERSION: "{{ cifmw_minor_update_target_version }}"
+        make_openstack_update_run_dryrun: false
+      ansible.builtin.include_role:
+        name: 'install_yamls_makes'
+        tasks_from: 'make_openstack_update_run'
+
+    - name: Verify deployed version matches target version
+      kubernetes.core.k8s_info:
+        kubeconfig: "{{ cifmw_openshift_kubeconfig }}"
+        api_key: "{{ cifmw_openshift_token | default(omit) }}"
+        context: "{{ cifmw_openshift_context | default(omit) }}"
+        api_version: core.openstack.org/v1beta1
+        kind: OpenStackVersion
+        namespace: "{{ cifmw_install_yamls_defaults['NAMESPACE'] | default('openstack') }}"
+      register: openstackversion_verify_info
+      until: >
+        openstackversion_verify_info.resources is defined and
+        openstackversion_verify_info.resources | length > 0 and
+        openstackversion_verify_info.resources[0].status.deployedVersion is defined and
+        openstackversion_verify_info.resources[0].status.deployedVersion == cifmw_minor_update_target_version
+      retries: 5
+      delay: 2
+
+    - name: Display update verification result
+      ansible.builtin.debug:
+        msg: >-
+          Update verification successful: Target version {{ cifmw_minor_update_target_version }}
+          matches deployed version {{ openstackversion_verify_info.resources[0].status.deployedVersion }}
diff --git a/ci/playbooks/edpm_baremetal_update/run.yml b/ci/playbooks/edpm_baremetal_update/run.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b44757f705
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/playbooks/edpm_baremetal_update/run.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+---
+- name: "Run ci/playbooks/edpm_baremetal_update/run.yml"
+  hosts: "{{ cifmw_zuul_target_host | default('all') }}"
+  gather_facts: true
+  tasks:
+    - name: Filter out host if needed
+      when:
+        - cifmw_zuul_target_host is defined
+        - cifmw_zuul_target_host != 'all'
+        - inventory_hostname != cifmw_zuul_target_host
+      ansible.builtin.meta: end_host
+
+    - name: Check for edpm-ansible.yml file
+      ansible.builtin.stat:
+        path: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/edpm-ansible.yml"
+      register: edpm_file
+
+    - name: Check if new ssh keypair exists
+      ansible.builtin.include_role:
+        name: recognize_ssh_keypair
+
+    - name: Add crc node in local inventory
+      ansible.builtin.add_host:
+        name: crc
+        ansible_ssh_private_key_file: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/.crc/machines/crc/{{ crc_ssh_keypair }}"
+        ansible_ssh_user: core
+        ansible_host: api.crc.testing
+
+    - name: Ensure we know ssh hosts
+      ansible.builtin.shell:
+        cmd: "ssh-keyscan {{ hostvars[item].ansible_host }} >> ~/.ssh/known_hosts"
+      loop: "{{ hostvars.keys() | reject('equalto', 'localhost') }}"
+
+    - name: Inject CRC in zuul_inventory
+      block:
+        - name: Load zuul_inventory
+          register: _inventory
+          ansible.builtin.slurp:
+            path: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/zuul_inventory.yml"
+
+        - name: Inject CRC in zuul_inventory.yml
+          vars:
+            _crc:
+              all:
+                hosts:
+                  crc: "{{ dict(hostvars.crc) }}"
+            _updated: >-
+              {{
+                _inventory.content | b64decode | from_yaml | combine(_crc, recursive=true)
+              }}
+          ansible.builtin.copy:
+            dest: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/zuul_inventory.yml"
+            content: "{{ _updated | to_nice_yaml }}"
+            mode: "0644"
+
+    - name: Set default pre-update tag if not provided
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        cifmw_minor_update_pre_update_tag: "{{ cifmw_minor_update_pre_update_tag | default('18.0-fr4-latest') }}"
+
+    - name: Get pre-update index image digest from tag
+      ansible.builtin.shell: >-
+        skopeo inspect
+        docker://quay.io/openstack-k8s-operators/openstack-operator-index:{{ cifmw_minor_update_pre_update_tag }}
+        | jq -r '.Digest'
+      register: fr4_digest_result
+      changed_when: false
+      failed_when: fr4_digest_result.rc != 0
+
+    - name: Set FR4 index image using digest from tag
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        cifmw_minor_update_fr4_index_image: >-
+          quay.io/openstack-k8s-operators/openstack-operator-index@{{ fr4_digest_result.stdout | trim }}
+
+    - name: Get minor update index image from content provider or use default
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        cifmw_minor_update_index_image: >-
+          {{
+            cifmw_operator_build_output.operators['openstack-operator'].image_catalog
+            if (cifmw_operator_build_output is defined and
+                cifmw_operator_build_output.operators is defined and
+                'openstack-operator' in cifmw_operator_build_output.operators)
+            else cifmw_minor_update_fr4_index_image
+          }}
+
+    - name: Override operator build output with FR4 index image for Phase 1
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        cifmw_operator_build_output_fr4: >-
+          {{
+            {
+              'cifmw_operator_build_output': {
+                'operators': {
+                  'openstack-operator': {
+                    'image_catalog': cifmw_minor_update_fr4_index_image
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }}
+
+    - name: Phase 1 - Deploy with FR4 index image using deploy-edpm.yml
+      block:
+        - name: Write FR4 operator build output to temporary file
+          ansible.builtin.copy:
+            dest: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/operator_build_output_fr4.yml"
+            content: "{{ cifmw_operator_build_output_fr4 | to_nice_yaml }}"
+            mode: "0644"
+
+        - name: Perform Podified and EDPM deployment on compute nodes with virtual baremetal (FR4)
+          ansible.builtin.command:
+            chdir: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/src/github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/ci-framework"
+            cmd: >-
+              ansible-playbook deploy-edpm.yml
+              -i "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/zuul_inventory.yml"
+              -e @group_vars/all.yml
+              -e @scenarios/centos-9/base.yml
+              -e @scenarios/centos-9/edpm_baremetal_deployment_ci.yml
+              {%- if edpm_file.stat.exists %}
+              -e @{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/edpm-ansible.yml
+              {%- endif %}
+              {%- if cifmw_extras is defined %}
+              {%-   for extra_var in cifmw_extras %}
+              -e "{{   extra_var }}"
+              {%-   endfor %}
+              {%- endif %}
+              -e "@{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/parameters/zuul-params.yml"
+              -e "@{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/operator_build_output_fr4.yml"
+              -e "cifmw_prepare_openstackversion=false"
+
+    # Load install_yamls environment from parameters file created by deploy-edpm.yml bootstrap
+    # deploy-edpm.yml runs on target host, so files are on target host
+    # Use slurp to read from target host, then parse with from_yaml
+    - name: Read install-yamls-params.yml file from target host
+      ansible.builtin.slurp:
+        src: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/parameters/install-yamls-params.yml"
+      register: install_yamls_params_content
+      when: cifmw_install_yamls_environment is not defined
+
+    - name: Load install_yamls environment from parameters file
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        cifmw_install_yamls_environment: "{{ (install_yamls_params_content.content | b64decode | from_yaml)['cifmw_install_yamls_environment'] | default({}) }}"
+        cifmw_install_yamls_defaults: "{{ (install_yamls_params_content.content | b64decode | from_yaml)['cifmw_install_yamls_defaults'] | default({}) }}"
+      when:
+        - cifmw_install_yamls_environment is not defined
+        - install_yamls_params_content.content is defined
+
+    - name: Set install_yamls environment for minor update phase
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        cifmw_minor_update_env: >-
+          {{
+            (cifmw_install_yamls_environment | default({})) |
+            combine({'PATH': cifmw_path | default(ansible_user_dir ~ '/.crc/bin:' ~ ansible_user_dir ~ '/.crc/bin/oc:' ~ ansible_user_dir ~ '/bin:' ~ ansible_env.PATH)}) |
+            combine({'OPENSTACK_IMG': cifmw_minor_update_index_image}) |
+            combine({'BMO_CLEANUP': false})
+          }}
+
+    # Phase 2: Run update playbook in same execution context as deploy-edpm.yml
+    # This allows it to use install_yamls_makes role that was generated during Phase 1 bootstrap
+    - name: Phase 2 - Update with index image for minor update
+      block:
+        - name: Write minor update environment to temporary file
+          ansible.builtin.copy:
+            dest: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/parameters/minor_update_env.yml"
+            content: "{{ {'cifmw_minor_update_env': cifmw_minor_update_env} | to_nice_yaml }}"
+            mode: "0644"
+
+        - name: Run Phase 2 update playbook for minor update
+          ansible.builtin.command:
+            chdir: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/src/github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/ci-framework"
+            cmd: >-
+              ansible-playbook ci/playbooks/edpm_baremetal_update/minor-update-edpm.yml
+              -i "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/zuul_inventory.yml"
+              -e @group_vars/all.yml
+              -e "@{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/parameters/zuul-params.yml"
+              -e "@{{ ansible_user_dir }}/ci-framework-data/artifacts/parameters/minor_update_env.yml"
diff --git a/roles/edpm_prepare/tasks/kustomize_and_deploy.yml b/roles/edpm_prepare/tasks/kustomize_and_deploy.yml
index 0a65a20397..89c685a863 100644
--- a/roles/edpm_prepare/tasks/kustomize_and_deploy.yml
+++ b/roles/edpm_prepare/tasks/kustomize_and_deploy.yml
@@ -26,18 +26,19 @@
     cifmw_update_containers_registry: "{{ content_provider_os_registry_url  | split('/') | first }}"
     cifmw_update_containers_org: "{{ content_provider_os_registry_url  | split('/') | last }}"
     cifmw_update_containers_tag: "{{ content_provider_dlrn_md5_hash }}"
-    cifmw_update_containers_openstack: true
+    cifmw_update_containers_openstack: "{{ cifmw_edpm_prepare_update_containers | default(true) }}"
 
 - name: Prepare OpenStackVersion CR
   when: >-
-      (cifmw_update_containers_edpm_image_url is defined and
+      (cifmw_prepare_openstackversion | default(true) | bool) and
+      ((cifmw_update_containers_edpm_image_url is defined and
       cifmw_update_containers_openstack is defined and
       cifmw_update_containers_openstack | bool) or
       (cifmw_update_containers_ansibleee_image_url is defined) or
       (cifmw_update_containers_openstack is defined and
       cifmw_update_containers_openstack | bool) or
       (cifmw_update_containers_watcher is defined and
-      cifmw_update_containers_watcher | bool)
+      cifmw_update_containers_watcher | bool))
   vars:
     cifmw_update_containers_metadata: "{{ _ctlplane_name }}"
   ansible.builtin.include_role:
diff --git a/zuul.d/edpm.yaml b/zuul.d/edpm.yaml
index dcd9cf514d..425bb8969d 100644
--- a/zuul.d/edpm.yaml
+++ b/zuul.d/edpm.yaml
@@ -39,6 +39,21 @@
       cifmw_edpm_deploy_baremetal_bootc: true
       cifmw_update_containers: true
 
+# Virtual Baremetal job with CRC for minor update testing.
+# First deploys with FR4 index image, then updates with PR index image.
+- job:
+    name: cifmw-crc-podified-edpm-baremetal-minor-update
+    nodeset: centos-9-crc-2-48-0-6xlarge
+    parent: cifmw-base-crc-openstack
+    run: ci/playbooks/edpm_baremetal_update/run.yml
+    dependencies:
+      - openstack-k8s-operators-content-provider
+    vars:
+      crc_parameters: "--memory 32000 --disk-size 240 --cpus 12"
+      cifmw_manage_secrets_pullsecret_content: '{}'
+      cifmw_rhol_crc_binary_folder: "/usr/local/bin"
+      cifmw_minor_update_pre_update_tag: "18.0-fr3-latest"
+
 # Podified galera job
 - job:
     name: cifmw-crc-podified-galera-deployment
diff --git a/zuul.d/project-templates.yaml b/zuul.d/project-templates.yaml
index 6fe9ae944e..1e141b98cc 100644
--- a/zuul.d/project-templates.yaml
+++ b/zuul.d/project-templates.yaml
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
               - cifmw-molecule
         - podified-multinode-edpm-deployment-crc: *content_provider
         - cifmw-crc-podified-edpm-baremetal: *content_provider
+        - cifmw-crc-podified-edpm-baremetal-minor-update: *content_provider
         - podified-multinode-hci-deployment-crc: *content_provider
         - cifmw-multinode-tempest: *content_provider
         - cifmw-pod-zuul-files