diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 1b59db15b1c1..32b15164a749 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ jobs:
       ALL_ARCH: "amd64 arm64"
       REGISTRY_QUAY: quay.io/giantswarm
       REGISTRY_CHINA: giantswarm-registry.cn-shanghai.cr.aliyuncs.com/giantswarm
+
+      # We don't build all components, e.g. not CAPD or clusterctl
+      ALL_DOCKER_BUILD: "core kubeadm-bootstrap kubeadm-control-plane"
     steps:
       - checkout
       - run:
@@ -37,11 +40,11 @@ jobs:
             rm .dockerignore
 
             for registry in $REGISTRY_QUAY $REGISTRY_CHINA; do
-              make docker-build-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" TAG=$CIRCLE_SHA1 REGISTRY=$registry
+              make docker-build-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" ALL_DOCKER_BUILD="$ALL_DOCKER_BUILD" TAG=$CIRCLE_SHA1 REGISTRY=$registry
 
               if [ -n "$CIRCLE_TAG" ]; then
                 echo "Building tag $CIRCLE_TAG"
-                make docker-build-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" TAG="$CIRCLE_TAG" REGISTRY=$registry
+                make docker-build-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" ALL_DOCKER_BUILD="$ALL_DOCKER_BUILD" TAG="$CIRCLE_TAG" REGISTRY=$registry
               fi
             done
 
@@ -51,11 +54,11 @@ jobs:
           command: |
             docker login --username $QUAY_USERNAME --password $QUAY_PASSWORD quay.io
 
-            make docker-push-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" TAG=$CIRCLE_SHA1 REGISTRY=$REGISTRY_QUAY
+            make docker-push-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" ALL_DOCKER_BUILD="$ALL_DOCKER_BUILD" TAG=$CIRCLE_SHA1 REGISTRY=$REGISTRY_QUAY
 
             if [ -n "$CIRCLE_TAG" ]; then
               echo "Pushing tag $CIRCLE_TAG"
-              make docker-push-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" TAG="$CIRCLE_TAG" REGISTRY=$REGISTRY_QUAY
+              make docker-push-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" ALL_DOCKER_BUILD="$ALL_DOCKER_BUILD" TAG="$CIRCLE_TAG" REGISTRY=$REGISTRY_QUAY
             fi
 
       - run:
@@ -66,11 +69,11 @@ jobs:
                 set -eu
                 docker login --username $ALIYUN_USERNAME --password $ALIYUN_PASSWORD giantswarm-registry.cn-shanghai.cr.aliyuncs.com
 
-                make docker-push-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" TAG=$CIRCLE_SHA1 REGISTRY=$REGISTRY_CHINA
+                make docker-push-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" ALL_DOCKER_BUILD="$ALL_DOCKER_BUILD" TAG=$CIRCLE_SHA1 REGISTRY=$REGISTRY_CHINA
 
                 if [ -n "${CIRCLE_TAG:-}" ]; then
                   echo "Pushing tag $CIRCLE_TAG"
-                  make docker-push-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" TAG="$CIRCLE_TAG" REGISTRY=$REGISTRY_CHINA
+                  make docker-push-all ALL_ARCH="$ALL_ARCH" ALL_DOCKER_BUILD="$ALL_DOCKER_BUILD" TAG="$CIRCLE_TAG" REGISTRY=$REGISTRY_CHINA
                 fi
               ) || { echo "Failed attempt ${n}"; continue; }
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 47277948bfdf..23cef838c7b3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -665,6 +665,7 @@ docker-build-all: $(addprefix docker-build-,$(ALL_ARCH)) ## Build docker images
 docker-build-%:
 	$(MAKE) ARCH=$* docker-build
 
+# Choice of images to build/push
 ALL_DOCKER_BUILD = core kubeadm-bootstrap kubeadm-control-plane docker-infrastructure test-extension clusterctl
 
 .PHONY: docker-build
@@ -988,24 +989,17 @@ promote-images: $(KPROMO)
 
 .PHONY: docker-push-all
 docker-push-all: $(addprefix docker-push-,$(ALL_ARCH))  ## Push the docker images to be included in the release for all architectures + related multiarch manifests
-	$(MAKE) docker-push-manifest-core
-	$(MAKE) docker-push-manifest-kubeadm-bootstrap
-	$(MAKE) docker-push-manifest-kubeadm-control-plane
-	$(MAKE) docker-push-manifest-docker-infrastructure
-	$(MAKE) docker-push-manifest-test-extension
-	$(MAKE) docker-push-clusterctl
+	$(MAKE) ALL_ARCH="$(ALL_ARCH)" $(addprefix docker-push-manifest-,$(ALL_DOCKER_BUILD))
 
 docker-push-%:
 	$(MAKE) ARCH=$* docker-push
 
 .PHONY: docker-push
-docker-push: ## Push the docker images to be included in the release
+docker-push: $(addprefix docker-push-,$(ALL_DOCKER_BUILD)) ## Push the docker images to be included in the release
+
+.PHONY: docker-push-core
+docker-push-core: ## Push the core docker image
 	docker push $(CONTROLLER_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
-	docker push $(KUBEADM_BOOTSTRAP_CONTROLLER_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
-	docker push $(KUBEADM_CONTROL_PLANE_CONTROLLER_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
-	docker push $(CLUSTERCTL_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
-	docker push $(CAPD_CONTROLLER_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
-	docker push $(TEST_EXTENSION_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
 
 .PHONY: docker-push-manifest-core
 docker-push-manifest-core: ## Push the multiarch manifest for the core docker images
@@ -1015,6 +1009,10 @@ docker-push-manifest-core: ## Push the multiarch manifest for the core docker im
 	$(MAKE) set-manifest-image MANIFEST_IMG=$(CONTROLLER_IMG) MANIFEST_TAG=$(TAG) TARGET_RESOURCE="./config/default/manager_image_patch.yaml"
 	$(MAKE) set-manifest-pull-policy TARGET_RESOURCE="./config/default/manager_pull_policy.yaml"
 
+.PHONY: docker-push-kubeadm-bootstrap
+docker-push-kubeadm-bootstrap: ## Push the kubeadm bootstrap docker image
+	docker push $(KUBEADM_BOOTSTRAP_CONTROLLER_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
+
 .PHONY: docker-push-manifest-kubeadm-bootstrap
 docker-push-manifest-kubeadm-bootstrap: ## Push the multiarch manifest for the kubeadm bootstrap docker images
 	docker manifest create --amend $(KUBEADM_BOOTSTRAP_CONTROLLER_IMG):$(TAG) $(shell echo $(ALL_ARCH) | sed -e "s~[^ ]*~$(KUBEADM_BOOTSTRAP_CONTROLLER_IMG)\-&:$(TAG)~g")
@@ -1023,6 +1021,10 @@ docker-push-manifest-kubeadm-bootstrap: ## Push the multiarch manifest for the k
 	$(MAKE) set-manifest-image MANIFEST_IMG=$(KUBEADM_BOOTSTRAP_CONTROLLER_IMG) MANIFEST_TAG=$(TAG) TARGET_RESOURCE="./bootstrap/kubeadm/config/default/manager_image_patch.yaml"
 	$(MAKE) set-manifest-pull-policy TARGET_RESOURCE="./bootstrap/kubeadm/config/default/manager_pull_policy.yaml"
 
+.PHONY: docker-push-kubeadm-control-plane
+docker-push-kubeadm-control-plane: ## Push the kubeadm control plane docker image
+	docker push $(KUBEADM_CONTROL_PLANE_CONTROLLER_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
+
 .PHONY: docker-push-manifest-kubeadm-control-plane
 docker-push-manifest-kubeadm-control-plane: ## Push the multiarch manifest for the kubeadm control plane docker images
 	docker manifest create --amend $(KUBEADM_CONTROL_PLANE_CONTROLLER_IMG):$(TAG) $(shell echo $(ALL_ARCH) | sed -e "s~[^ ]*~$(KUBEADM_CONTROL_PLANE_CONTROLLER_IMG)\-&:$(TAG)~g")
@@ -1031,6 +1033,10 @@ docker-push-manifest-kubeadm-control-plane: ## Push the multiarch manifest for t
 	$(MAKE) set-manifest-image MANIFEST_IMG=$(KUBEADM_CONTROL_PLANE_CONTROLLER_IMG) MANIFEST_TAG=$(TAG) TARGET_RESOURCE="./controlplane/kubeadm/config/default/manager_image_patch.yaml"
 	$(MAKE) set-manifest-pull-policy TARGET_RESOURCE="./controlplane/kubeadm/config/default/manager_pull_policy.yaml"
 
+.PHONY: docker-push-docker-infrastructure
+docker-push-docker-infrastructure: ## Push the docker infrastructure provider image
+	docker push $(CAPD_CONTROLLER_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
+
 .PHONY: docker-push-manifest-docker-infrastructure
 docker-push-manifest-docker-infrastructure: ## Push the multiarch manifest for the docker infrastructure provider images
 	docker manifest create --amend $(CAPD_CONTROLLER_IMG):$(TAG) $(shell echo $(ALL_ARCH) | sed -e "s~[^ ]*~$(CAPD_CONTROLLER_IMG)\-&:$(TAG)~g")
@@ -1039,6 +1045,9 @@ docker-push-manifest-docker-infrastructure: ## Push the multiarch manifest for t
 	$(MAKE) set-manifest-image MANIFEST_IMG=$(CAPD_CONTROLLER_IMG) MANIFEST_TAG=$(TAG) TARGET_RESOURCE="$(CAPD_DIR)/config/default/manager_image_patch.yaml"
 	$(MAKE) set-manifest-pull-policy TARGET_RESOURCE="$(CAPD_DIR)/config/default/manager_pull_policy.yaml"
 
+.PHONY: docker-push-test-extension
+docker-push-test-extension: ## Push the test extension provider image
+	docker push $(TEST_EXTENSION_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
 
 .PHONY: docker-push-manifest-test-extension
 docker-push-manifest-test-extension: ## Push the multiarch manifest for the test extension provider images
@@ -1049,7 +1058,11 @@ docker-push-manifest-test-extension: ## Push the multiarch manifest for the test
 	$(MAKE) set-manifest-pull-policy TARGET_RESOURCE="./test/extension/config/default/manager_pull_policy.yaml"
 
 .PHONY: docker-push-clusterctl
-docker-push-clusterctl: ## Push the clusterctl images
+docker-push-clusterctl: ## Push the clusterctl image
+	docker push $(CLUSTERCTL_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
+
+.PHONY: docker-push-manifest-clusterctl
+docker-push-manifest-clusterctl: ## Push the multiarch manifest for the clusterctl images
 	docker manifest create --amend $(CLUSTERCTL_IMG):$(TAG) $(shell echo $(ALL_ARCH) | sed -e "s~[^ ]*~$(CLUSTERCTL_IMG)\-&:$(TAG)~g")
 	@for arch in $(ALL_ARCH); do docker manifest annotate --arch $${arch} ${CLUSTERCTL_IMG}:${TAG} ${CLUSTERCTL_IMG}-$${arch}:${TAG}; done
 	docker manifest push --purge $(CLUSTERCTL_IMG):$(TAG)