diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1bf713acbce..da4ee1416af 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ LDFLAGS="-X $(PKG).version=$(VERSION) -X $(PKG).commit=$(COMMIT) -X $(PKG).date=
 
 .DEFAULT_GOAL := build
 
+CONTAINER ?= docker
+
 .PHONY: all
 all: test cover fmt lint build generate
 
@@ -92,8 +94,8 @@ generate:
 
 .PHONY: container
 container: check-docker-tool-check
-	docker build -f dockerfiles/Dockerfile.guac-cont -t local-organic-guac .
-	docker build -f dockerfiles/Dockerfile.healthcheck -t local-healthcheck .
+	$(CONTAINER) build -f dockerfiles/Dockerfile.guac-cont -t local-organic-guac .
+	$(CONTAINER) build -f dockerfiles/Dockerfile.healthcheck -t local-healthcheck .
 
 
 # To run the service, run `make container` and then `make service`
@@ -104,17 +106,17 @@ start-service:
 	# not handle that well.
 	#
 	# if container images are missing, run `make container` first
-	docker compose up --force-recreate	
+	$(CONTAINER) compose up --force-recreate
 
 # to flush state, service-stop must be used else state is taken from old containers
 .PHONY: stop-service
 stop-service:
-	docker compose down
+	$(CONTAINER) compose down
 
 .PHONY: check-docker-tool-check
 check-docker-tool-check:
-	@if ! command -v docker &> /dev/null; then \
-		echo "Docker is not installed. Please install Docker and try again."; \
+	@if ! command -v $(CONTAINER) &> /dev/null; then \
+		echo "'$(CONTAINER)' is not installed. Please install '$(CONTAINER)' and try again. Or set the CONTAINER variable to a different container runtime engine."; \
 		exit 1; \
 	fi
 
diff --git a/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.guac-cont b/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.guac-cont
index 4a96b62ed09..51b7e7309b5 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.guac-cont
+++ b/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.guac-cont
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-FROM golang:1.19 as builder
+FROM docker.io/library/golang:1.19 as builder
 ADD . /go/src/github.com/guacsec/guac/
 WORKDIR /go/src/github.com/guacsec/guac/
 RUN rm -rf bin/ && make build
 
-FROM ubuntu:22.04
+FROM docker.io/library/ubuntu:22.04
 RUN apt update
 RUN apt install -y ca-certificates
 WORKDIR /root