diff --git a/cmd/kernel.go b/cmd/kernel.go
index 89dbca1..6566baf 100644
--- a/cmd/kernel.go
+++ b/cmd/kernel.go
@@ -11,18 +11,15 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/cavaliergopher/grab/v3"
 	"github.com/naoina/toml"
 	"github.com/remeh/sizedwaitgroup"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
 
 	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/artifact"
-	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/cache"
 	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/config"
 	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/config/dotfiles"
 	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/container"
 	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/distro"
-	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/fs"
 	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/kernel"
 )
 
@@ -168,33 +165,6 @@ func (cmd *KernelCmd) GenKernel(km artifact.Target, pkg string) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (cmd *KernelCmd) fetchPrebuiltContainer(c container.Container) {
-	if !cmd.PrebuiltContainers {
-		return
-	}
-	if c.Exist() && container.UseCache {
-		return
-	}
-
-	tmp, err := fs.TempDir()
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-	defer os.RemoveAll(tmp)
-
-	resp, err := grab.Get(tmp, cache.ContainerURL(c.Name()))
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-
-	defer os.Remove(resp.Filename)
-
-	err = container.Load(resp.Filename, c.Name())
-	if err == nil {
-		log.Info().Msgf("use prebuilt container %s", c.Name())
-	}
-}
-
 func (cmd *KernelCmd) Generate(g *Globals, km artifact.Target) (err error) {
 	defer func() {
 		if err != nil {
@@ -204,6 +174,9 @@ func (cmd *KernelCmd) Generate(g *Globals, km artifact.Target) (err error) {
 		}
 	}()
 
+	if cmd.PrebuiltContainers {
+		container.UsePrebuilt = false
+	}
 	if cmd.Update {
 		container.UseCache = false
 	}
@@ -230,13 +203,6 @@ func (cmd *KernelCmd) Generate(g *Globals, km artifact.Target) (err error) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	c, err := container.New(km.Distro)
-	if err != nil || cmd.shutdown {
-		return
-	}
-
-	cmd.fetchPrebuiltContainer(c)
-
 	pkgs, err := kernel.MatchPackages(km)
 	if err != nil || cmd.shutdown {
 		return
@@ -305,6 +271,9 @@ type KernelListRemoteCmd struct {
 }
 
 func (cmd *KernelListRemoteCmd) Run(kernelCmd *KernelCmd, g *Globals) (err error) {
+	if kernelCmd.PrebuiltContainers {
+		container.UsePrebuilt = false
+	}
 	if kernelCmd.Update {
 		container.UseCache = false
 	}
@@ -330,13 +299,6 @@ func (cmd *KernelListRemoteCmd) Run(kernelCmd *KernelCmd, g *Globals) (err error
 	container.Registry = g.Config.Docker.Registry
 	container.Commands = g.Config.Docker.Commands
 
-	c, err := container.New(km.Distro)
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-
-	kernelCmd.fetchPrebuiltContainer(c)
-
 	pkgs, err := kernel.MatchPackages(km)
 	// error check skipped on purpose
 
diff --git a/container/container.go b/container/container.go
index e1affc8..1a7381b 100644
--- a/container/container.go
+++ b/container/container.go
@@ -16,11 +16,14 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/cavaliergopher/grab/v3"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
 
+	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/cache"
 	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/config/dotfiles"
 	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/distro"
+	"code.dumpstack.io/tools/out-of-tree/fs"
 )
 
 var Runtime = "docker"
@@ -33,6 +36,8 @@ var Commands []distro.Command
 
 var UseCache = true
 
+var UsePrebuilt = true
+
 var Prune = true
 
 type Image struct {
@@ -240,6 +245,33 @@ func (c Container) Exist() (yes bool) {
 	return
 }
 
+func (c Container) loadPrebuilt() (err error) {
+	if c.Exist() && UseCache {
+		return
+	}
+
+	tmp, err := fs.TempDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(tmp)
+
+	log.Info().Msgf("download prebuilt container %s", c.Name())
+	resp, err := grab.Get(tmp, cache.ContainerURL(c.Name()))
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	defer os.Remove(resp.Filename)
+
+	err = Load(resp.Filename, c.Name())
+	if err == nil {
+		log.Info().Msgf("use prebuilt container %s", c.Name())
+	}
+
+	return
+}
+
 func (c Container) Build(image string, envs, runs []string) (err error) {
 	if c.Exist() && UseCache {
 		return
@@ -290,10 +322,17 @@ func (c Container) Build(image string, envs, runs []string) (err error) {
 		c.Log.Info().Msg("build")
 	}
 
-	output, err := c.build(cdir)
-	if err != nil {
-		c.Log.Error().Err(err).Msg(output)
-		return
+	if UsePrebuilt {
+		err = c.loadPrebuilt()
+	}
+
+	if err != nil || !UsePrebuilt {
+		var output string
+		output, err = c.build(cdir)
+		if err != nil {
+			c.Log.Error().Err(err).Msg(output)
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	c.Log.Info().Msg("success")