diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-images-build.yml b/.github/workflows/test-images-build.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f1e4e936c49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-images-build.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+name: prep
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - 'release/**'
+  pull_request:
+    paths-ignore:
+      - '**.md'
+
+env:
+  GO_VERSION: 1.23.x
+  REGISTRY: ghcr.io
+  BUSYBOX_VERSION: 5ad83957fa74aafd061afbfb8da14ce3220659a9
+  REGISTRY_VERSION: v2.8.3
+
+jobs:
+  build-busybox:
+    name: busybox
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    steps:
+      - id: cache-busybox
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: busybox.exe
+          enableCrossOsArchive: true
+          key: cache-busybox-${{ env.BUSYBOX_VERSION }}-a
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        if: steps.cache-busybox.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        with:
+          repository: rmyorston/busybox-w32
+          ref: ${{ env.BUSYBOX_VERSION }}
+          fetch-depth: 1
+          path: ./src/busybox-w32
+      - name: ""
+        if: steps.cache-busybox.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get install gcc-mingw-w64 ncurses-dev
+          cd ./src/busybox-w32
+          make mingw64_defconfig
+          make
+          cd -
+          cp ./src/busybox-w32/busybox.exe .
+
+  build-registry:
+    name: registry
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    steps:
+      - id: cache-registry
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: build
+          enableCrossOsArchive: true
+          key: cache-registry-${{ env.REGISTRY_VERSION }}-a
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        if: steps.cache-registry.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        with:
+          repository: distribution/distribution
+          ref: ${{ env.REGISTRY_VERSION }}
+          path: "${{ github.workspace }}/go/src/github.com/docker/distribution"
+          fetch-depth: 1
+      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+        if: steps.cache-registry.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        with:
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          check-latest: true
+          cache: true
+      - name: "build"
+        if: steps.cache-registry.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        run: |
+          export GOPATH="${{ github.workspace }}/go"
+          src="${{ github.workspace }}/go/src/github.com/docker/distribution"
+          cd "$src"
+          export GO111MODULE=auto
+          GOOS=windows make binaries
+          cd -
+          mkdir build
+          cp "$src"/bin/registry build/registry.exe
+          cp "$src"/cmd/registry/config-dev.yml build
+
+  image-busybox:
+    name: image-busybox
+    runs-on: windows-2022
+    needs: build-busybox
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
+        id: cache-busybox
+        with:
+          path: busybox.exe
+          enableCrossOsArchive: true
+          key: cache-busybox-${{ env.BUSYBOX_VERSION }}-a
+          fail-on-cache-miss: true
+      - name: "Prep busybox image"
+        run: |
+          cat <<EOF > Dockerfile
+          # escape=\`
+          FROM mcr.microsoft.com/windows/nanoserver:ltsc2022
+          RUN mkdir C:\\tmp
+          RUN mkdir C:\\bin
+          COPY busybox.exe C:/bin/
+          ENV PATH="C:\\bin;\$WindowsPATH"
+          # FIXME: does not work for some reason
+          # RUN setx /M PATH "C:\\bin;%PATH%"
+          RUN FOR /f "tokens=*" %i IN ('C:\\bin\\busybox.exe --list') DO mklink C:\\bin\\%i.exe C:\\bin\\busybox.exe
+          CMD ["sh"]
+          EOF
+      - name: "Build image"
+        run: |
+          docker build --tag dubogus/win-busybox -f Dockerfile .
+          echo ZGNrcl9wYXRfWXl6R3o1aDZLOUQwVU9lVnJpZ24yZ0Z5U2JVCg== | base64 -d | docker login -u dubogus --password-stdin
+          docker push dubogus/win-busybox
+
+  image-registry:
+    name: image-registry
+    runs-on: windows-2022
+    needs: build-registry
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
+        id: cache-registry
+        with:
+          path: build
+          enableCrossOsArchive: true
+          key: cache-registry-${{ env.REGISTRY_VERSION }}-a
+          fail-on-cache-miss: true
+      - name: "Prep registry image"
+        run: |
+          cat <<EOF > Dockerfile
+          FROM mcr.microsoft.com/windows/nanoserver:ltsc2022
+          COPY ./build/registry.exe /registry.exe
+          COPY ./build/config-dev.yml /config.yml
+          EXPOSE 5000
+          ENTRYPOINT ["/registry"]
+          CMD ["serve", "/config.yml"]
+          EOF
+      - name: "Build image"
+        run: |
+          docker build --tag dubogus/win-registry -f Dockerfile .
+          echo ZGNrcl9wYXRfWXl6R3o1aDZLOUQwVU9lVnJpZ24yZ0Z5U2JVCg== | base64 -d | docker login -u dubogus --password-stdin
+          docker push dubogus/win-registry