diff --git a/buildman/manager/executor.py b/buildman/manager/executor.py
index 9457f4591..c9b222f12 100644
--- a/buildman/manager/executor.py
+++ b/buildman/manager/executor.py
@@ -271,10 +271,11 @@ class KubernetesExecutor(BuilderExecutor):
   """ Executes build jobs by creating Kubernetes jobs which run a qemu-kvm virtual
       machine in a pod """
   def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-    self._loop = get_event_loop()
     super(KubernetesExecutor, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+    self._loop = get_event_loop()
     self.namespace = self.executor_config.get('BUILDER_NAMESPACE', 'builder')
-    self.image = self.executor_config.get('BUILDER_IMAGE', 'quay.io/quay/quay-builder-qemu-coreos')
+    self.image = self.executor_config.get('BUILDER_VM_CONTAINER_IMAGE',
+                                          'quay.io/quay/quay-builder-qemu-coreos:stable')
 
   @coroutine
   def _request(self, method, path, **kwargs):
@@ -357,8 +358,8 @@ class KubernetesExecutor(BuilderExecutor):
             'containers': [
               {
                 'name': 'builder',
-                'image': '%s:%s' % (self.image, coreos_channel),
-                'imagePullPolicy': 'Always',
+                'imagePullPolicy': 'IfNotPresent',
+                'image': self.image,
                 'securityContext': {'privileged': True},
                 'env': [
                   {'name': 'USERDATA', 'value': user_data},