diff --git a/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.aarch64.mpp.yaml b/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.aarch64.mpp.yaml
index 6a6b58c26a..958969b420 100644
--- a/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.aarch64.mpp.yaml
+++ b/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.aarch64.mpp.yaml
@@ -25,21 +25,25 @@ mpp-vars:
   boot_fs_label: boot
   root_fs_uuid: 910678ff-f77e-4a7d-8d53-86f2ac47a823
   root_fs_label: root
+  # For some stages (i.e. the qemu stages) we'll use the host as
+  # the buildroot (i.e. COSA in most cases but sometimes just
+  # the actual HOST filesystem like in coreos/custom-coreos-disk-images).
+  # This is useful/necessary because we definitely don't include
+  # qemu-img or tools like zip in the actual CoreOS OS. "" here
+  # means to use the host as buildroot. It is worth noting that
+  # the host buildroot is the default if nothing is specified.
+  # We're still defining it here in an attempt to be explicit.
+  host_as_buildroot: ""
   # Set the buildroot string to use for most operations here. We create
   # the buildroot from the target OSTree contents so we have version
   # matches. Unfortunately for FCOS there is no python so we can't
-  # really use FCOS as the buildroot so we'll set it to "" so that
-  # the host (COSA) gets used as the buildroot there.
+  # really use FCOS as the buildroot so we'll use the host as the
+  # buildroot there.
   buildroot:
     mpp-if: osname in ['rhcos', 'scos']
-    then: "name:build"
-    else: ""
-  # For the qemu stages we'll use the host buildroot (COSA)
-  # because we definitely don't include qemu-img in CoreOS. ""
-  # means to use the host as buildroot. It is worth noting that
-  # the host buildroot is the default if nothing is specified.
-  # We're still defining it here in an attempt to be explicit.
-  qemu_stage_buildroot: ""
+    then: "name:deployed-tree"
+    else:
+      mpp-format-string: '{host_as_buildroot}'
 mpp-define-images:
   - id: image
     sector_size:
@@ -109,12 +113,17 @@ pipelines:
                 to: tree:///coreos.ociarchive
         else:
           type: org.osbuild.noop
-  # Construct a buildroot here from the input container reference (either
-  # ociarchive or registry/tag). Note that this is only used as a buildroot
-  # on RHCOS (FCOS doesn't ship python), but it is used everywhere as
-  # file_context input to the org.osbuild.selinux stages.
-  # unless used somewhere later in the manifest.
-  - name: build
+  # Construct a tree here that is a representation of the filesystem
+  # that you would see on a running OSTree system. i.e. instead of just
+  # /ostree and /sysroot at the toplevel we see /usr/ /var/ /etc/ ... that
+  # you would see inside an OSTree deployment. Having the plain files accessible
+  # allows for this pipeline to be used as a buildroot for some stages
+  # or as inputs for others (i.e. file_context input to the org.osbuild.selinux
+  # stages). This pipeline isn't actually used for built artifacts but
+  # to help during build.
+  #
+  # NOTE: this is only used as a buildroot on RHCOS (FCOS doesn't ship python).
+  - name: deployed-tree
     stages:
       - mpp-if: ociarchive != ''
         then:
@@ -152,7 +161,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
       - type: org.osbuild.ostree.init-fs
       - type: org.osbuild.ostree.os-init
         options:
@@ -366,7 +375,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -389,7 +398,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -618,7 +627,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -643,7 +652,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
diff --git a/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.ppc64le.mpp.yaml b/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.ppc64le.mpp.yaml
index c3f29851c7..5354a05fc2 100644
--- a/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.ppc64le.mpp.yaml
+++ b/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.ppc64le.mpp.yaml
@@ -25,21 +25,25 @@ mpp-vars:
   boot_fs_label: boot
   root_fs_uuid: 910678ff-f77e-4a7d-8d53-86f2ac47a823
   root_fs_label: root
+  # For some stages (i.e. the qemu stages) we'll use the host as
+  # the buildroot (i.e. COSA in most cases but sometimes just
+  # the actual HOST filesystem like in coreos/custom-coreos-disk-images).
+  # This is useful/necessary because we definitely don't include
+  # qemu-img or tools like zip in the actual CoreOS OS. "" here
+  # means to use the host as buildroot. It is worth noting that
+  # the host buildroot is the default if nothing is specified.
+  # We're still defining it here in an attempt to be explicit.
+  host_as_buildroot: ""
   # Set the buildroot string to use for most operations here. We create
   # the buildroot from the target OSTree contents so we have version
   # matches. Unfortunately for FCOS there is no python so we can't
-  # really use FCOS as the buildroot so we'll set it to "" so that
-  # the host (COSA) gets used as the buildroot there.
+  # really use FCOS as the buildroot so we'll use the host as the
+  # buildroot there.
   buildroot:
     mpp-if: osname in ['rhcos', 'scos']
-    then: "name:build"
-    else: ""
-  # For the qemu stages we'll use the host buildroot (COSA)
-  # because we definitely don't include qemu-img in CoreOS. ""
-  # means to use the host as buildroot. It is worth noting that
-  # the host buildroot is the default if nothing is specified.
-  # We're still defining it here in an attempt to be explicit.
-  qemu_stage_buildroot: ""
+    then: "name:deployed-tree"
+    else:
+      mpp-format-string: '{host_as_buildroot}'
 mpp-define-images:
   - id: image
     sector_size:
@@ -111,12 +115,17 @@ pipelines:
                 to: tree:///coreos.ociarchive
         else:
           type: org.osbuild.noop
-  # Construct a buildroot here from the input container reference (either
-  # ociarchive or registry/tag). Note that this is only used as a buildroot
-  # on RHCOS (FCOS doesn't ship python), but it is used everywhere as
-  # file_context input to the org.osbuild.selinux stages.
-  # unless used somewhere later in the manifest.
-  - name: build
+  # Construct a tree here that is a representation of the filesystem
+  # that you would see on a running OSTree system. i.e. instead of just
+  # /ostree and /sysroot at the toplevel we see /usr/ /var/ /etc/ ... that
+  # you would see inside an OSTree deployment. Having the plain files accessible
+  # allows for this pipeline to be used as a buildroot for some stages
+  # or as inputs for others (i.e. file_context input to the org.osbuild.selinux
+  # stages). This pipeline isn't actually used for built artifacts but
+  # to help during build.
+  #
+  # NOTE: this is only used as a buildroot on RHCOS (FCOS doesn't ship python).
+  - name: deployed-tree
     stages:
       - mpp-if: ociarchive != ''
         then:
@@ -154,7 +163,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
       - type: org.osbuild.ostree.init-fs
       - type: org.osbuild.ostree.os-init
         options:
@@ -351,7 +360,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -374,7 +383,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -572,7 +581,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -597,7 +606,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
diff --git a/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.s390x.mpp.yaml b/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.s390x.mpp.yaml
index c6d9cbe3f8..680c47f4ae 100644
--- a/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.s390x.mpp.yaml
+++ b/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.s390x.mpp.yaml
@@ -29,21 +29,25 @@ mpp-vars:
   boot_fs_label: boot
   root_fs_uuid: 910678ff-f77e-4a7d-8d53-86f2ac47a823
   root_fs_label: root
+  # For some stages (i.e. the qemu stages) we'll use the host as
+  # the buildroot (i.e. COSA in most cases but sometimes just
+  # the actual HOST filesystem like in coreos/custom-coreos-disk-images).
+  # This is useful/necessary because we definitely don't include
+  # qemu-img or tools like zip in the actual CoreOS OS. "" here
+  # means to use the host as buildroot. It is worth noting that
+  # the host buildroot is the default if nothing is specified.
+  # We're still defining it here in an attempt to be explicit.
+  host_as_buildroot: ""
   # Set the buildroot string to use for most operations here. We create
   # the buildroot from the target OSTree contents so we have version
   # matches. Unfortunately for FCOS there is no python so we can't
-  # really use FCOS as the buildroot so we'll set it to "" so that
-  # the host (COSA) gets used as the buildroot there.
+  # really use FCOS as the buildroot so we'll use the host as the
+  # buildroot there.
   buildroot:
     mpp-if: osname in ['rhcos', 'scos']
-    then: "name:build"
-    else: ""
-  # For the qemu stages we'll use the host buildroot (COSA)
-  # because we definitely don't include qemu-img in CoreOS. ""
-  # means to use the host as buildroot. It is worth noting that
-  # the host buildroot is the default if nothing is specified.
-  # We're still defining it here in an attempt to be explicit.
-  qemu_stage_buildroot: ""
+    then: "name:deployed-tree"
+    else:
+      mpp-format-string: '{host_as_buildroot}'
 mpp-define-images:
   - id: image
     sector_size:
@@ -101,12 +105,17 @@ pipelines:
                 to: tree:///coreos.ociarchive
         else:
           type: org.osbuild.noop
-  # Construct a buildroot here from the input container reference (either
-  # ociarchive or registry/tag). Note that this is only used as a buildroot
-  # on RHCOS (FCOS doesn't ship python), but it is used everywhere as
-  # file_context input to the org.osbuild.selinux stages.
-  # unless used somewhere later in the manifest.
-  - name: build
+  # Construct a tree here that is a representation of the filesystem
+  # that you would see on a running OSTree system. i.e. instead of just
+  # /ostree and /sysroot at the toplevel we see /usr/ /var/ /etc/ ... that
+  # you would see inside an OSTree deployment. Having the plain files accessible
+  # allows for this pipeline to be used as a buildroot for some stages
+  # or as inputs for others (i.e. file_context input to the org.osbuild.selinux
+  # stages). This pipeline isn't actually used for built artifacts but
+  # to help during build.
+  #
+  # NOTE: this is only used as a buildroot on RHCOS (FCOS doesn't ship python).
+  - name: deployed-tree
     stages:
       - mpp-if: ociarchive != ''
         then:
@@ -144,7 +153,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
       - type: org.osbuild.ostree.init-fs
       - type: org.osbuild.ostree.os-init
         options:
@@ -354,7 +363,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -377,7 +386,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -546,7 +555,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -571,7 +580,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
diff --git a/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.x86_64.mpp.yaml b/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.x86_64.mpp.yaml
index 837f666445..8f4bb57be0 100644
--- a/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.x86_64.mpp.yaml
+++ b/src/osbuild-manifests/coreos.osbuild.x86_64.mpp.yaml
@@ -25,21 +25,25 @@ mpp-vars:
   boot_fs_label: boot
   root_fs_uuid: 910678ff-f77e-4a7d-8d53-86f2ac47a823
   root_fs_label: root
+  # For some stages (i.e. the qemu stages) we'll use the host as
+  # the buildroot (i.e. COSA in most cases but sometimes just
+  # the actual HOST filesystem like in coreos/custom-coreos-disk-images).
+  # This is useful/necessary because we definitely don't include
+  # qemu-img or tools like zip in the actual CoreOS OS. "" here
+  # means to use the host as buildroot. It is worth noting that
+  # the host buildroot is the default if nothing is specified.
+  # We're still defining it here in an attempt to be explicit.
+  host_as_buildroot: ""
   # Set the buildroot string to use for most operations here. We create
   # the buildroot from the target OSTree contents so we have version
   # matches. Unfortunately for FCOS there is no python so we can't
-  # really use FCOS as the buildroot so we'll set it to "" so that
-  # the host (COSA) gets used as the buildroot there.
+  # really use FCOS as the buildroot so we'll use the host as the
+  # buildroot there.
   buildroot:
     mpp-if: osname in ['rhcos', 'scos']
-    then: "name:build"
-    else: ""
-  # For the qemu stages we'll use the host buildroot (COSA)
-  # because we definitely don't include qemu-img in CoreOS. ""
-  # means to use the host as buildroot. It is worth noting that
-  # the host buildroot is the default if nothing is specified.
-  # We're still defining it here in an attempt to be explicit.
-  qemu_stage_buildroot: ""
+    then: "name:deployed-tree"
+    else:
+      mpp-format-string: '{host_as_buildroot}'
 mpp-define-images:
   - id: image
     sector_size:
@@ -111,12 +115,17 @@ pipelines:
                 to: tree:///coreos.ociarchive
         else:
           type: org.osbuild.noop
-  # Construct a buildroot here from the input container reference (either
-  # ociarchive or registry/tag). Note that this is only used as a buildroot
-  # on RHCOS (FCOS doesn't ship python), but it is used everywhere as
-  # file_context input to the org.osbuild.selinux stages.
-  # unless used somewhere later in the manifest.
-  - name: build
+  # Construct a tree here that is a representation of the filesystem
+  # that you would see on a running OSTree system. i.e. instead of just
+  # /ostree and /sysroot at the toplevel we see /usr/ /var/ /etc/ ... that
+  # you would see inside an OSTree deployment. Having the plain files accessible
+  # allows for this pipeline to be used as a buildroot for some stages
+  # or as inputs for others (i.e. file_context input to the org.osbuild.selinux
+  # stages). This pipeline isn't actually used for built artifacts but
+  # to help during build.
+  #
+  # NOTE: this is only used as a buildroot on RHCOS (FCOS doesn't ship python).
+  - name: deployed-tree
     stages:
       - mpp-if: ociarchive != ''
         then:
@@ -154,7 +163,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
       - type: org.osbuild.ostree.init-fs
       - type: org.osbuild.ostree.os-init
         options:
@@ -368,7 +377,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -391,7 +400,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -622,7 +631,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -647,7 +656,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
diff --git a/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.hyperv.ipp.yaml b/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.hyperv.ipp.yaml
index 33bf5180f3..799386178f 100644
--- a/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.hyperv.ipp.yaml
+++ b/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.hyperv.ipp.yaml
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ pipelines:
              target: /boot
   - name: raw-hyperv-image-vhdx
     build:
-      mpp-format-string: '{qemu_stage_buildroot}'
+      mpp-format-string: '{host_as_buildroot}'
     stages:
       - type: org.osbuild.qemu
         inputs:
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: vhdx
   - name: hyperv
     build:
-      mpp-format-string: '{qemu_stage_buildroot}'
+      mpp-format-string: '{host_as_buildroot}'
     stages:
       - type: org.osbuild.zip
         inputs:
diff --git a/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.qemu-secex.ipp.yaml b/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.qemu-secex.ipp.yaml
index 88904c39cc..1795f0365b 100644
--- a/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.qemu-secex.ipp.yaml
+++ b/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.qemu-secex.ipp.yaml
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ pipelines:
             type: org.osbuild.tree
             origin: org.osbuild.pipeline
             references:
-              - name:build
+              - name:deployed-tree
         devices:
           disk:
             type: org.osbuild.loopback
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ pipelines:
                 mpp-format-int: '{image_secex.layout[''roothash''].size}'
   - name: qemu-secex
     build:
-      mpp-format-string: '{qemu_stage_buildroot}'
+      mpp-format-string: '{host_as_buildroot}'
     stages:
       - type: org.osbuild.qemu
         inputs:
diff --git a/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.qemu.ipp.yaml b/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.qemu.ipp.yaml
index 06eeac35fb..4a1fa95e68 100644
--- a/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.qemu.ipp.yaml
+++ b/src/osbuild-manifests/platform.qemu.ipp.yaml
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ pipelines:
               target: /boot
   - name: qemu
     build:
-      mpp-format-string: '{qemu_stage_buildroot}'
+      mpp-format-string: '{host_as_buildroot}'
     stages:
       - type: org.osbuild.qemu
         inputs: