diff --git a/.github/actions/setup-environment/action.yml b/.github/actions/setup-environment/action.yml
index f89d27874..ff5c809a3 100644
--- a/.github/actions/setup-environment/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/setup-environment/action.yml
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ runs:
           ./eden config set default --key=eve.accel --value=true
         else
           ./eden config set default --key=eve.accel --value=false
+          ./eden config set default --key=eve.firmware --value="$(pwd)/firmware/OVMF_CODE.fd $(pwd)/firmware/OVMF_VARS.fd"
         fi
         ./eden config set default --key=eve.tpm --value=${{ inputs.tpm_enabled }}
         ./eden config set default --key=eve.cpu --value=2
@@ -85,8 +86,10 @@ runs:
           echo "Setting up eve image ${image}"
           eve_pr_registry=$(echo "$image" |  cut -d ':' -f 1)
           eve_pr=$(echo "$image" |  cut -d ':' -f 2 | cut -d "-" -f1)
+          # this will be empty if there is no rc in the tag
+          eve_rc=$(echo "$image" |  cut -d ':' -f 2 | grep -Eo "\-rc[0-9]+" || printf "")
           ./eden config set default --key=eve.registry --value="$eve_pr_registry"
-          ./eden config set default --key=eve.tag --value="$eve_pr"
+          ./eden config set default --key=eve.tag --value="$eve_pr$eve_rc"
         else
           echo "Skipping setting up eve image ${image}"
         fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/eden_setup.yml b/.github/workflows/eden_setup.yml
index 747353cc8..e246a1963 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/eden_setup.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/eden_setup.yml
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ jobs:
           # check separate (non-default) config
           ./eden config add setup
           ./eden config set setup --key=eve.accel --value=false
+          ./eden config set setup --key=eve.firmware --value="$(pwd)/firmware/OVMF_CODE.fd $(pwd)/firmware/OVMF_VARS.fd"
           ./eden --config setup setup
           ./eden --config setup start
           ./eden --config setup eve onboard
diff --git a/firmware/OVMF.fd b/firmware/OVMF.fd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d3c3b4df
Binary files /dev/null and b/firmware/OVMF.fd differ
diff --git a/firmware/OVMF_CODE.fd b/firmware/OVMF_CODE.fd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b9d9312d6
Binary files /dev/null and b/firmware/OVMF_CODE.fd differ
diff --git a/firmware/OVMF_VARS.fd b/firmware/OVMF_VARS.fd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d47369d7d
Binary files /dev/null and b/firmware/OVMF_VARS.fd differ
diff --git a/pkg/evetestkit/utils.go b/pkg/evetestkit/utils.go
index 64a530f10..8d4dd522f 100644
--- a/pkg/evetestkit/utils.go
+++ b/pkg/evetestkit/utils.go
@@ -494,6 +494,8 @@ func (node *EveNode) EveRebootAndWait(timeoutSeconds uint) error {
 // EveDeployApp deploys a VM/App on the EVE node
 func (node *EveNode) EveDeployApp(appLink string, destructiveUse bool, pc openevec.PodConfig, options ...AppOption) error {
 	app := appInstanceConfig{name: pc.Name, destructiveUse: destructiveUse}
+	node.apps = append(node.apps, app)
+
 	for _, option := range options {
 		option(node, pc.Name)
 	}
@@ -507,7 +509,6 @@ func (node *EveNode) EveDeployApp(appLink string, destructiveUse bool, pc openev
 		}
 	}
 
-	node.apps = append(node.apps, app)
 	return node.controller.PodDeploy(appLink, pc, node.cfg)
 }