diff --git a/lib/utils.pm b/lib/utils.pm
index 77d7cc22..d5913a08 100644
--- a/lib/utils.pm
+++ b/lib/utils.pm
@@ -467,9 +467,9 @@ sub mount_update_image {
 
 sub umount_update_image {
     # inverse of mount_update_image
-    assert_script_run "sed -i '/updateiso/d' /etc/fstab";
+    assert_script_run "sed -i '/updateiso/d' /etc/fstab" if (get_var("ISO_2"));
     assert_script_run "sed -i '/workaroundsiso/d' /etc/fstab" if (get_var("ISO_3"));
-    assert_script_run "umount /mnt/updateiso" unless (script_run "grep updateiso /proc/mounts");
+    assert_script_run "umount /mnt/updateiso" unless (!get_var("ISO_2") || script_run "grep updateiso /proc/mounts");
     assert_script_run "umount /mnt/workaroundsiso" unless (!get_var("ISO_3") || script_run "grep workaroundsiso /proc/mounts");
 }
 
@@ -541,13 +541,14 @@ sub _repo_setup_compose {
 sub _repo_setup_updates {
     # Appropriate repo setup steps for testing a Bodhi update
     # sanity check
-    die "_repo_setup_updates called, but ISO_2 is not attached!" unless (get_var("ISO_2"));
-    mount_update_image;
+    die "_repo_setup_updates called, but ISO_2 is not attached!" unless (get_var("ISO_2") || get_var("TAG"));
+    mount_update_image if (get_var("ISO_2"));
     # Check if we already ran, bail if so
     return unless script_run "test -f /root/.oqarsurun";
     my $version = get_var("VERSION");
     my $currrel = get_var("CURRREL", "0");
     my $arch = get_var("ARCH");
+    my $tag = get_var("TAG");
     # this can be used for debugging repo config if something is wrong
     # unless (script_run 'pushd /etc/yum.repos.d && tar czvf yumreposd.tar.gz * && popd') {
     #     upload_logs "/etc/yum.repos.d/yumreposd.tar.gz";
@@ -576,14 +577,19 @@ sub _repo_setup_updates {
     }
     # set up the workaround repo
     setup_workaround_repo;
-    upload_logs "/mnt/updateiso/updatepkgnames.txt";
-    upload_logs "/mnt/updateiso/updatepkgs.txt";
+    upload_logs "/mnt/updateiso/updatepkgnames.txt" unless ($tag);
+    upload_logs "/mnt/updateiso/updatepkgs.txt" unless ($tag);
     # write a repo config file, unless this is the support_server test
     # and it is running on a different release than the update is for
     # (in this case we need the repo to exist but do not want to use
     # it on the actual support_server system)
     unless (get_var("TEST") eq "support_server" && $version ne get_var("CURRREL")) {
-        assert_script_run 'printf "[advisory]\nname=Advisory repo\nbaseurl=file:///mnt/updateiso/update_repo\nenabled=1\nmetadata_expire=3600\ngpgcheck=0" > /etc/yum.repos.d/advisory.repo';
+        if ($tag) {
+            assert_script_run 'printf "[openqa-testtag]\nname=openqa-testtag\nbaseurl=https://kojipkgs.fedoraproject.org/repos/' . "$tag/latest/$arch" . '/\ncost=2000\nenabled=1\ngpgcheck=0\n" > /etc/yum.repos.d/openqa-testtag.repo';
+        }
+        else {
+            assert_script_run 'printf "[advisory]\nname=Advisory repo\nbaseurl=file:///mnt/updateiso/update_repo\nenabled=1\nmetadata_expire=3600\ngpgcheck=0" > /etc/yum.repos.d/advisory.repo';
+        }
         # run an update now, except for upgrade or install tests,
         # where the updated packages should have been installed
         # already and we want to fail if they weren't, or CANNED
@@ -1010,6 +1016,8 @@ sub quit_with_shortcut {
 # are currently installed. This is here so we can do it both in
 # _advisory_post and post_fail_hook.
 sub advisory_get_installed_packages {
+    # can't do anything useful when testing a side tag
+    return if (get_var("TAG"));
     # sanity check
     die "advisory_get_installed_packages, but ISO_2 is not attached!" unless (get_var("ISO_2"));
     mount_update_image;
@@ -1041,6 +1049,8 @@ sub advisory_check_nonmatching_packages {
         fatal => 1,
         @_
     );
+    # can't do anything useful when testing a side tag
+    return if (get_var("TAG"));
     # sanity check
     die "advisory_check_nonmatching_packages called, but ISO_2 is not attached!" unless (get_var("ISO_2"));
     mount_update_image;
diff --git a/templates-updates.fif.json b/templates-updates.fif.json
index 2f3a0fac..49c83102 100644
--- a/templates-updates.fif.json
+++ b/templates-updates.fif.json
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@
             },
             "settings": {
                 "+START_AFTER_TEST": "installer_build@%ARCH_BASE_MACHINE%",
-                "ADD_REPOSITORY_VARIATION": "nfs://172.16.2.110:/mnt/updateiso/update_repo",
+                "ADD_REPOSITORY_VARIATION": "%UPDATE_OR_TAG_REPO%",
                 "INSTALL": "1",
                 "INSTALL_UNLOCK": "support_ready",
                 "ISO": "%ADVISORY_OR_TASK%-netinst-%ARCH%.iso",
diff --git a/tests/_installer_build.pm b/tests/_installer_build.pm
index c18dedb0..427055ad 100644
--- a/tests/_installer_build.pm
+++ b/tests/_installer_build.pm
@@ -25,9 +25,10 @@ sub run {
     unless ($version > $currrel) {
         $cmd .= " --isfinal --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/fedora-updates.repo";
     }
-    $cmd .= " --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/advisory.repo";
+    $cmd .= " --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/advisory.repo" if (get_var("ISO_2"));
     $cmd .= " --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/workarounds.repo" if (get_var("ISO_3"));
     $cmd .= " --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/koji-rawhide.repo" if ($version eq $rawrel);
+    $cmd .= " --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/openqa-testtag.repo" if (get_var("TAG"));
     $cmd .= " ./results";
     assert_script_run $cmd, 2400;
     # good to have the log around for checks
diff --git a/tests/_live_build.pm b/tests/_live_build.pm
index bc97b8fa..3a762c61 100644
--- a/tests/_live_build.pm
+++ b/tests/_live_build.pm
@@ -43,11 +43,14 @@ sub run {
     assert_script_run "echo \"include('/etc/mock/fedora-${version}-${arch}.cfg')\" > /etc/mock/openqa.cfg";
     # make the side and workarounds repos and the serial device available inside the mock root
     assert_script_run 'echo "config_opts[\'plugin_conf\'][\'bind_mount_enable\'] = True" >> /etc/mock/openqa.cfg';
-    assert_script_run 'echo "config_opts[\'plugin_conf\'][\'bind_mount_opts\'][\'dirs\'].append((\'/mnt/updateiso/update_repo\', \'/mnt/updateiso/update_repo\'))" >> /etc/mock/openqa.cfg';
+    assert_script_run 'echo "config_opts[\'plugin_conf\'][\'bind_mount_opts\'][\'dirs\'].append((\'/mnt/updateiso/update_repo\', \'/mnt/updateiso/update_repo\'))" >> /etc/mock/openqa.cfg' if (get_var("ISO_2"));
     assert_script_run 'echo "config_opts[\'plugin_conf\'][\'bind_mount_opts\'][\'dirs\'].append((\'/mnt/workaroundsiso/workarounds_repo\', \'/mnt/workaroundsiso/workarounds_repo\'))" >> /etc/mock/openqa.cfg' if (get_var("ISO_3"));
     assert_script_run 'echo "config_opts[\'plugin_conf\'][\'bind_mount_opts\'][\'dirs\'].append((\'/dev/' . $serialdev . '\', \'/dev/' . $serialdev . '\'))" >> /etc/mock/openqa.cfg';
-    # add the side repo to the config
-    my $repos = 'config_opts[\'dnf.conf\'] += \"\"\"\n[advisory]\nname=Advisory repo\nbaseurl=file:///mnt/updateiso/update_repo\nenabled=1\nmetadata_expire=3600\ngpgcheck=0\n';
+    my $tag = get_var("TAG");
+    my $repos = 'config_opts[\'dnf.conf\'] += \"\"\"\n';
+    # add the update repo or tag repo to the config
+    $repos .= '[advisory]\nname=Advisory repo\nbaseurl=file:///mnt/updateiso/update_repo\nenabled=1\nmetadata_expire=3600\ngpgcheck=0\n' if (get_var("ISO_2"));
+    $repos .= '[openqa-testtag]\nname=Tag test repo\nbaseurl=https://kojipkgs.fedoraproject.org/repos/' . "${tag}/latest/${arch}" . '\nenabled=1\nmetadata_expire=3600\ngpgcheck=0\n' if ($tag);
     # and the workaround repo if present
     $repos .= '\n[workarounds]\nname=Workarounds repo\nbaseurl=file:///mnt/workaroundsiso/workarounds_repo\nenabled=1\nmetadata_expire=3600\ngpgcheck=0\n' if (get_var("ISO_3"));
     # also the buildroot repo, for Rawhide
@@ -64,8 +67,9 @@ sub run {
     assert_script_run 'git clone https://pagure.io/fedora-kickstarts.git';
     assert_script_run 'cd fedora-kickstarts';
     assert_script_run "git checkout ${branch}";
-    # now add the side repo to the appropriate repo ks
-    assert_script_run 'echo "repo --name=advisory --baseurl=file:///mnt/updateiso/update_repo" >> ' . $repoks;
+    # now add the side repo or tag repo to the appropriate repo ks
+    assert_script_run 'echo "repo --name=advisory --baseurl=file:///mnt/updateiso/update_repo" >> ' . $repoks if (get_var("ISO_2"));
+    assert_script_run 'echo "repo --name=openqa-testtag --baseurl=https://kojipkgs.fedoraproject.org/repos/' . "${tag}/latest/${arch}" . '" >> ' . $repoks if ($tag);
     # and the workarounds repo
     assert_script_run 'echo "repo --name=workarounds --baseurl=file:///mnt/workaroundsiso/workarounds_repo" >> ' . $repoks if (get_var("ISO_3"));
     # and the buildroot repo, for Rawhide
diff --git a/tests/_ostree_build.pm b/tests/_ostree_build.pm
index 62445d2a..8f383192 100644
--- a/tests/_ostree_build.pm
+++ b/tests/_ostree_build.pm
@@ -41,13 +41,16 @@ sub run {
     assert_script_run 'pushd workstation-ostree-config';
     assert_script_run "git checkout ${branch}";
     # now copy the advisory, workaround repo and koji-rawhide config files
-    assert_script_run 'cp /etc/yum.repos.d/advisory.repo .';
+    assert_script_run 'cp /etc/yum.repos.d/advisory.repo .' if (get_var("ISO_2"));
     assert_script_run 'cp /etc/yum.repos.d/workarounds.repo .' if (get_var("ISO_3"));
     assert_script_run 'cp /etc/yum.repos.d/koji-rawhide.repo .' if ($version eq $rawrel);
+    assert_script_run 'cp /etc/yum.repos.d/openqa-testtag.repo .' if (get_var("TAG"));
     # and add them to the config file
-    my $repl = 'repos:\n  - advisory';
+    my $repl = 'repos:';
+    $repl .= '\n  - advisory' if (get_var("ISO_2"));
     $repl .= '\n  - workarounds' if (get_var("ISO_3"));
     $repl .= '\n  - koji-rawhide' if ($version eq $rawrel);
+    $repl .= '\n  - openqa-testtag' if (get_var("TAG"));
     assert_script_run 'sed -i -e "s,repos:,' . $repl . ',g" fedora-' . $lcsubv . '.yaml';
     # change the ref name to a custom one (so we can test rebasing to
     # the 'normal' ref later)
@@ -94,9 +97,10 @@ sub run {
     unless ($version > $currrel) {
         $cmd .= " --isfinal --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/fedora-updates.repo";
     }
-    $cmd .= " --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/advisory.repo";
+    $cmd .= " --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/advisory.repo" if (get_var("ISO_2"));
     $cmd .= " --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/workarounds.repo" if (get_var("ISO_3"));
     $cmd .= " --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/koji-rawhide.repo" if ($version eq $rawrel);
+    $cmd .= " --repo=/etc/yum.repos.d/openqa-testtag.repo" if (get_var("TAG"));
     $cmd .= " ./results";
     assert_script_run $cmd, 7000;
     # good to have the log around for checks