diff --git a/pkg/driver/docker/build.go b/pkg/driver/docker/build.go
index 3042813bb..91c6d95e4 100644
--- a/pkg/driver/docker/build.go
+++ b/pkg/driver/docker/build.go
@@ -272,6 +272,12 @@ type buildOrchestrator struct {
 }
 
 func (o *buildOrchestrator) selectStrategy(options provider.BuildOptions) buildStrategy {
+	// Podman doesn't support the Docker BuildKit session API, so force CLI build.
+	if o.driver.Docker.IsPodman() {
+		log.Debugf("podman detected, forcing docker buildx strategy")
+		return &dockerBuildxStrategy{driver: o.driver}
+	}
+
 	builder := o.driver.Docker.Builder
 
 	// Select docker buildx if configured and not forcing internal buildkit
diff --git a/pkg/driver/docker/build_test.go b/pkg/driver/docker/build_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..896b9e728
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/driver/docker/build_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+package docker
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/devsy-org/devsy/pkg/docker"
+	"github.com/devsy-org/devsy/pkg/provider"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func writeHelperScript(t *testing.T, dir, name, output string) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, name)
+	content := "#!/bin/sh\necho '" + output + "'\n"
+	//nolint:gosec // test helper script needs exec bit
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(path, []byte(content), 0o755))
+	return path
+}
+
+func TestSelectStrategy_DockerRuntime_AllowsBuildKit(t *testing.T) {
+	tmp := t.TempDir()
+	bin := writeHelperScript(t, tmp, "docker-fake", "Docker version 24.0.7, build afdd53b")
+
+	helper := &docker.DockerHelper{
+		DockerCommand: bin,
+		Builder:       docker.DockerBuilderBuildKit,
+	}
+	d := &dockerDriver{Docker: helper}
+	o := &buildOrchestrator{driver: d}
+
+	strategy := o.selectStrategy(provider.BuildOptions{})
+
+	assert.IsType(t, &buildkitStrategy{}, strategy)
+	assert.Equal(t, "internal buildkit", strategy.name())
+}
+
+func TestSelectStrategy_PodmanRuntime_ForcesCLIBuild(t *testing.T) {
+	tmp := t.TempDir()
+	bin := writeHelperScript(t, tmp, "podman-fake", "podman version 4.9.3")
+
+	helper := &docker.DockerHelper{
+		DockerCommand: bin,
+		Builder:       docker.DockerBuilderBuildKit,
+	}
+	d := &dockerDriver{Docker: helper}
+	o := &buildOrchestrator{driver: d}
+
+	strategy := o.selectStrategy(provider.BuildOptions{
+		CLIOptions: provider.CLIOptions{ForceInternalBuildKit: true},
+	})
+
+	assert.IsType(t, &dockerBuildxStrategy{}, strategy)
+	assert.Equal(t, "docker buildx build", strategy.name())
+}
+
+func TestSelectStrategy_PodmanRuntime_IgnoresBuilderConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	tmp := t.TempDir()
+	bin := writeHelperScript(t, tmp, "podman-fake", "podman version 4.9.3")
+
+	builders := []docker.DockerBuilder{
+		docker.DockerBuilderDefault,
+		docker.DockerBuilderBuildX,
+		docker.DockerBuilderBuildKit,
+	}
+
+	for _, builder := range builders {
+		t.Run(builder.String(), func(t *testing.T) {
+			helper := &docker.DockerHelper{
+				DockerCommand: bin,
+				Builder:       builder,
+			}
+			d := &dockerDriver{Docker: helper}
+			o := &buildOrchestrator{driver: d}
+
+			strategy := o.selectStrategy(provider.BuildOptions{})
+
+			assert.IsType(t, &dockerBuildxStrategy{}, strategy,
+				"Podman should always use CLI build regardless of builder config %q", builder)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSelectStrategy_DockerRuntime_BuildxWhenAvailable(t *testing.T) {
+	if _, err := exec.LookPath("docker"); err != nil {
+		t.Skip("docker not available")
+	}
+
+	helper := &docker.DockerHelper{
+		DockerCommand: "docker",
+		Builder:       docker.DockerBuilderDefault,
+	}
+	d := &dockerDriver{Docker: helper}
+	o := &buildOrchestrator{driver: d}
+
+	strategy := o.selectStrategy(provider.BuildOptions{})
+
+	// With real Docker, buildx is typically available, so expect buildx strategy.
+	// If buildx isn't installed, it falls back to buildkit — both are valid for Docker.
+	switch strategy.(type) {
+	case *dockerBuildxStrategy:
+		// Docker with buildx available
+	case *buildkitStrategy:
+		// Docker without buildx — still valid, not Podman
+	default:
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected strategy type: %T", strategy)
+	}
+}