diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker-build.yml b/.github/workflows/docker-build.yml
index 33bc80b0..744f7c14 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker-build.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ on:
         description: "Version to tag when tag_with_version=true"
         type: string
         required: false
+      experimental:
+        description: "Build experimental image (main branch excluded)"
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -165,15 +169,18 @@ jobs:
             DIGEST_LIST="${DIGEST_LIST} ${IMAGE}@${digest}"
           done
 
-          # Create manifest for latest
-          docker buildx imagetools create -t "${IMAGE}:latest" ${DIGEST_LIST}
-
-          # Create manifest for SHA
-          docker buildx imagetools create -t "${IMAGE}:${FULL_SHA}" ${DIGEST_LIST}
-
-          # Create manifest for version if needed
-          if [ "${{ inputs.tag_with_version }}" = "true" ] && [ -n "${{ inputs.version }}" ]; then
-            docker buildx imagetools create -t "${IMAGE}:v${{ inputs.version }}" ${DIGEST_LIST}
+          if [ "${{ inputs.experimental }}" = "true" ]; then
+            # Experimental mode: only tag with commithash-experimental
+            docker buildx imagetools create -t "${IMAGE}:${FULL_SHA}-experimental" ${DIGEST_LIST}
+          else
+            # Standard mode: tag with latest and SHA
+            docker buildx imagetools create -t "${IMAGE}:latest" ${DIGEST_LIST}
+            docker buildx imagetools create -t "${IMAGE}:${FULL_SHA}" ${DIGEST_LIST}
+
+            # Create manifest for version if needed
+            if [ "${{ inputs.tag_with_version }}" = "true" ] && [ -n "${{ inputs.version }}" ]; then
+              docker buildx imagetools create -t "${IMAGE}:v${{ inputs.version }}" ${DIGEST_LIST}
+            fi
           fi
 
       - name: Output Image Information
@@ -181,12 +188,18 @@ jobs:
           IMAGE="${{ inputs.image }}"
           NAME="${IMAGE##*/}"
           FULL_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
-          TAGS="latest, ${FULL_SHA}"
-          if [ "${{ inputs.tag_with_version }}" = "true" ] && [ -n "${{ inputs.version }}" ]; then
-            TAGS="${TAGS}, v${{ inputs.version }}"
+          if [ "${{ inputs.experimental }}" = "true" ]; then
+            TAGS="${FULL_SHA}-experimental"
+            MODE="experimental"
+          else
+            TAGS="latest, ${FULL_SHA}"
+            MODE="standard"
+            if [ "${{ inputs.tag_with_version }}" = "true" ] && [ -n "${{ inputs.version }}" ]; then
+              TAGS="${TAGS}, v${{ inputs.version }}"
+            fi
           fi
           HUB_PATH=$(echo "${IMAGE}" | sed -E 's@^docker\.io/@@')
-          echo "✅ Successfully built and pushed ${NAME} multi-arch image"
+          echo "✅ Successfully built and pushed ${NAME} multi-arch image (${MODE} mode)"
           echo "🏷️ Tags: ${TAGS}"
           echo "🏗️ Platforms: linux/amd64, linux/arm64"
           echo "🔗 View at: https://hub.docker.com/r/${HUB_PATH}"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/docker-ci.yml
index d40b4295..06ac871a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker-ci.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ on:
         description: "Git ref to build (branch, tag, or SHA)"
         type: string
         required: false
+      experimental:
+        description: "Build experimental image (main branch excluded)"
+        type: boolean
+        required: false
+        default: false
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -29,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
           EVENT_NAME="${GITHUB_EVENT_NAME}"
           MERGE_SHA=$(jq -r '.pull_request.merge_commit_sha // empty' "$GITHUB_EVENT_PATH")
           INPUT_REF=$(jq -r '.inputs.ref // empty' "$GITHUB_EVENT_PATH")
-          
+
           if [[ "$EVENT_NAME" == "pull_request" && -n "$MERGE_SHA" ]]; then
             REF="$MERGE_SHA"
           elif [[ -n "$INPUT_REF" ]]; then
@@ -38,18 +43,59 @@ jobs:
             echo "Error: no merge commit or input ref provided" >&2
             exit 1
           fi
-          
+
           echo "ref=$REF" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
+  validate-experimental:
+    name: Validate Experimental Build
+    needs: resolve-ref
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.experimental == true
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ needs.resolve-ref.outputs.ref }}
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Check if building from main branch
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          # Get the current commit SHA
+          CURRENT_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
+
+          # Get the main branch SHA
+          MAIN_SHA=$(git rev-parse origin/main)
+
+          # Check if we're on main
+          if [[ "$CURRENT_SHA" == "$MAIN_SHA" ]]; then
+            echo "❌ Error: Cannot build experimental images from the main branch"
+            echo "Experimental images are meant for pre-merge testing only"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          # Also check if the ref input was explicitly 'main'
+          INPUT_REF=$(jq -r '.inputs.ref // empty' "$GITHUB_EVENT_PATH")
+          if [[ "$INPUT_REF" == "main" ]]; then
+            echo "❌ Error: Cannot build experimental images from 'main' ref"
+            echo "Experimental images are meant for pre-merge testing only"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          echo "✅ Validation passed: building experimental image from non-main branch"
+
   build:
     name: Build and Push Images
-    needs: resolve-ref
+    needs: [resolve-ref, validate-experimental]
     # Run only when the PR is merged and is NOT a release PR, or manual run.
     if: |
-      github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || (
-        github.event_name == 'pull_request' &&
-        github.event.pull_request.merged == true &&
-        !contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'release')
+      (success() || needs.validate-experimental.result == 'skipped') && (
+        github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || (
+          github.event_name == 'pull_request' &&
+          github.event.pull_request.merged == true &&
+          !contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'release')
+        )
       )
     strategy:
       matrix:
@@ -62,5 +108,6 @@ jobs:
       file: ./${{ matrix.image }}/Dockerfile
       push: true
       tag_with_version: false
+      experimental: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.experimental || false }}
       # Build from the resolved ref: merge commit for PRs, or provided ref, fallback to current SHA.
       checkout_ref: ${{ needs.resolve-ref.outputs.ref }}