diff --git a/src/runtime/Makefile b/src/runtime/Makefile
index 757d0a48a9..871618207f 100644
--- a/src/runtime/Makefile
+++ b/src/runtime/Makefile
@@ -211,6 +211,9 @@ DEFSTATICRESOURCEMGMT ?= false
 
 DEFBINDMOUNTS := []
 
+# Image Service Offload
+DEFSERVICEOFFLOAD ?= false
+
 SED = sed
 
 CLI_DIR = cmd
@@ -479,6 +482,7 @@ USER_VARS += DEFSTATICRESOURCEMGMT_FC
 USER_VARS += DEFBINDMOUNTS
 USER_VARS += DEFVFIOMODE
 USER_VARS += BUILDFLAGS
+USER_VARS += DEFSERVICEOFFLOAD
 
 
 V              = @
diff --git a/src/runtime/config/configuration-clh.toml.in b/src/runtime/config/configuration-clh.toml.in
index 41d4ae4930..f4c218b3cd 100644
--- a/src/runtime/config/configuration-clh.toml.in
+++ b/src/runtime/config/configuration-clh.toml.in
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ experimental=@DEFAULTEXPFEATURES@
 #
 # Offload the CRI image management service to the Kata agent.
 # (default: false)
-#service_offload = true
+service_offload = @DEFSERVICEOFFLOAD@
 
 # Container image decryption keys provisioning.
 # Applies only if service_offload is true.
diff --git a/src/runtime/config/configuration-qemu.toml.in b/src/runtime/config/configuration-qemu.toml.in
index 702b71aadd..bdafe0a27e 100644
--- a/src/runtime/config/configuration-qemu.toml.in
+++ b/src/runtime/config/configuration-qemu.toml.in
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ experimental=@DEFAULTEXPFEATURES@
 #
 # Offload the CRI image management service to the Kata agent.
 # (default: false)
-#service_offload = true
+service_offload = @DEFSERVICEOFFLOAD@
 
 # Container image decryption keys provisioning.
 # Applies only if service_offload is true.