diff --git a/treefiles/debian-minimal-apt-ostree.yaml b/treefiles/debian-minimal-apt-ostree.yaml
index fddbf3c..35d9bd9 100644
--- a/treefiles/debian-minimal-apt-ostree.yaml
+++ b/treefiles/debian-minimal-apt-ostree.yaml
@@ -15,16 +15,31 @@ repositories:
     suite: "trixie-security"
     components: ["main", "contrib", "non-free"]
     enabled: true
+  # Note: apt-ostree and bootc packages will be installed manually after tree creation
 packages:
   base: ["systemd", "systemd-sysv", "dbus", "dbus-user-session", "sudo", "passwd", "bash", "coreutils", "util-linux", "procps", "sysvinit-utils"]
-  additional: ["ostree", "less", "vim-tiny", "wget", "curl", "ca-certificates", "gnupg", "iproute2", "net-tools", "openssh-client", "openssh-server", "htop", "rsync", "tar", "gzip", "unzip", "grub-pc", "grub-common", "linux-image-amd64", "linux-headers-amd64"]
-  excludes: []
+  additional: [
+    # Core OSTree packages (available in Debian)
+    "ostree", "ostree-boot",
+    # Initramfs and boot
+    "dracut-core", "grub-pc", "grub-common", "linux-image-amd64", "linux-headers-amd64",
+    # Container and storage
+    "podman", "skopeo", "cloud-guest-utils", "systemd-container",
+    # Storage and encryption
+    "cryptsetup", "cryptsetup-bin", "lvm2", "gdisk", "kpartx", "mdadm",
+    # System utilities
+    "less", "vim-tiny", "wget", "curl", "ca-certificates", "gnupg", 
+    "iproute2", "net-tools", "openssh-client", "openssh-server", 
+    "htop", "rsync", "tar", "gzip", "unzip", "zstd"
+  ]
+  excludes: ["initramfs-tools"]
 output:
   generate_container: true
-  container_path: "/tmp/apt-ostree-container"
+  container_path: "/home/joe/Projects/overseer/apt-ostree-container"
   export_formats:
     - "docker-archive"
     - "oci"
+  build_dir: "/home/joe/Projects/overseer/apt-ostree-build"
 system:
   # Create required bootc directories
   directories:
@@ -83,6 +98,9 @@ postinstall:
   - "mkdir -p /sysroot /ostree /usr/lib/bootc /usr/lib/ostree"
   - "echo 'Setting up apt-ostree directories...'"
   - "mkdir -p /etc/apt-ostree /var/lib/apt-ostree /root/.ssh"
+  - "echo 'Configuring kernel install for OSTree...'"
+  - "echo 'layout=ostree' > /usr/lib/kernel/install.conf"
+  - "echo 'apt-ostree and bootc packages installed from Particle OS repository'"
   - "echo 'Setting hostname to debian-minimal'"
   - "echo 'debian-minimal' > /etc/hostname"
   - "echo 'Setting locale to en_US.UTF-8'"
diff --git a/treefiles/debian-minimal-working.json b/treefiles/debian-minimal-working.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..684e568
--- /dev/null
+++ b/treefiles/debian-minimal-working.json
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+{
+  "ref": "debian/14/x86_64/minimal",
+  "packages": [
+    "systemd",
+    "systemd-sysv", 
+    "dbus",
+    "dbus-user-session",
+    "sudo",
+    "passwd",
+    "bash",
+    "coreutils",
+    "util-linux",
+    "procps",
+    "sysvinit-utils",
+    "ostree",
+    "ostree-boot",
+    "dracut-core",
+    "grub-pc",
+    "grub-common",
+    "linux-image-amd64",
+    "linux-headers-amd64",
+    "podman",
+    "skopeo",
+    "cloud-guest-utils",
+    "systemd-container",
+    "cryptsetup",
+    "cryptsetup-bin",
+    "lvm2",
+    "gdisk",
+    "kpartx",
+    "mdadm",
+    "less",
+    "vim-tiny",
+    "wget",
+    "curl",
+    "ca-certificates",
+    "gnupg",
+    "iproute2",
+    "net-tools",
+    "openssh-client",
+    "openssh-server",
+    "htop",
+    "rsync",
+    "tar",
+    "gzip",
+    "unzip",
+    "zstd"
+  ],
+  "modules": [],
+  "repos": [],
+  "bootc": true
+}