diff --git a/cmd/image-builder/main.go b/cmd/image-builder/main.go
index 94ecf47..443b64d 100644
--- a/cmd/image-builder/main.go
+++ b/cmd/image-builder/main.go
@@ -334,7 +334,8 @@ func cmdBuild(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	uploader, err := uploaderFor(cmd, res.ImgType.Name())
+	bootMode := res.ImgType.BootMode()
+	uploader, err := uploaderFor(cmd, res.ImgType.Name(), &bootMode)
 	if errors.Is(err, ErrUploadTypeUnsupported) || errors.Is(err, ErrUploadConfigNotProvided) {
 		err = nil
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/image-builder/upload.go b/cmd/image-builder/upload.go
index 62ef80a..da03cf1 100644
--- a/cmd/image-builder/upload.go
+++ b/cmd/image-builder/upload.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/osbuild/image-builder-cli/pkg/progress"
 	"github.com/osbuild/images/pkg/cloud"
 	"github.com/osbuild/images/pkg/cloud/awscloud"
+	"github.com/osbuild/images/pkg/platform"
 )
 
 // ErrMissingUploadConfig is returned when the upload configuration is missing
@@ -61,17 +62,17 @@ func uploaderCheckWithProgress(pbar progress.ProgressBar, uploader cloud.Uploade
 	return uploader.Check(pw)
 }
 
-func uploaderFor(cmd *cobra.Command, typeOrCloud string) (cloud.Uploader, error) {
+func uploaderFor(cmd *cobra.Command, typeOrCloud string, bootMode *platform.BootMode) (cloud.Uploader, error) {
 	switch typeOrCloud {
 	case "ami", "aws":
-		return uploaderForCmdAWS(cmd)
+		return uploaderForCmdAWS(cmd, bootMode)
 	default:
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %q", ErrUploadTypeUnsupported, typeOrCloud)
 	}
 
 }
 
-func uploaderForCmdAWS(cmd *cobra.Command) (cloud.Uploader, error) {
+func uploaderForCmdAWS(cmd *cobra.Command, bootMode *platform.BootMode) (cloud.Uploader, error) {
 	amiName, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("aws-ami-name")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ func uploaderForCmdAWS(cmd *cobra.Command) (cloud.Uploader, error) {
 	}
 	opts := &awscloud.UploaderOptions{
 		TargetArch: targetArch,
+		BootMode:   bootMode,
 	}
 
 	return awscloudNewUploader(region, bucketName, amiName, opts)
@@ -124,7 +126,9 @@ func cmdUpload(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	imagePath := args[0]
-	uploader, err := uploaderFor(cmd, uploadTo)
+	// XXX: we need a way to introspect the image for bootmode here
+	// and/or error if no bootmode is specified
+	uploader, err := uploaderFor(cmd, uploadTo, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/image-builder/upload_test.go b/cmd/image-builder/upload_test.go
index ab28db8..995de24 100644
--- a/cmd/image-builder/upload_test.go
+++ b/cmd/image-builder/upload_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/osbuild/images/pkg/cloud"
 	"github.com/osbuild/images/pkg/cloud/awscloud"
+	"github.com/osbuild/images/pkg/platform"
 
 	main "github.com/osbuild/image-builder-cli/cmd/image-builder"
 	"github.com/osbuild/image-builder-cli/internal/testutil"
@@ -144,10 +145,12 @@ func TestBuildAndUploadWithAWSMock(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var regionName, bucketName, amiName string
 	var fa fakeAwsUploader
+	var uploadOpts *awscloud.UploaderOptions
 	restore := main.MockAwscloudNewUploader(func(region string, bucket string, ami string, opts *awscloud.UploaderOptions) (cloud.Uploader, error) {
 		regionName = region
 		bucketName = bucket
 		amiName = ami
+		uploadOpts = opts
 		return &fa, nil
 	})
 	defer restore()
@@ -178,6 +181,8 @@ func TestBuildAndUploadWithAWSMock(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, regionName, "aws-region-1")
 	assert.Equal(t, bucketName, "aws-bucket-2")
 	assert.Equal(t, amiName, "aws-ami-3")
+	expectedBootMode := platform.BOOT_HYBRID
+	assert.Equal(t, &awscloud.UploaderOptions{BootMode: &expectedBootMode}, uploadOpts)
 	assert.Equal(t, 1, fa.checkCalls)
 	assert.Equal(t, 1, fa.uploadAndRegisterCalls)
 	assert.Equal(t, "fake-img-raw\n", fa.uploadAndRegisterRead.String())