diff --git a/internal/distro/rhel86/distro.go b/internal/distro/rhel86/distro.go
index ceb4fd655..e10035e4a 100644
--- a/internal/distro/rhel86/distro.go
+++ b/internal/distro/rhel86/distro.go
@@ -880,6 +880,18 @@ func newDistro(distroName string) distro.Distro {
 					Layouts: []string{"us"},
 				},
 			},
+			Sysconfig: []*osbuild.SysconfigStageOptions{
+				{
+					Kernel: &osbuild.SysconfigKernelOptions{
+						UpdateDefault: true,
+						DefaultKernel: "kernel-core",
+					},
+					Network: &osbuild.SysconfigNetworkOptions{
+						Networking: true,
+						NoZeroConf: true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
 			EnabledServices: []string{
 				"firewalld",
 				"sshd",
diff --git a/test/data/manifests/rhel_85-x86_64-azure_rhui-boot.json b/test/data/manifests/rhel_85-x86_64-azure_rhui-boot.json
index 463ee9544..9d72644d5 100644
--- a/test/data/manifests/rhel_85-x86_64-azure_rhui-boot.json
+++ b/test/data/manifests/rhel_85-x86_64-azure_rhui-boot.json
@@ -1164,7 +1164,7 @@
             "options": {
               "kernel": {
                 "update_default": true,
-                "default_kernel": "kernel"
+                "default_kernel": "kernel-core"
               },
               "network": {
                 "networking": true,
diff --git a/test/data/manifests/rhel_86-x86_64-azure_rhui-boot.json b/test/data/manifests/rhel_86-x86_64-azure_rhui-boot.json
index ef32ce6a9..5f2017df3 100644
--- a/test/data/manifests/rhel_86-x86_64-azure_rhui-boot.json
+++ b/test/data/manifests/rhel_86-x86_64-azure_rhui-boot.json
@@ -1168,7 +1168,7 @@
             "options": {
               "kernel": {
                 "update_default": true,
-                "default_kernel": "kernel"
+                "default_kernel": "kernel-core"
               },
               "network": {
                 "networking": true,