diff --git a/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/CreateImageWizard.tsx b/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/CreateImageWizard.tsx
index 0fd25fce..13295bbc 100644
--- a/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/CreateImageWizard.tsx
+++ b/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/CreateImageWizard.tsx
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ import {
   useDetailsValidation,
   useRegistrationValidation,
   useHostnameValidation,
-  useKernelValidation,
 } from './utilities/useValidation';
 import {
   isAwsAccountIdValid,
@@ -224,8 +223,6 @@ const CreateImageWizard = ({ isEdit }: CreateImageWizardProps) => {
   const fileSystemValidation = useFilesystemValidation();
   // Hostname
   const hostnameValidation = useHostnameValidation();
-  // Kernel
-  const kernelValidation = useKernelValidation();
   // Firstboot
   const firstBootValidation = useFirstBootValidation();
   // Details
@@ -513,12 +510,8 @@ const CreateImageWizard = ({ isEdit }: CreateImageWizardProps) => {
                 key="wizard-kernel"
                 navItem={customStatusNavItem}
                 isHidden={!isKernelEnabled}
-                status={kernelValidation.disabledNext ? 'error' : 'default'}
                 footer={
-                  <CustomWizardFooter
-                    disableNext={kernelValidation.disabledNext}
-                    optional={true}
-                  />
+                  <CustomWizardFooter disableNext={false} optional={true} />
                 }
               >
                 <KernelStep />
diff --git a/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Kernel/components/KernelName.tsx b/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Kernel/components/KernelName.tsx
index 602209b3..b2b89506 100644
--- a/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Kernel/components/KernelName.tsx
+++ b/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Kernel/components/KernelName.tsx
@@ -1,35 +1,86 @@
-import React from 'react';
+import React, { useState } from 'react';
 
 import { FormGroup } from '@patternfly/react-core';
+import {
+  MenuToggle,
+  MenuToggleElement,
+  Select,
+  SelectList,
+  SelectOption,
+} from '@patternfly/react-core/dist/esm';
 
 import { useAppDispatch, useAppSelector } from '../../../../../store/hooks';
 import {
   changeKernelName,
   selectKernel,
 } from '../../../../../store/wizardSlice';
-import { useKernelValidation } from '../../../utilities/useValidation';
-import { HookValidatedInput } from '../../../ValidatedTextInput';
+
+const kernelOptions = ['kernel', 'kernel-debug'];
 
 const KernelName = () => {
   const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
   const kernel = useAppSelector(selectKernel);
 
-  const stepValidation = useKernelValidation();
+  const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);
 
-  const handleChange = (e: React.FormEvent, value: string) => {
-    dispatch(changeKernelName(value));
+  const onToggle = () => {
+    setIsOpen(!isOpen);
   };
 
+  const onSelect = (_event: React.MouseEvent, value: string) => {
+    if (value === 'default') {
+      dispatch(changeKernelName(''));
+    } else {
+      dispatch(changeKernelName(value));
+    }
+    setIsOpen(false);
+  };
+
+  const defaultOption = () => {
+    return (
+      <SelectOption key="default" value="default">
+        Default kernel package
+      </SelectOption>
+    );
+  };
+
+  const prepareSelectOptions = () => {
+    const kernelSelectOptions = kernelOptions.map((option) => (
+      <SelectOption key={option} value={option}>
+        {option}
+      </SelectOption>
+    ));
+
+    if (kernel.name) {
+      return [defaultOption()].concat(kernelSelectOptions);
+    } else return kernelSelectOptions;
+  };
+
+  const toggle = (toggleRef: React.Ref<MenuToggleElement>) => (
+    <MenuToggle
+      ref={toggleRef}
+      onClick={onToggle}
+      isExpanded={isOpen}
+      isFullWidth
+      data-testid="kernel-name-dropdown"
+    >
+      {kernel.name}
+    </MenuToggle>
+  );
+
   return (
     <FormGroup isRequired={false} label="Name">
-      <HookValidatedInput
-        ariaLabel="kernel input"
-        value={kernel.name}
-        onChange={handleChange}
-        placeholder="Add a kernel name"
-        stepValidation={stepValidation}
-        fieldName="kernel"
-      />
+      <Select
+        isScrollable
+        isOpen={isOpen}
+        selected={kernel.name}
+        onSelect={onSelect}
+        onOpenChange={onToggle}
+        toggle={toggle}
+        shouldFocusFirstItemOnOpen={false}
+      >
+        <SelectList>{prepareSelectOptions()}</SelectList>
+      </Select>
     </FormGroup>
   );
 };
diff --git a/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/utilities/useValidation.tsx b/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/utilities/useValidation.tsx
index c7902392..2307c6d2 100644
--- a/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/utilities/useValidation.tsx
+++ b/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/utilities/useValidation.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import {
   selectActivationKey,
   selectRegistrationType,
   selectHostname,
-  selectKernel,
 } from '../../../store/wizardSlice';
 import {
   getDuplicateMountPoints,
@@ -28,7 +27,6 @@ import {
   isMountpointMinSizeValid,
   isSnapshotValid,
   isHostnameValid,
-  isKernelNameValid,
 } from '../validators';
 
 export type StepValidation = {
@@ -43,7 +41,6 @@ export function useIsBlueprintValid(): boolean {
   const filesystem = useFilesystemValidation();
   const snapshot = useSnapshotValidation();
   const hostname = useHostnameValidation();
-  const kernel = useKernelValidation();
   const firstBoot = useFirstBootValidation();
   const details = useDetailsValidation();
   return (
@@ -51,7 +48,6 @@ export function useIsBlueprintValid(): boolean {
     !filesystem.disabledNext &&
     !snapshot.disabledNext &&
     !hostname.disabledNext &&
-    !kernel.disabledNext &&
     !firstBoot.disabledNext &&
     !details.disabledNext
   );
@@ -159,20 +155,6 @@ export function useHostnameValidation(): StepValidation {
   return { errors: {}, disabledNext: false };
 }
 
-export function useKernelValidation(): StepValidation {
-  const kernel = useAppSelector(selectKernel);
-
-  if (!isKernelNameValid(kernel.name)) {
-    return {
-      errors: {
-        kernel: 'Invalid kernel name',
-      },
-      disabledNext: true,
-    };
-  }
-  return { errors: {}, disabledNext: false };
-}
-
 export function useDetailsValidation(): StepValidation {
   const name = useAppSelector(selectBlueprintName);
   const description = useAppSelector(selectBlueprintDescription);
diff --git a/src/test/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Kernel/Kernel.test.tsx b/src/test/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Kernel/Kernel.test.tsx
index 451218b7..e27d688d 100644
--- a/src/test/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Kernel/Kernel.test.tsx
+++ b/src/test/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Kernel/Kernel.test.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import {
   clickBack,
   clickNext,
   enterBlueprintName,
-  getNextButton,
   interceptBlueprintRequest,
   openAndDismissSaveAndBuildModal,
   verifyCancelButton,
@@ -38,26 +37,20 @@ const goToKernelStep = async () => {
 };
 
 const goToReviewStep = async () => {
+  await clickNext(); // Firewall
   await clickNext(); // First boot script
   await clickNext(); // Details
   await enterBlueprintName();
   await clickNext(); // Review
 };
 
-const enterKernelName = async (kernelName: string) => {
+const selectKernelName = async (kernelName: string) => {
   const user = userEvent.setup();
-  const kernelNameInput = await screen.findByPlaceholderText(
-    /Add a kernel name/i
-  );
-  await waitFor(() => user.type(kernelNameInput, kernelName));
-};
+  const kernelNameDropdown = await screen.findByTestId('kernel-name-dropdown');
+  await waitFor(() => user.click(kernelNameDropdown));
 
-const clearKernelName = async () => {
-  const user = userEvent.setup();
-  const kernelNameInput = await screen.findByPlaceholderText(
-    /Add a kernel name/i
-  );
-  await waitFor(() => user.clear(kernelNameInput));
+  const kernelOption = await screen.findByText(kernelName);
+  await waitFor(() => user.click(kernelOption));
 };
 
 describe('Step Kernel', () => {
@@ -87,27 +80,6 @@ describe('Step Kernel', () => {
     await goToKernelStep();
     await verifyCancelButton(router);
   });
-
-  test('validation works', async () => {
-    await renderCreateMode();
-    await goToKernelStep();
-
-    // with empty kernel name input
-    const nextButton = await getNextButton();
-    expect(nextButton).toBeEnabled();
-
-    // invalid name
-    await enterKernelName('INVALID/NAME');
-    expect(nextButton).toBeDisabled();
-    await clickNext(); // dummy click to blur and render error (doesn't render when pristine)
-    await screen.findByText(/Invalid kernel name/);
-
-    // valid name
-    await clearKernelName();
-    await enterKernelName('valid-kernel-name');
-    expect(nextButton).toBeEnabled();
-    expect(screen.queryByText(/Invalid kernel name/)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
-  });
 });
 
 describe('Kernel request generated correctly', () => {
@@ -115,10 +87,10 @@ describe('Kernel request generated correctly', () => {
     vi.clearAllMocks();
   });
 
-  test('with valid kernel name', async () => {
+  test('with kernel name', async () => {
     await renderCreateMode();
     await goToKernelStep();
-    await enterKernelName('kernel-name');
+    await selectKernelName('kernel-debug');
     await goToReviewStep();
     // informational modal pops up in the first test only as it's tied
     // to a 'imageBuilder.saveAndBuildModalSeen' variable in localStorage
@@ -129,7 +101,7 @@ describe('Kernel request generated correctly', () => {
       ...blueprintRequest,
       customizations: {
         kernel: {
-          name: 'kernel-name',
+          name: 'kernel-debug',
         },
       },
     };
@@ -138,6 +110,23 @@ describe('Kernel request generated correctly', () => {
       expect(receivedRequest).toEqual(expectedRequest);
     });
   });
+
+  test('when unselecting kernel name', async () => {
+    await renderCreateMode();
+    await goToKernelStep();
+    await selectKernelName('kernel-debug');
+    await selectKernelName('Default kernel package');
+    await goToReviewStep();
+    const receivedRequest = await interceptBlueprintRequest(CREATE_BLUEPRINT);
+
+    const expectedRequest = {
+      ...blueprintRequest,
+    };
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(receivedRequest).toEqual(expectedRequest);
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 // TO DO 'Kernel step' -> 'revisit step button on Review works'