diff --git a/roles/bkernel/files/bkernel-site-defaults.cfg b/roles/bkernel/files/bkernel-site-defaults.cfg
index a129e4db9e..71ebd36eef 100644
--- a/roles/bkernel/files/bkernel-site-defaults.cfg
+++ b/roles/bkernel/files/bkernel-site-defaults.cfg
@@ -15,3 +15,11 @@ config_opts['dnf_warning'] = False
 config_opts["dnf5_avoid_opts"] = {
     "group": ["--allowerasing"],
 }
+
+{% if env == "staging" %}
+config_opts['plugin_conf']['rpmautospec_enable'] = True
+config_opts['plugin_conf']['rpmautospec_opts'] = {
+    'requires': ['rpmautospec'],
+    'cmd_base': ['/usr/bin/rpmautospec', 'process-distgit'],
+}
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/roles/koji_builder/tasks/main.yml b/roles/koji_builder/tasks/main.yml
index 3cf14a6d39..eb409233d0 100644
--- a/roles/koji_builder/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/koji_builder/tasks/main.yml
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@
     - koji-containerbuild-builder
     - strace
     - mock
+    - mock-rpmautospec
     - kernel-firmware
     - kernel-modules
     - rsyslog
@@ -102,10 +103,19 @@
 
 - name: install koji builder rpmautospec plugin
   package:
-    name: "{{ item }}"
+    name: koji-builder-plugin-rpmautospec
     state: present
-  with_items:
-  - koji-builder-plugin-rpmautospec
+  when: env != 'staging'
+  tags:
+  - packages
+  - koji_builder
+  - rpmautospec
+
+- name: remove koji builder rpmautospec plugin
+  package:
+    name: koji-builder-plugin-rpmautospec
+    state: absent
+  when: env == 'staging'
   tags:
   - packages
   - koji_builder
diff --git a/roles/koji_builder/templates/builders/site-defaults.cfg b/roles/koji_builder/templates/builders/site-defaults.cfg
index 34f62ddbf3..a9bde1de82 100644
--- a/roles/koji_builder/templates/builders/site-defaults.cfg
+++ b/roles/koji_builder/templates/builders/site-defaults.cfg
@@ -27,3 +27,11 @@ config_opts['use_bootstrap_image'] = False
 config_opts["dnf5_avoid_opts"] = {
     "group": ["--allowerasing"],
 }
+
+{% if env == "staging" %}
+config_opts['plugin_conf']['rpmautospec_enable'] = True
+config_opts['plugin_conf']['rpmautospec_opts'] = {
+    'requires': ['rpmautospec'],
+    'cmd_base': ['/usr/bin/rpmautospec', 'process-distgit'],
+}
+{% endif %}