diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.d/container-template.yml b/.gitlab-ci.d/container-template.yml
index 4eec72f383..82c1b69e8d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.d/container-template.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.d/container-template.yml
@@ -19,3 +19,8 @@
     - docker push "$TAG"
   after_script:
     - docker logout
+  rules:
+    # because we want to enable this for scheduled runs we also have to replicate the normal rules
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule"'
+    - if: '$CI_PROJECT_NAMESPACE == $QEMU_CI_UPSTREAM && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH =~ /^staging/'
+    - if: '$QEMU_CI && $CI_PROJECT_NAMESPACE != $QEMU_CI_UPSTREAM'
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.d/containers.yml b/.gitlab-ci.d/containers.yml
index db9b4d5e57..f7d3e7205d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.d/containers.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.d/containers.yml
@@ -33,3 +33,42 @@ amd64-fedora-rust-nightly-container:
   variables:
     NAME: fedora-rust-nightly
   allow_failure: true
+
+# this scheduled job will trigger all the containers to build
+weekly-container-builds:
+  extends: .container_job_template
+  allow_failure: true
+  needs:
+    # core
+    - amd64-centos9-container
+    - amd64-fedora-container
+    # cross
+    - amd64-debian-cross-container
+    - amd64-debian-user-cross-container
+    - amd64-debian-legacy-cross-container
+    - arm64-debian-cross-container
+    - armhf-debian-cross-container
+    - hexagon-cross-container
+    - loongarch-debian-cross-container
+    - i686-debian-cross-container
+    - mips64el-debian-cross-container
+    - ppc64el-debian-cross-container
+    - riscv64-debian-cross-container
+    - s390x-debian-cross-container
+    - tricore-debian-cross-container
+    - xtensa-debian-cross-container
+    - win64-fedora-cross-container
+    - wasm-emsdk-cross-container
+    # containers
+    - amd64-alpine-container
+    - amd64-debian-container
+    - amd64-ubuntu2204-container
+    - amd64-opensuse-leap-container
+    - python-container
+    - amd64-fedora-rust-nightly-container
+  script:
+    - apk -U add make bash skopeo
+    - make docker-verify V=1 DOCKER_DEFAULT_REGISTRY=$CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE
+  rules:
+    # this only ever runes as a scheduled build
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule"'
diff --git a/tests/docker/Makefile.include b/tests/docker/Makefile.include
index 3959d8a028..38467cca61 100644
--- a/tests/docker/Makefile.include
+++ b/tests/docker/Makefile.include
@@ -49,6 +49,15 @@ docker-image-%: $(DOCKER_FILES_DIR)/%.docker
 		-t qemu/$* - < $< $(if $V,,> /dev/null),\
 		"BUILD", $*)
 
+# General rule for inspecting registry images.
+docker-verify-%: $(DOCKER_FILES_DIR)/%.docker
+	  $(call quiet-command,			\
+		skopeo inspect 			\
+			--format '{{.Created}}' \
+			docker://$(DOCKER_REGISTRY)/qemu/$*	\
+		$(if $V,,> /dev/null),\
+		"VERIFY", $*)
+
 # Special rule for debootstraped binfmt linux-user images
 docker-binfmt-image-debian-%: $(DOCKER_FILES_DIR)/debian-bootstrap.docker
 	$(if $(EXECUTABLE),,\
@@ -236,6 +245,8 @@ docker-run: docker-qemu-src
 
 docker-image: ${DOCKER_IMAGES:%=docker-image-%}
 
+docker-verify: ${DOCKER_IMAGES:%=docker-verify-%}
+
 docker-clean:
 	$(call quiet-command, $(DOCKER_SCRIPT) clean)