diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/kickstart b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/kickstart
index 09222e97..f0b65579 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/kickstart
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/kickstart
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ python3
 %include /tmp/cryptpkglist
 %end
 
+# A kickstart.custom file is provided to enable easily adding
+# kickstart content without modifying the stock file.
+# While the stock file may be safely modified, using the .custom
+# files may allow for more easily rebasing custom profiles to newer
+# stock profiles
+%include /tmp/kickstart.custom
+
 %pre
 profile=$(grep ^profile: /etc/confluent/confluent.deploycfg |awk '{print $2}')
 mgr=$(grep deploy_server /etc/confluent/confluent.deploycfg |awk '{print $2}')
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/kickstart.custom b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/kickstart.custom
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2b627e73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/kickstart.custom
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# Any custom kickstart additions may go here.  It may be required to
+# modify base kickstart file to change certain portions, but adding
+# custom content to this file allows for most convenient way to 
+# refresh to a newer base profile if desired.
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.custom b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.custom
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9cf0900e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.custom
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+. /tmp/functions
+# This is a convenient place to keep customizations separate from modifying the stock scripts
+# While modification of the stock scripts is fine, it may be easier to rebase to a newer
+# stock profile if the '.custom' files are used.
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh
index 986ef719..3fe06efc 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/firstboot.sh
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@ export nodename mgr profile
 . /etc/confluent/functions
 
 
-# Here is the most appropriate place to customize, for example:
-#run_remote script.sh
-#run_remote_python script.py
+run_remote firstboot.custom
 
 
 curl -X POST -d 'status: complete' -H "CONFLUENT_NODENAME: $nodename" -H "CONFLUENT_APIKEY: $apikey" https://$mgr/confluent-api/self/updatestatus
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/post.custom b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/post.custom
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9cf0900e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/post.custom
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+. /tmp/functions
+# This is a convenient place to keep customizations separate from modifying the stock scripts
+# While modification of the stock scripts is fine, it may be easier to rebase to a newer
+# stock profile if the '.custom' files are used.
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh
index 9bfe52b8..b4d975c8 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/post.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ fi
 
 # run_remote will download and execute from /var/lib/confluent/public/<os>/scripts/ directory
 # run_remote_python will use the appropriate python interpreter path to run the specified script
+# A post.custom is provided to more conveniently hold customizations, see the post.custom file.
 
-# Add content as below:
 # run_remote example.sh
 # run_remote_python example.py
+run_remote post.custom
+
+
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/pre.custom b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/pre.custom
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9cf0900e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/pre.custom
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+. /tmp/functions
+# This is a convenient place to keep customizations separate from modifying the stock scripts
+# While modification of the stock scripts is fine, it may be easier to rebase to a newer
+# stock profile if the '.custom' files are used.
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh
index e36ead25..7ed98f5e 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh
@@ -63,3 +63,5 @@ if [ -e /tmp/installdisk ]; then
     echo ignoredisk --only-use $(cat /tmp/installdisk) >> /tmp/partitioning
     echo autopart --nohome $LUKSPARTY >> /tmp/partitioning
 fi
+curl -f https://$mgr/confluent-public/os/$profile/kickstart.custom > /tmp/kickstart.custom
+run_remote pre.custom
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh.custom b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/pre.sh.custom
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b