diff --git a/ci-automation/README.md b/ci-automation/README.md
index 4197d9bd04..f7c61d551e 100644
--- a/ci-automation/README.md
+++ b/ci-automation/README.md
@@ -23,23 +23,23 @@ The build pipeline can be used to build everything from scratch, including the S
    The resulting image will come in "amd64", "arm64", and "all" flavours, with support for respective OS target architectures. This step builds the Flatcar SDK container images published at ghcr.io/flatcar-linux.
 
 ```
-         .---------.                 .------------.
-         | scripts |                 |     CI     |
-         |  repo   |                 | automation |
-         `---------´                 `------------´
-              |                             |
-              |                   "alpha-3449.0.0-dev23"
-              |                             |
-              |                      _______v_______
-              +------- clone -----> ( SDK bootstrap )
-              |                      `-------------´
-              |<- tag: sdk-3499.0.0-dev23 -´|
-              |                             |
-              |                      _______v_______
-              +--      clone     -> ( SDK container )
-              | sdk-3499.0.0-dev23   `-------------´
-              |                             |
-              v                             v
+         .---------.                 .------------.          .--------.
+         | scripts |                 |     CI     |          |  Build |
+         |  repo   |                 | automation |          |  cache |
+         `---------´                 `------------´          `--------´
+              |                             |                     |
+              |                   "alpha-3449.0.0-dev23"          |
+              |                             |                     |
+              |                      _______v_______              |
+              +------- clone -----> ( SDK bootstrap )             |
+              |                      `-------------´              |
+              |<- tag: sdk-3499.0.0-dev23 -´|`--- sdk tarball --->|
+              |                             |                     |
+              |                      _______v_______              |
+              +--      clone     -> ( SDK container )             |
+              | sdk-3499.0.0-dev23   `-------------´              |
+              |                             |`- sdk container --->|
+              v                             v        image
                       continue to OS
                        image build
                             |
@@ -51,27 +51,34 @@ The build pipeline can be used to build everything from scratch, including the S
 3. Packages build (`packages.sh`): using the SDK container version recorded in the versionfile, build OS image packages and generate a new container image (containing both SDK and packages).
    This step updates the versionfile, recording the Flatcar OS image version just built.
    It will generate and push a new version tag to the scripts repo.
-4. Image build (`image.sh`): Using the container from 3., build an OS image and torcx store, and generate a new container image with everything in it.
+4. Packages are published and the generic OS image is built.
+   1. Binary packages are published (`push_pkgs.sh`) to the build cache, making them available to developers who base their work on the main branch.
+   2. Image build (`image.sh`): Using the container from 3., build an OS image and torcx store, and generate a new container image with everything in it.
 5. VMs build (`vms.sh`). Using the packages+torcx+image container from 4., build vendor images. Results are vendor-specific OS images.
 
 ```
-       .---------.                     .------------.
-       | scripts |                     |     CI     |
-       |  repo   |                     | automation |
-       `---------´                     `------------´
-            |                                 |
-            |                       "alpha-3449.0.0-dev23"
-            |                                 |
-            |                             ____v_____
-            +---------- clone -------->  ( packages )
-            |                             `--------´
-            |<-- tag: alpha-3499.0.0-dev23 --´|
-            |                                 |
-            |                              ___v___
-            +-----       clone      --->  ( image )
-            |    alpha-3499.0.0-dev23      `-----´
-            |                                 |
-            |                               __v__
-            +-----       clone      --->   ( vms )
-                 alpha-3499.0.0-dev23       `---´
+       .---------.                     .------------.             .--------.
+       | scripts |                     |     CI     |             |  Build |
+       |  repo   |                     | automation |             |  cache |
+       `---------´                     `------------´             `--------´
+            |                                 |                        |
+            |                       "alpha-3449.0.0-dev23"             |
+            |                                 |                        |
+            |                             ____v_____                   |
+            +---------- clone -------->  ( packages )                  |
+            |                             `--------´                   |
+            |<-- tag: alpha-3499.0.0-dev23 --´|`- sdk + OS packages -->|
+            |                                 |    container image     |
+            |                           ______v_______                 |
+            |                          ( publish pkgs )                |
+            |                           `------------´                 |
+            |                                 |`-- binary packages --->|
+            |                              ___v__                      |
+            +-----       clone      --->  ( image )                    |
+            |    alpha-3499.0.0-dev23      `-----´                     |
+            |                                 |`-- sdk + packages + -->|
+            |                               __v__  OS image cnt img    |
+            +-----       clone      --->   ( vms )                     |
+                 alpha-3499.0.0-dev23       `---´                      |
+                                              `- vendor OS images ---->|
 ```