diff --git a/docker/ask.Dockerfile b/docker/ask.Dockerfile
index 8002d2b..73dc82a 100644
--- a/docker/ask.Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/ask.Dockerfile
@@ -51,43 +51,26 @@ RUN mkdir -p ASK/sources/tarballs && \
 
 RUN mkdir linux && tar zxf "kernel.tar.gz" -C "linux" --strip-components=1
 
+# Extract fmc & fmlib to prevent git fetching
+RUN mkdir -p ASK/sources/fmc && \
+    mkdir -p ASK/sources/fmlib && \
+    tar zxf "fmc.tar.gz" -C "ASK/sources/fmc" --strip-components=1 && \
+    tar zxf "fmlib.tar.gz" -C "ASK/sources/fmlib" --strip-components=1
+
 WORKDIR /src/ASK
 
-# Extract fmc & fmlib to prevent git fetching
-RUN mkdir -p sources/fmc && \
-    mkdir -p sources/fmlib && \
-    tar zxf "/src/fmc.tar.gz" -C "sources/fmc" --strip-components=1 && \
-    tar zxf "/src/fmlib.tar.gz" -C "sources/fmlib" --strip-components=1
-
-# 1. Apply the NXP ASK kernel patch to your Linux source tree FIRST
-RUN cd /src/linux && \
-    patch -p1 < /src/ASK/patches/kernel/002-mono-gateway-ask-kernel_linux_6_12.patch
-
-# 2. Merge the NXP defconfig with your Kubernetes extra config
-# Assuming you copy kernel-extra.config into the container at /src/kernel-extra.config
+COPY patches/mono-ask.mk .
 COPY kernel-extra.config /src/kernel-extra.config
+COPY kernel-build/ensure-kconfig.sh /src/ensure-kconfig.sh
 
-RUN cd /src/linux && \
-    cp /src/ASK/config/kernel/defconfig .config && \
-   ./scripts/kconfig/merge_config.sh -m .config /src/kernel-extra.config && \
-    make ARCH=arm64 CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu- olddefconfig
+# 1. This step patches the kernel, merges your k8s config, and builds the modules
+RUN make -f mono-ask.mk modules
 
-# 3. Build the Kernel natively in the linux tree (Do NOT run 'make kernel' in the ASK folder)
-RUN cd /src/linux && \
-    make ARCH=arm64 CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu- -j$(nproc) Image modules
+# 2. This step cross-compiles fmlib, fmc, cmm, and dpa_app for Alpine
+RUN make -f mono-ask.mk userspace
 
-# 4. Now build the ASK out-of-tree modules
-RUN make modules KDIR=/src/linux CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu- ARCH=arm64
-
-# 5. Build Userspace with the musl cross-compiler
-RUN make sources KDIR=/src/linux CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-musl- ARCH=arm64 HOST=aarch64-linux-musl
-RUN make userspace KDIR=/src/linux CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-musl- ARCH=arm64 \
-    HOST=aarch64-linux-musl \
-    CC="aarch64-linux-musl-gcc -static" \
-    CXX="aarch64-linux-musl-g++ -static"
-
-# Stage the artifacts
-RUN make dist
+# 3. Stage the artifacts
+RUN make -f mono-ask.mk dist
 
 # Export stage
 FROM scratch AS export
diff --git a/patches/mono-ask.mk b/patches/mono-ask.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..905c1db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/mono-ask.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# mono-ask.mk
+# Custom wrapper to build the NXP ASK for the monok8s Alpine/musl ecosystem
+
+# Define default paths and cross-compilers
+KDIR?= /src/linux
+ASK_DIR?= $(CURDIR)
+ARCH?= arm64
+GNU_CROSS?= aarch64-linux-gnu-
+MUSL_HOST?= aarch64-linux-musl
+
+.PHONY: prepare-kernel build-kernel modules userspace dist
+
+# 1. Patch the kernel and merge our custom Kubernetes configuration
+prepare-kernel:
+	@echo "--> Patching the Linux kernel with NXP DPAA extensions..."
+	# The -N flag and | true prevents failure if the patch is already applied
+	cd $(KDIR) && patch -p1 -N < $(ASK_DIR)/patches/kernel/003-mono-gateway-ask-kernel_linux_6_12.patch | true
+	@echo "--> Merging NXP defconfig with Kubernetes extra config..."
+	cp $(ASK_DIR)/config/kernel/defconfig $(KDIR)/.config
+	cd $(KDIR) && ./scripts/kconfig/merge_config.sh -m .config /src/kernel-extra.config
+	$(MAKE) -C $(KDIR) ARCH=$(ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(GNU_CROSS) olddefconfig
+	/src/ensure-kconfig.sh $(KDIR)/.config /src/kernel-extra.config
+
+# 2. Build the kernel tree (mandatory before out-of-tree modules can be built)
+build-kernel: prepare-kernel
+	@echo "--> Building the Linux kernel natively..."
+	$(MAKE) -C $(KDIR) ARCH=$(ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(GNU_CROSS) -j$$(nproc) Image modules
+
+# 3. Build the ASK out-of-tree modules using the vendor Makefile
+modules: build-kernel
+	@echo "--> Building ASK out-of-tree modules..."
+	$(MAKE) -f Makefile modules KDIR=$(KDIR) CROSS_COMPILE=$(GNU_CROSS) ARCH=$(ARCH)
+
+# 4. Build the ASK userspace daemons using the musl cross-compiler
+userspace:
+	@echo "--> Building ASK sources and libraries..."
+	$(MAKE) -f Makefile sources KDIR=$(KDIR) CROSS_COMPILE=$(MUSL_HOST)- ARCH=$(ARCH) HOST=$(MUSL_HOST)
+	@echo "--> Building ASK userspace executables statically..."
+	$(MAKE) -f Makefile userspace KDIR=$(KDIR) CROSS_COMPILE=$(MUSL_HOST)- ARCH=$(ARCH) HOST=$(MUSL_HOST) CC="$(MUSL_HOST)-gcc -static" CXX="$(MUSL_HOST)-g++ -static"
+
+# 5. Extract artifacts
+dist:
+	$(MAKE) -f Makefile dist