diff --git a/recipe/conda_build_config.yaml b/recipe/conda_build_config.yaml
index 44afda7104c..1c36a0deb9d 100644
--- a/recipe/conda_build_config.yaml
+++ b/recipe/conda_build_config.yaml
@@ -126,23 +126,13 @@ channel_targets:
 cdt_name:  # [linux]
   - conda  # [linux]
 
-docker_image:                                   # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM", "").startswith("linux-")]
-  # Native builds on CentOS 7
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:7     # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "cos7"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-aarch64:7    # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-aarch64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "cos7"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-ppc64le:7    # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-ppc64le" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "cos7"]
+docker_image:   # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM", "").startswith("linux-")]
+  # images for non-CUDA-enabled builds
+  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:{{ environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") }}   # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64"]
+  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-aarch64:{{ environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") }}  # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-aarch64"]
+  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-ppc64le:{{ environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") }}  # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-ppc64le"]
 
-  # Native builds on AlmaLinux 8
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:8     # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma8"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-aarch64:8    # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-aarch64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma8"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-ppc64le:8    # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-ppc64le" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma8"]
-
-  # Native builds on AlmaLinux 9
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:9     # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma9"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-aarch64:9    # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-aarch64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma9"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-ppc64le:9    # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-ppc64le" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma9"]
-
-  # CUDA 11.8 (no choice via DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION available)
+  # images for CUDA 11.8 builds (no choice via DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION available)
   - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64-cuda:11.8     # [linux64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64"]
   # CUDA 11.8 arch: native compilation (build == target)
   - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-aarch64-cuda:11.8    # [aarch64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-aarch64"]
@@ -151,32 +141,14 @@ docker_image:                                   # [os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFOR
   - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64-cuda:11.8     # [aarch64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64"]
   - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64-cuda:11.8     # [ppc64le and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64"]
 
-  # CUDA 12 on CentOS 7
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:7     # [linux64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "cos7"]
-  # case: native compilation (build == target)
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-aarch64:7    # [aarch64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-aarch64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "cos7"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-ppc64le:7    # [ppc64le and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-ppc64le" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "cos7"]
-  # case: cross-compilation (build != target)
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:7     # [aarch64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "cos7"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:7     # [ppc64le and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "cos7"]
-
-  # CUDA 12 on AlmaLinux 8
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:8     # [linux64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma8"]
-  # case: native compilation (build == target)
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-aarch64:8    # [aarch64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-aarch64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma8"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-ppc64le:8    # [ppc64le and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-ppc64le" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma8"]
-  # case: cross-compilation (build != target)
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:8     # [aarch64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma8"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:8     # [ppc64le and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma8"]
-
-  # CUDA 12 on AlmaLinux 9
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:9     # [linux64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma9"]
+  # images for CUDA 12 builds
+  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:{{ environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") }}   # [linux64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64"]
   # case: native compilation (build == target)
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-aarch64:9    # [aarch64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-aarch64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma9"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-ppc64le:9    # [ppc64le and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-ppc64le" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma9"]
+  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-aarch64:{{ environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") }}  # [aarch64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-aarch64"]
+  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-ppc64le:{{ environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") }}  # [ppc64le and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-ppc64le"]
   # case: cross-compilation (build != target)
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:9     # [aarch64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma9"]
-  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:9     # [ppc64le and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64" and os.environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") == "alma9"]
+  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:{{ environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") }}   # [aarch64 and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64"]
+  - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:{{ environ.get("DEFAULT_LINUX_VERSION", "alma9") }}   # [ppc64le and os.environ.get("CF_CUDA_ENABLED", "False") == "True" and os.environ.get("BUILD_PLATFORM") == "linux-64"]
 
 zip_keys:
   -                             # [unix]