diff --git a/util/cron/publish-docker-images.bash b/util/cron/publish-docker-images.bash
deleted file mode 100755
index e532c8d1217b..000000000000
--- a/util/cron/publish-docker-images.bash
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,79 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-
-# This script will build the docker images for 'amd' and 'arm' platforms using buildx and publish the images to the docker registry
-
-# Check if the script is run with correct arguement if not fail
-required_vars=(docker_repository image_version username password)
-for var in ${required_vars[@]}; do
-    if [ -z "${!var}" ] ; then
-        echo "${var} must be set."
-        exit 1
-    fi
-done
-
-echo "RepositoryName: $docker_repository"
-echo "imageVersion: $image_version"
-
-CWD=$(cd $(dirname $0) ; pwd)
-source $CWD/common.bash
-export CHPL_HOME=$(cd $CWD/../.. ; pwd)
-log_info "Setting CHPL_HOME to: ${CHPL_HOME}"
-
-# build_publish will build multi platform chapel docker images, tags them, and pushes the images to the docker repository .
-
-build_publish(){
-
-local registry="$1"
-local imageName="$2"
-local version="$3"
-
-# the below buildx command will build images for amd and arm, tags with the tags specified, and pushes it to the docker repository($registry)
-docker buildx build --platform=linux/amd64,linux/arm64 . --push -t $registry/$imageName:$version -t  $registry/$imageName:latest
-
-if [ $? -ne 0 ]
-then
-      echo "docker publish using buildx failed "
-      exit 1
-else
-      echo "docker publish using buildx succeeded "
-fi
-
-}
-
-# Get the repository name and chapel version, Build chapel docker images and push to docker hub repository .
-#build and publish chapel docker image
-docker login -u $username -p $password
-if [ $? -ne 0 ]
-then
-      echo " Docker login failed "
-      exit 1
-else
-      echo "docker login succeeded "
-fi
-
-cd $CHPL_HOME
-build_publish $docker_repository  chapel $image_version
-
-docker login -u $username -p $password
-if [ $? -ne 0 ]
-then
-      echo " Docker login failed "
-      exit 1
-else
-      echo "docker login succeeded "
-fi
-#build and publish chapel-gasnet docker image
-cd $CHPL_HOME/util/packaging/docker/gasnet
-build_publish $docker_repository  chapel-gasnet $image_version
-
-docker login -u $username -p $password
-if [ $? -ne 0 ]
-then
-      echo " Docker login failed "
-      exit 1
-else
-      echo "docker login succeeded "
-fi
-#build and publish chapel-gasnet-smp docker image
-cd $CHPL_HOME/util/packaging/docker/gasnet-smp
-build_publish $docker_repository  chapel-gasnet-smp $image_version
diff --git a/util/cron/test-docker.bash b/util/cron/test-docker.bash
index d45f267f196f..2f2746e99bff 100755
--- a/util/cron/test-docker.bash
+++ b/util/cron/test-docker.bash
@@ -1,35 +1,93 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 #
-# This script will build, run, and verify chapel, gasnet, and gasnet-smp docker images.
+# This script will build, (sanity) test, and push the chapel, chapel-gasnet, and
+# chapel-gasnet-smp Docker images. Uses the 'nightly' tag by default, or
+# 'latest' and a release version tag if specified.
+#
+# Assumes Docker is already running on the system, logged into an account with
+# appropriate permissions to push the images.
+#
+# Expected environment variables:
+# - RELEASE_VERSION (optional): If set, will also push the image tagged as
+#   'latest' and this version. Should match version in release branch name.
+
 
 CWD=$(cd $(dirname $0) ; pwd)
 source $CWD/common.bash
 export CHPL_HOME=$(cd $CWD/../.. ; pwd)
 log_info "Setting CHPL_HOME to: ${CHPL_HOME}"
+export CHPL_NIGHTLY_TEST_CONFIG_NAME="docker"
 
-# build_image function takes image name and docker script location as arguments.
-# Builds the image with the name from arg$1, runs the container and execute the install and verify script located in the location $2.
-build_image() {
-  local imageName="$1"
+# BEGIN FUNCTIONS
+
+# Patch the Dockerfile to build FROM the nightly image instead of latest.
+# Assumes the Dockerfile is available at ./Dockerfile.
+# Arguments are forwarded to `patch` command.
+dockerfile_nightly_patch() {
+  local patch_args="$*"
+
+  local nightlypatch="
+1c1
+< FROM chapel/chapel:latest
+---
+> FROM chapel/chapel:nightly
+"
+
+  patch $patch_args ./Dockerfile << EOF
+$nightlypatch
+EOF
+}
+
+# Build, test, and push a Docker image.
+# Args:
+# - image name without tag
+# - test script location
+# - release version tag to use (optional, builds nightly otherwise)
+update_image() {
+  local baseImageName="$1"
   local script="$2"
-  # Remove any existing image with the tag before building docker image
-  docker image rm --force $imageName
+  local release_tag="$3"
+
+  # Use specified release version tag, or 'nightly' if not specified
+  local imageName="${baseImageName}:${release_tag:-nightly}"
+
+  log_info "Starting $imageName..."
+
+  # Remove any existing image with the tag before building
+  if [ -n "$release_tag" ]
+  then
+    docker image rm --force "$imageName"
+  fi
 
-  docker buildx build --platform=linux/amd64,linux/arm64 . --push -t $imageName
+  # Build and push image
+  # Note: We push before testing due to a limitation of Docker
+  # (https://github.com/docker/buildx/issues/59) which prevents loading a
+  # multi-arch image without pushing. This means we may push a broken nightly
+  # image before erroring out; it's important that release pushes come after
+  # all nightly pushes so we can't push a broken release image.
+  # Anna, 2024-10-07
+  docker buildx build --platform=linux/amd64,linux/arm64 --push . -t "$imageName"
   BUILD_RESULT=$?
+  # Also push as 'latest' tag if this is a release build
+  if [ -n "$release_tag" ]
+  then
+    # Use base image name (without tag) to use Docker's default tag 'latest'
+    docker buildx build --platform=linux/amd64,linux/arm64 --push . -t "$baseImageName"
+  fi
+
   if [ $BUILD_RESULT -ne 0 ]
   then
         echo "docker build failed for $imageName image"
         exit 1
   fi
 
-  containerid= docker image ls | grep $imageName | awk '{print$3}'
-  cd ${CHPL_HOME}/util/cron
+  # Run test script inside container
   echo 'writeln("Hello, world!");' > hello.chpl
-
-  docker run --rm -i $imageName  <  $script
-
+  docker run --rm -i "$imageName"  <  "$script"
   CONTAINER_RUN=$?
+  # Clean up scratch chpl file for testing
+  rm hello.chpl
+
   if [ $CONTAINER_RUN -ne 0 ]
   then
         echo "docker commands failed inside chapel $imageName container"
@@ -37,32 +95,53 @@ build_image() {
   else
         echo "docker commands succeeded inside chapel $imageName container"
   fi
+
+  log_info "Completed $imageName"
 }
 
-# Patch the Dockerfile to build FROM the nightly image instead of latest.
-# Assumes the Dockerfile is available at ./Dockerfile.
-dockerfile_nightly_patch() {
-  local nightlypatch="
-1c1
-< FROM chapel/chapel:latest
----
-> FROM chapel/chapel:nightly
-"
-  patch ./Dockerfile << EOF
-$nightlypatch
-EOF
+# Build, test, and push all Chapel Docker images.
+# Args:
+# - release version tag to use (optional, builds nightly otherwise)
+update_all_images() {
+  local release_tag="$1"
+
+  cd "$CHPL_HOME"
+  update_image chapel/chapel "${CHPL_HOME}/util/cron/docker-chapel.bash" "$release_tag"
+
+  cd "$CHPL_HOME/util/packaging/docker/gasnet"
+  dockerfile_nightly_patch
+  update_image chapel/chapel-gasnet "${CHPL_HOME}/util/cron/docker-gasnet.bash" "$release_tag"
+  # Clean up after patch changes
+  dockerfile_nightly_patch -R
+
+  cd "$CHPL_HOME/util/packaging/docker/gasnet-smp"
+  dockerfile_nightly_patch
+  update_image chapel/chapel-gasnet-smp "${CHPL_HOME}/util/cron/docker-gasnet.bash" "$release_tag"
+  # Clean up after patch changes
+  dockerfile_nightly_patch -R
 }
+# END FUNCTIONS
 
-# Build chapel Docker images
-cd $CHPL_HOME
-build_image chapel/chapel:nightly  ${CHPL_HOME}/util/cron/docker-chapel.bash
 
-cd $CHPL_HOME/util/packaging/docker/gasnet
-dockerfile_nightly_patch
-build_image chapel/chapel-gasnet:nightly ${CHPL_HOME}/util/cron/docker-gasnet.bash
+if [ -n "$RELEASE_VERSION" ]
+then
+  log_info "Building and pushing nightly and release-tagged images for version: $RELEASE_VERSION"
+  release_branch="release/$RELEASE_VERSION"
+  if [ "$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)" != "$release_branch" ]
+  then
+    log_error "Not on expected release branch $release_branch for version $RELEASE_VERSION, aborting"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+else
+  log_info "Building and pushing nightly images"
+fi
 
-cd $CHPL_HOME/util/packaging/docker/gasnet-smp
-dockerfile_nightly_patch
-build_image chapel/chapel-gasnet-smp:nightly ${CHPL_HOME}/util/cron/docker-gasnet.bash
+# Build and push nightly images
+update_all_images
 
-export CHPL_NIGHTLY_TEST_CONFIG_NAME="docker"
+# Build and push release-tagged images, if RELEASE_VERSION was specified.
+# Runs after all nightly images, to abort if any fail.
+if [ -n "$RELEASE_VERSION" ]
+then
+  update_all_images "$RELEASE_VERSION"
+fi