diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly.yaml b/.github/workflows/nightly.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0d60165a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+name: nightly
+on:
+  schedule:
+    - cron:  '0 0 * * *'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+env:
+  REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - name: Setup QEMU
+        uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v1
+        with:
+          platforms: all
+      - name: Setup Docker Buildx
+        id: buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v1
+        with:
+          buildkitd-flags: "--debug"
+      - name: Build multi-arch container image
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v2
+        with:
+          push: false
+          builder: ${{ steps.buildx.outputs.name }}
+          context: .
+          file: ./Dockerfile
+          platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm/v7,linux/arm64
+          tags: |
+            ${{ env.REPOSITORY }}:nightly
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index c4b06185..9204fa83 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ on:
   push:
     tags:
       - 'v*'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      tag:
+        description: 'image tag prefix'
+        default: 'rc'
+        required: true
 
 env:
   CONTROLLER: ${{ github.event.repository.name }}
@@ -17,7 +23,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Prepare
         id: prep
         run: |
-          VERSION=sha-${GITHUB_SHA::8}
+          VERSION="${{ github.event.inputs.tag }}-${GITHUB_SHA::8}"
           if [[ $GITHUB_REF == refs/tags/* ]]; then
             VERSION=${GITHUB_REF/refs\/tags\//}
           fi
@@ -68,11 +74,13 @@ jobs:
           docker pull docker.io/fluxcd/${{ env.CONTROLLER }}:${{ steps.prep.outputs.VERSION }}
           docker pull ghcr.io/fluxcd/${{ env.CONTROLLER }}:${{ steps.prep.outputs.VERSION }}
       - name: Generate release manifests
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
         run: |
           mkdir -p config/release
           kustomize build ./config/crd > ./config/release/${{ env.CONTROLLER }}.crds.yaml
           kustomize build ./config/manager > ./config/release/${{ env.CONTROLLER }}.deployment.yaml
       - name: Create release
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
         uses: ncipollo/release-action@v1
         with:
           prerelease: true