diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0e651976..ca8f4667 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ IMG ?= quay.io/${USER}/odh-model-controller:latest
 # ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION refers to the version of kubebuilder assets to be downloaded by envtest binary.
 ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION = 1.26
 
+ENGINE ?= docker
+
 # Setting SHELL to bash allows bash commands to be executed by recipes.
 # This is a requirement for 'setup-envtest.sh' in the test target.
 # Options are set to exit when a recipe line exits non-zero or a piped command fails.
@@ -83,13 +85,13 @@ build: generate fmt vet ## Build manager binary.
 run: manifests generate fmt vet ## Run a controller from your host.
 	go run ./main.go
 
-.PHONY: docker-build
-docker-build: test ## Build docker image with the manager.
-	docker build . -f ./Containerfile -t ${IMG}
+.PHONY: container-build
+container-build: test ## Build docker image with the manager.
+	${ENGINE} build . -f ./Containerfile -t ${IMG}
 
-.PHONY: docker-push
-docker-push: ## Push docker image with the manager.
-	docker push ${IMG}
+.PHONY: container-push
+container-push: ## Push docker image with the manager.
+	${ENGINE} push ${IMG}
 
 ##@ Deployment
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a125437b..9823edfb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Build a new image with your local changes and push it to `<YOUR_IMAGE>` (by
 default `quay.io/${USER}/odh-model-controller:latest`).
 
 ```shell
-make -e IMG=<YOUR_IMAGE> docker-build docker-push
+make -e IMG=<YOUR_IMAGE> container-build container-push
 ```
 
 Deploy the manager using the image in your registry: