diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index bba89f51d..e1d396d32 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ validate: ## Validate packer config
 .PHONY: k8s
 k8s: validate ## Build default K8s version of EKS Optimized AMI
 	@echo "Building AMI [os_distro=$(os_distro) kubernetes_version=$(kubernetes_version) arch=$(arch)]"
-	$(PACKER_BINARY) build -timestamp-ui -color=false $(PACKER_ARGS) $(PACKER_TEMPLATE_FILE)
+	$(PACKER_BINARY) build -timestamp-ui -color=false $(PACKER_ARGS)$(if $(PACKER_DEBUG),-debug) $(PACKER_TEMPLATE_FILE)
 
 # DEPRECATION NOTICE: `make` targets for each Kubernetes minor version will not be added after 1.28
 # Use the `k8s` variable to specify a minor version instead
diff --git a/templates/al2/template.json b/templates/al2/template.json
index c79b4fd75..910f60762 100644
--- a/templates/al2/template.json
+++ b/templates/al2/template.json
@@ -125,17 +125,41 @@
     {
       "type": "shell",
       "remote_folder": "{{ user `remote_folder`}}",
-      "inline": [
-        "mkdir -p {{user `working_dir`}}",
-        "mkdir -p {{user `working_dir`}}/log-collector-script"
+      "script": "{{template_dir}}/provisioners/install-additional-repos.sh",
+      "environment_vars": [
+        "ADDITIONAL_YUM_REPOS={{user `additional_yum_repos`}}"
       ]
     },
     {
       "type": "shell",
       "remote_folder": "{{ user `remote_folder`}}",
-      "script": "{{template_dir}}/provisioners/install-additional-repos.sh",
+      "script": "{{template_dir}}/provisioners/upgrade-kernel.sh",
       "environment_vars": [
-        "ADDITIONAL_YUM_REPOS={{user `additional_yum_repos`}}"
+        "KUBERNETES_VERSION={{user `kubernetes_version`}}",
+        "KERNEL_VERSION={{user `kernel_version`}}"
+      ]
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "shell",
+      "remote_folder": "{{ user `remote_folder`}}",
+      "script": "{{template_dir}}/provisioners/enable-fips.sh",
+      "environment_vars": [
+        "ENABLE_FIPS={{user `enable_fips`}}"
+      ]
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "shell",
+      "remote_folder": "{{ user `remote_folder`}}",
+      "inline": ["sudo reboot"],
+      "expect_disconnect": true,
+      "pause_after": "90s"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "shell",
+      "remote_folder": "{{ user `remote_folder`}}",
+      "inline": [
+        "mkdir -p {{user `working_dir`}}",
+        "mkdir -p {{user `working_dir`}}/log-collector-script"
       ]
     },
     {
@@ -161,30 +185,6 @@
         "sudo mv {{user `working_dir`}}/bin/* /usr/bin/"
       ]
     },
-    {
-      "type": "shell",
-      "remote_folder": "{{ user `remote_folder`}}",
-      "script": "{{template_dir}}/provisioners/upgrade-kernel.sh",
-      "environment_vars": [
-        "KUBERNETES_VERSION={{user `kubernetes_version`}}",
-        "KERNEL_VERSION={{user `kernel_version`}}"
-      ]
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "shell",
-      "remote_folder": "{{ user `remote_folder`}}",
-      "script": "{{template_dir}}/provisioners/enable-fips.sh",
-      "environment_vars": [
-        "ENABLE_FIPS={{user `enable_fips`}}"
-      ]
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "shell",
-      "remote_folder": "{{ user `remote_folder`}}",
-      "inline": ["sudo reboot"],
-      "expect_disconnect": true,
-      "pause_after": "90s"
-    },
     {
       "type": "shell",
       "remote_folder": "{{ user `remote_folder`}}",