diff --git a/kiwi-builder-image/Dockerfile b/kiwi-builder-image/Dockerfile
index d220bea..19df2bf 100644
--- a/kiwi-builder-image/Dockerfile
+++ b/kiwi-builder-image/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-#!BuildTag: %%IMG_PREFIX%%kiwi-builder:%%kiwi_version%%.0-%RELEASE%
-#!BuildTag: %%IMG_PREFIX%%kiwi-builder:%%kiwi_version%%.0
+#!BuildTag: %%IMG_PREFIX%%kiwi-builder:10.2.12.0-%RELEASE%
+#!BuildTag: %%IMG_PREFIX%%kiwi-builder:10.2.12.0
 
+# Base image version, should match the tag above
 ARG KIWIVERSION="10.2.12"
 FROM registry.suse.com/bci/kiwi:${KIWIVERSION}
 ARG KIWIVERSION
@@ -10,11 +11,11 @@ ARG KIWIVERSION
 LABEL org.opencontainers.image.authors="SUSE LLC (https://www.suse.com/)"
 LABEL org.opencontainers.image.title="SLE Kiwi Builder Container Image"
 LABEL org.opencontainers.image.description="kiwi-builder based on the SLE Base Container Image."
-LABEL org.opencontainers.image.version="%%kiwi_version%%"
+LABEL org.opencontainers.image.version="${KIWIVERSION}"
 LABEL org.opencontainers.image.url="https://www.suse.com/solutions/edge-computing/"
 LABEL org.opencontainers.image.created="%BUILDTIME%"
 LABEL org.opencontainers.image.vendor="SUSE LLC"
-LABEL org.opensuse.reference="%%IMG_REPO%%/%%IMG_PREFIX%%kiwi-builder:%%kiwi_version%%.0-%RELEASE%"
+LABEL org.opensuse.reference="%%IMG_REPO%%/%%IMG_PREFIX%%kiwi-builder:${KIWIVERSION}.0-%RELEASE%"
 LABEL org.openbuildservice.disturl="%DISTURL%"
 LABEL com.suse.supportlevel="%%SUPPORT_LEVEL%%"
 LABEL com.suse.eula="SUSE Combined EULA February 2024"
@@ -23,9 +24,6 @@ LABEL com.suse.image-type="application"
 LABEL com.suse.release-stage="released"
 # endlabelprefix
 
-# help the build service understand the need for python3-kiwi
-RUN zypper -n install -d -D python3-kiwi; [ "%%kiwi_version%%" = "${KIWIVERSION}" ] || { echo "expected kiwi version ${KIWIVERSION}: version mismatch"; exit 1; }
-
 # Copy build script into image and make it executable
 ADD build-image.sh /usr/bin/build-image
 RUN chmod a+x /usr/bin/build-image
diff --git a/kiwi-builder-image/_service b/kiwi-builder-image/_service
index 254ee27..4a91d53 100644
--- a/kiwi-builder-image/_service
+++ b/kiwi-builder-image/_service
@@ -1,15 +1,9 @@
 <services>
   <service mode="buildtime" name="kiwi_metainfo_helper"/>
   <service name="docker_label_helper" mode="buildtime"/>
-  <service name="replace_using_env" mode="buildtime">
-    <param name="file">README</param>
-    <param name="eval">IMG_REPO=$(rpm --macros=/root/.rpmmacros -E %img_repo)</param>
-    <param name="var">IMG_REPO</param>
-    <param name="eval">IMG_PREFIX=$(rpm --macros=/root/.rpmmacros -E %{?img_prefix})</param>
-    <param name="var">IMG_PREFIX</param>
-  </service>
   <service name="replace_using_env" mode="buildtime">
     <param name="file">Dockerfile</param>
+    <param name="file">README</param>
     <param name="eval">IMG_PREFIX=$(rpm --macros=/root/.rpmmacros -E %{?img_prefix})</param>
     <param name="var">IMG_PREFIX</param>
     <param name="eval">IMG_REPO=$(rpm --macros=/root/.rpmmacros -E %img_repo)</param>
@@ -17,14 +11,4 @@
     <param name="eval">SUPPORT_LEVEL=$(rpm --macros=/root/.rpmmacros -E %support_level)</param>
     <param name="var">SUPPORT_LEVEL</param>
   </service>
-  <service mode="buildtime" name="replace_using_package_version">
-    <param name="file">Dockerfile</param>
-    <param name="regex">%%kiwi_version%%</param>
-    <param name="package">python3-kiwi</param>
-  </service>
-  <service mode="buildtime" name="replace_using_package_version">
-    <param name="file">README</param>
-    <param name="regex">%%kiwi_version%%</param>
-    <param name="package">python3-kiwi</param>
-  </service>
 </services>