diff --git a/eng/docker-tools/CHANGELOG.md b/eng/docker-tools/CHANGELOG.md
index c278cbc4..76a9ec60 100644
--- a/eng/docker-tools/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/eng/docker-tools/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,14 @@ All breaking changes and new features in `eng/docker-tools` will be documented i
 
 ---
 
+## 2026-03-25: Manifest list creation moved to Post_Build
+
+- Issue: [#2002](https://github.com/dotnet/docker-tools/issues/2002)
+
+Manifest lists are now created during `Post_Build` instead of during `Publish`. They are copied to the publish registry via ACR import along with the platform images, rather than being recreated from scratch during publish.
+
+---
+
 ## 2026-03-18: CG build template supports skipping .NET SDK installation
 
 - Issue: [#2029](https://github.com/dotnet/docker-tools/issues/2029)
diff --git a/eng/docker-tools/templates/jobs/post-build.yml b/eng/docker-tools/templates/jobs/post-build.yml
index 8159872a..32b9c799 100644
--- a/eng/docker-tools/templates/jobs/post-build.yml
+++ b/eng/docker-tools/templates/jobs/post-build.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ jobs:
       dockerClientOS: linux
       customInitSteps: ${{ parameters.customInitSteps }}
       publishConfig: ${{ parameters.publishConfig }}
+  - ${{ if parameters.publishConfig }}:
+    - template: /eng/docker-tools/templates/steps/reference-service-connections.yml@self
+      parameters:
+        publishConfig: ${{ parameters.publishConfig }}
+        usesRegistries:
+          - ${{ parameters.publishConfig.BuildRegistry.server }}
   - template: /eng/docker-tools/templates/steps/download-build-artifact.yml@self
     parameters:
       targetPath: $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)
@@ -75,6 +81,21 @@ jobs:
         $(manifestVariables)
     name: MergeImageInfoFiles
     displayName: Merge Image Info Files
+  - ${{ if parameters.publishConfig }}:
+    - template: /eng/docker-tools/templates/steps/run-imagebuilder.yml@self
+      parameters:
+        displayName: Create Manifest Lists
+        internalProjectName: ${{ parameters.internalProjectName }}
+        condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables['MergeImageInfoFiles.noImageInfos'], 'true'), ne(variables['Build.Reason'], 'PullRequest'))
+        args: >-
+          createManifestList
+          '$(imageInfosContainerDir)$(imageInfosOutputSubDir)/image-info.json'
+          --repo-prefix '${{ parameters.publishConfig.BuildRegistry.repoPrefix }}'
+          --os-type '*'
+          --architecture '*'
+          --manifest '$(manifest)'
+          --registry-override '${{ parameters.publishConfig.BuildRegistry.server }}'
+          $(manifestVariables)
   - template: /eng/docker-tools/templates/steps/publish-artifact.yml@self
     parameters:
       condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables['MergeImageInfoFiles.noImageInfos'], 'true'))
diff --git a/eng/docker-tools/templates/jobs/publish.yml b/eng/docker-tools/templates/jobs/publish.yml
index 92f98b22..4b2aeacf 100644
--- a/eng/docker-tools/templates/jobs/publish.yml
+++ b/eng/docker-tools/templates/jobs/publish.yml
@@ -118,21 +118,6 @@ jobs:
         $(imageBuilder.pathArgs)
         $(imageBuilder.commonCmdArgs)
 
-  - template: /eng/docker-tools/templates/steps/run-imagebuilder.yml@self
-    parameters:
-      displayName: Publish Manifest
-      internalProjectName: ${{ parameters.internalProjectName }}
-      dockerClientOS: ${{ parameters.dockerClientOS }}
-      args: >-
-        publishManifest
-        '$(imageInfoContainerDir)/image-info.json'
-        --repo-prefix '${{ parameters.publishConfig.PublishRegistry.repoPrefix }}'
-        --os-type '*'
-        --architecture '*'
-        $(dryRunArg)
-        $(imageBuilder.pathArgs)
-        $(imageBuilder.commonCmdArgs)
-
   - template: /eng/docker-tools/templates/steps/publish-artifact.yml@self
     parameters:
       path: $(imageInfoHostDir)
@@ -270,7 +255,6 @@ jobs:
       '$(gitHubNotificationsRepoInfo.repo)'
       --repo-prefix '${{ parameters.publishConfig.PublishRegistry.repoPrefix }}'
       --task "🟪 Copy Images"
-      --task "🟪 Publish Manifest"
       --task "🟪 Wait for Image Ingestion"
       --task "🟪 Publish Readmes"
       --task "🟪 Wait for MCR Doc Ingestion"
diff --git a/eng/docker-tools/templates/variables/docker-images.yml b/eng/docker-tools/templates/variables/docker-images.yml
index ad40c7f4..a7f526d3 100644
--- a/eng/docker-tools/templates/variables/docker-images.yml
+++ b/eng/docker-tools/templates/variables/docker-images.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 variables:
-  imageNames.imageBuilderName: mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet-buildtools/image-builder:2928776
+  imageNames.imageBuilderName: mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet-buildtools/image-builder:2936017
   imageNames.imageBuilder: $(imageNames.imageBuilderName)
   imageNames.imageBuilder.withrepo: imagebuilder-withrepo:$(Build.BuildId)-$(System.JobId)
   imageNames.testRunner: mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet-buildtools/prereqs:azurelinux3.0-docker-testrunner