diff --git a/scripts/docker_lib.sh b/scripts/docker_lib.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f3baca91575f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/docker_lib.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Source of truth, these should not be modified elsewhere
+readonly IMAGE_ARCH_LIST="amd64 arm64 ppc64le s390x"
+readonly CONTAINER_REGISTRY_LIST="quay.io/coreos gcr.io/etcd-development"
+
+function compareSemanticVersions() {
+  
+    v1=$(echo "$1" | grep -oE '^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+') 
+    v2=$(echo "$2" | grep -oE '^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+')
+
+    if [ -z "$v1" ] || [ -z "$v2" ]; then
+        log_error "ERROR: Invalid version string(s) provided ${v1} and ${v2}."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    read -ra ver1 <<< "${v1//./ }"
+    read -ra ver2 <<< "${v2//./ }"
+
+    len=${#ver1[@]}
+    if ((len < ${#ver2[@]})); then
+        len=${#ver2[@]}
+    fi
+
+    # compare each component of the versions
+    for ((i=0; i<len; i++)); do
+
+        # set missing components to 0
+        num1=${ver1[i]:-0}
+        num2=${ver2[i]:-0}
+
+        # compare the components
+        if ((num1 < num2)); then
+            log_info "INFO: ${v2} is greater than ${v1}."
+            return 0
+        elif ((num1 > num2)); then
+            log_info "INFO: ${v1} is greater than ${v2}."
+            return 0
+        fi
+    done
+
+    # if we reach this point, the versions are equal
+    log_info "INFO: ${v1} and ${v2} are equal."
+    return 0
+}
+
+function checkContainerEngine() {
+
+    # Validate args
+    if [ "${#}" -ne 1 ]; then
+        log_error "ERROR: checkContainerEngine requires exactly one parameter."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    ENGINE="${1}"
+
+    # Etcd releases require a container engine like docker
+    if ! command -v "${ENGINE}" >/dev/null; then
+        log_error "ERROR: Cannot find container engine ${ENGINE}."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    # Etcd releases require a modern version of docker
+    # TODO Consider adding support for a recent version of podman
+    MINIMUM_DOCKER_VERSION="20.10.0"
+    CURRENT_VERSION=$("${ENGINE}" version --format '{{.Server.Version}}' | cut -d '+' -f1)
+
+    if compareSemanticVersions "${MINIMUM_DOCKER_VERSION}" "${CURRENT_VERSION}"; then
+        log_success "SUCCESS: ${ENGINE} version ${CURRENT_VERSION} is >= minimum version ${MINIMUM_DOCKER_VERSION}."
+    else
+        log_error "ERROR: ${ENGINE} version ${CURRENT_VERSION} is less than the minimum version ${MINIMUM_DOCKER_VERSION}."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    # Etcd releases require a linux host
+    if [[ $(go env GOOS) == "darwin" ]]; then
+        log_error "ERROR: Please use linux machine for release builds."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+function checkImageExists() {
+
+    # Validate args
+    if [ "${#}" -ne 1 ]; then
+        log_error "ERROR: checkImageExists requires exactly one parameter."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    IMAGE="${1}"
+    log_info "INFO: Checking image ${IMAGE} is present locally."
+    if [[ "$(docker images --quiet "${IMAGE}" 2> /dev/null)" == "" ]]; then
+        log_error "ERROR: Image ${IMAGE} not present locally."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    log_success "SUCCESS: Image ${IMAGE} exists locally."
+}
+
+
+function checkImageHasArch() {
+
+    # Validate args
+    if [ "${#}" -ne 2 ]; then
+        log_error "ERROR: checkImageHasArch requires exactly two parameters."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    IMAGE="${1}"
+    EXPECTED_ARCH="${2}"
+
+    # Validate the image exists
+    checkImageExists "${IMAGE}"
+
+    # Validate that manifest exists
+    MANIFEST=$(docker manifest inspect "${IMAGE}")
+    if [ -z "${MANIFEST}" ]; then
+        log_error "ERROR: Manifest not found for image ${IMAGE}."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    # Check that expected architecture is included
+    PLATFORMS=$(echo "${MANIFEST}" | sed -n 's/.*"platform":{\(.*\)},/\1/p' | tr -d ' ')
+    if [[ "${PLATFORMS}" != *"${EXPECTED_ARCH}"* ]]; then
+        log_error "ERROR: Image ${IMAGE} does not contain the expected architecture ${EXPECTED_ARCH}."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    log_success "SUCCESS: Image ${IMAGE} contains the expected architecture ${EXPECTED_ARCH}."
+    return 0
+}
+
+function buildMultiArchImage() {
+
+    # Validate args
+    if [ "${#}" -ne 1 ]; then
+        log_error "ERROR: buildMultiArchImage requires exactly one parameter."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    RELEASE_VERSION="${1}"
+    IFS=' ' read -ra image_arch_array <<< "${IMAGE_ARCH_LIST}"
+    IFS=' ' read -ra registries_array <<< "${CONTAINER_REGISTRY_LIST}"
+
+    for TARGET_ARCH in "${image_arch_array[@]}"; do
+        for REGISTRY in "${registries_array[@]}"; do
+
+            # Validate required images exist
+            checkImageExists "${REGISTRY}/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}"
+            checkImageExists "${REGISTRY}/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}-${TARGET_ARCH}"
+
+            # Update the manifest
+            log_info "INFO: Updating manifest ${REGISTRY}/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION} with ${REGISTRY}/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}-${TARGET_ARCH}."
+            docker manifest create --amend "${REGISTRY}/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}" "${REGISTRY}/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}-${TARGET_ARCH}"
+            docker manifest annotate "${REGISTRY}/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}" "${REGISTRY}/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}-${TARGET_ARCH}" --arch "${TARGET_ARCH}"
+        done
+    done
+}
+
+function startContainer {
+
+    # Validate args
+    if [ "${#}" -ne 2 ]; then
+        log_error "ERROR: startContainer requires exactly two parameters."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    CONTAINER_NAME="${1}"
+    IMAGE="${2}"
+
+    # Run docker in the background
+    log_info "INFO: Starting container named: ${CONTAINER_NAME} with image: ${IMAGE}."
+    docker run --detach --rm --name "${CONTAINER_NAME}" "${IMAGE}"
+
+    # Wait for etcd daemon to bootstrap
+    sleep 5
+
+    # Cleanup in case of failures
+    trap 'docker stop "${CONTAINER_NAME}"' EXIT
+}
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index 47e840f21df9..a50583ded1a1 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ set -o nounset
 set -o pipefail
 
 source ./scripts/test_lib.sh
+source ./scripts/docker_lib.sh
 source ./scripts/release_mod.sh
 
 DRY_RUN=${DRY_RUN:-true}
@@ -72,13 +73,8 @@ main() {
   log_callout "REPOSITORY=${REPOSITORY}"
   log_callout ""
   
-  # Required to enable 'docker manifest ...'
-  export DOCKER_CLI_EXPERIMENTAL=enabled
-
-  if ! command -v docker >/dev/null; then
-    log_error "cannot find docker"
-    exit 1
-  fi
+  # Releases can't proceed without docker
+  checkContainerEngine "docker"
 
   # Expected umask for etcd release artifacts
   umask 022
@@ -258,16 +254,18 @@ main() {
       log_warning "login failed, retrying"
     done
 
-    log_callout "Creating manifest-list (multi-image)..."
-
-    for TARGET_ARCH in "amd64" "arm64" "ppc64le" "s390x"; do
-      maybe_run docker manifest create --amend "quay.io/coreos/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}" "quay.io/coreos/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}-${TARGET_ARCH}"
-      maybe_run docker manifest annotate "quay.io/coreos/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}" "quay.io/coreos/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}-${TARGET_ARCH}" --arch "${TARGET_ARCH}"
-
-      maybe_run docker manifest create --amend "gcr.io/etcd-development/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}" "gcr.io/etcd-development/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}-${TARGET_ARCH}"
-      maybe_run docker manifest annotate "gcr.io/etcd-development/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}" "gcr.io/etcd-development/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}-${TARGET_ARCH}" --arch "${TARGET_ARCH}"
+    IFS=' ' read -ra image_arch_array <<< "${IMAGE_ARCH_LIST}"
+    IFS=' ' read -ra registries_array <<< "${CONTAINER_REGISTRY_LIST}"
+    for TARGET_ARCH in "${image_arch_array[@]}"; do
+        for REGISTRY in "${registries_array[@]}"; do
+        log_callout "Pushing container images to ${REGISTRY} ${RELEASE_VERSION}-${TARGET_ARCH}"
+        maybe_run docker push "${REGISTRY}/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}-${TARGET_ARCH}"
+      done
     done
 
+    log_callout "Creating manifest-list (multi-image)..."
+    maybe_run buildMultiArchImage "${RELEASE_VERSION}"
+
     log_callout "Pushing container manifest list to quay.io ${RELEASE_VERSION}"
     maybe_run docker manifest push "quay.io/coreos/etcd:${RELEASE_VERSION}"
 
diff --git a/scripts/test_images.sh b/scripts/test_images.sh
index e5ab24c3bc40..6ad6e81612cf 100755
--- a/scripts/test_images.sh
+++ b/scripts/test_images.sh
@@ -6,108 +6,69 @@ IFS=$'\n\t'
 
 source ./scripts/test_lib.sh
 source ./scripts/build_lib.sh
+source ./scripts/docker_lib.sh
 
-function startContainer {
-    # run docker in the background
-    docker run -d --rm --name "${RUN_NAME}" "${IMAGE}"
-
-    # wait for etcd daemon to bootstrap
-    sleep 5
-}
-
-function runVersionCheck {
-    Out=$(docker run --rm "${IMAGE}" "${@}")
-    foundVersion=$(echo "$Out" | head -1 | rev  | cut -d" "  -f 1 | rev )
+function runVersionCheck() {
+    out=$(docker exec "${1}" "${@:2}")
+    foundVersion=$(echo "${out}" | head -1 | rev  | cut -d" "  -f 1 | rev )
     if [[ "${foundVersion}" != "${VERSION}" ]]; then
-        echo "error: Invalid Version. Got $foundVersion, expected $VERSION. Error: $Out"
+        log_error "ERROR: Invalid version. Got ${foundVersion}, expected ${VERSION}. Error: ${out}"
         exit 1
     fi
 }
 
-function checkImageHasArch() {
-    IMAGE="${1}"
-    EXPECTED_ARCH="${2}"
-
-    MANIFEST=$(docker manifest inspect "${IMAGE}")
-
-    # Check that manifest exists
-    if [ -z "${MANIFEST}" ]; then
-        echo "ERROR: Manifest not found for image ${IMAGE}"
-        exit 1
-    fi
-
-    PLATFORMS=$(echo "${MANIFEST}" | sed -n 's/.*"platform":{\(.*\)},/\1/p' | tr -d ' ')
-
-    # Check that expected architecture is included
-    if [[ "${PLATFORMS}" != *"${EXPECTED_ARCH}"* ]]; then
-        echo "ERROR: Image ${IMAGE} does not contain the expected architecture ${EXPECTED_ARCH}"
-        exit 1
-    fi
-
-    echo "SUCCESS: Image ${IMAGE} contains the expected architecture ${EXPECTED_ARCH}"
-    return 0
-}
-
-# Can't proceed without docker
-if ! command -v docker >/dev/null; then
-    log_error "cannot find docker"
-    exit 1
-fi
-
-# You can't run darwin binaries in linux containers
-if [[ $(go env GOOS) == "darwin" ]]; then
-    echo "Please use linux machine for release builds."
-    exit 1
-fi
+# Tests can't proceed without docker
+checkContainerEngine "docker"
 
 # Pick defaults based on release workflow
 ARCH=$(go env GOARCH)
 REPOSITORY=${REPOSITORY:-"gcr.io/etcd-development/etcd"}
-if [ -n "$VERSION" ]; then
+if [ -n "${VERSION}" ]; then
     # Expected Format: v3.6.99-amd64
     TAG=v"${VERSION}"-"${ARCH}"
 else
-    echo "Terminating test, VERSION not supplied"
+    log_error "ERROR: Terminating test, VERSION not supplied"
     exit 1
 fi
 IMAGE=${IMAGE:-"${REPOSITORY}:${TAG}"}
 
-# ETCD related values
-RUN_NAME="test_etcd"
+# Etcd related values
+CONTAINER_NAME="test_etcd"
 KEY="foo"
 VALUE="bar"
 
-if [[ "$(docker images -q "${IMAGE}" 2> /dev/null)" == "" ]]; then
-    echo "${IMAGE} not present locally"
-    exit 1
-fi
+# Start an etcd container
+startContainer "${CONTAINER_NAME}" "${IMAGE}"
 
-# Version check
-runVersionCheck "/usr/local/bin/etcd" "--version"
-runVersionCheck "/usr/local/bin/etcdctl" "version"
-runVersionCheck "/usr/local/bin/etcdutl" "version"
+# Test versions in container
+runVersionCheck "${CONTAINER_NAME}" "etcd" "--version"
+runVersionCheck "${CONTAINER_NAME}" "etcdctl" "version"
+runVersionCheck "${CONTAINER_NAME}" "etcdutl" "version"
 
-startContainer
-# stop container
-trap 'docker stop "${RUN_NAME}"' EXIT
-
-
-# Put/Get check
-PUT=$(docker exec "${RUN_NAME}" /usr/local/bin/etcdctl put "${KEY}" "${VALUE}")
+# Test etcd kv working
+PUT=$(docker exec "${CONTAINER_NAME}" etcdctl put "${KEY}" "${VALUE}")
 if [ "${PUT}" != "OK" ]; then
-    echo "Problem with Putting in etcd"
+    log_error "ERROR: Etcd PUT test failed in container ${CONTAINER_NAME}. Got ${PUT}"
     exit 1
 fi
 
-GET=$(docker exec "${RUN_NAME}" /usr/local/bin/etcdctl get "$KEY" --print-value-only)
+GET=$(docker exec "${CONTAINER_NAME}" etcdctl get "${KEY}" --print-value-only)
 if [ "${GET}" != "${VALUE}" ]; then
-    echo "Problem with getting foo bar in etcd. Got ${GET}"
+    log_error "ERROR: Etcd GET test failed in container ${CONTAINER_NAME}. Got ${GET}"
     exit 1
 fi
 
-echo "Succesfully tested etcd local image ${TAG}"
+# Test we can assemble the multi arch etcd image
+buildMultiArchImage "v${VERSION}"
+
+# Test local image manifest contains all expected architectures
+if [ -n "${IMAGE_ARCH_LIST}" ]; then
+    for TARGET_ARCH in ${IMAGE_ARCH_LIST}; do
+        checkImageHasArch "${REPOSITORY}:${VERSION}" "${TARGET_ARCH}"
+    done
+else
+    log_error "ERROR: IMAGE_ARCH_LIST not populated."
+    exit 1
+fi
 
-# Test image manifest contains all expected architectures
-for TARGET_ARCH in "amd64" "arm64" "ppc64le" "s390x"; do
-    checkImageHasArch "${REPOSITORY}:${VERSION}" "${TARGET_ARCH}"
-done
+log_success "SUCCESS: Etcd local image tests for ${IMAGE} passed."