diff --git a/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/Cargo.toml b/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/Cargo.toml
index 921698e54..eef813543 100644
--- a/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/Cargo.toml
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ tempfile = { workspace = true }
 tracing = { workspace = true }
 uzers = { workspace = true }
 
+# Workspace dependencies (additional)
+indicatif = { workspace = true }
+
 # Crate-specific dependencies
 crossterm = "0.29.0"
 dialoguer = "0.12.0"
diff --git a/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/src/main.rs b/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/src/main.rs
index 3edf8cd49..28171d93d 100644
--- a/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/src/main.rs
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ fn run() -> Result<()> {
 
     prompt::temporary_developer_protection_prompt()?;
 
+    println!("Starting bootc installation. This may take several minutes...");
+    println!();
+
     reinstall_podman_command
         .run_inherited_with_cmd_context()
         .context("running reinstall command")?;
diff --git a/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/src/podman.rs b/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/src/podman.rs
index 60dfefb52..52062dbe2 100644
--- a/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/src/podman.rs
+++ b/crates/system-reinstall-bootc/src/podman.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use super::ROOT_KEY_MOUNT_POINT;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result, ensure};
 use bootc_utils::CommandRunExt;
 use fn_error_context::context;
+use std::time::Duration;
 use std::process::Command;
 use which::which;
 
@@ -80,7 +81,17 @@ pub(crate) fn reinstall_command(opts: &ReinstallOpts, ssh_key_file: &str) -> Res
     // bootc system for the first time.
     // This only happens if the bootc version in the image >= 1.1.8 (this is when the cleanup
     // feature was introduced)
-    if bootc_has_clean(&opts.image)? {
+    let spinner = indicatif::ProgressBar::new_spinner();
+    spinner.set_style(
+        indicatif::ProgressStyle::default_spinner()
+            .template("{spinner} {msg}")
+            .unwrap(),
+    );
+    spinner.set_message("Checking image capabilities...");
+    spinner.enable_steady_tick(Duration::from_millis(150));
+    let has_clean = bootc_has_clean(&opts.image)?;
+    spinner.finish_and_clear();
+    if has_clean {
         bootc_command_and_args.push("--cleanup".to_string());
     }
 
@@ -172,4 +183,4 @@ pub(crate) fn ensure_podman_installed() -> Result<()> {
     );
 
     Ok(())
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/tests-integration/Cargo.toml b/crates/tests-integration/Cargo.toml
index 6306f508e..49a2c7f89 100644
--- a/crates/tests-integration/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/tests-integration/Cargo.toml
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ bootc-kernel-cmdline = { path = "../kernel_cmdline", version = "0.0.0" }
 # This is a git dependency — not published to crates.io.
 # When updating, also check the bcvk-qemu Cargo.toml for its own
 # dependency versions (cap-std-ext, etc.) to avoid conflicts.
-bcvk-qemu = { git = "https://github.com/bootc-dev/bcvk", rev = "5c42e91250ab87502b7beeb2c7ea94a54ee8f5d9" }
+bcvk-qemu = { git = "https://github.com/bootc-dev/bcvk", rev = "3b4dc84453d7ebac9e544d15931f0a9cd3d26215" }
 data-encoding = "2.9"
 indicatif = { workspace = true }
 libtest-mimic = "0.8.0"
 oci-spec = "0.9.0"
 rand = "0.10"
-rexpect = "0.7"
+rexpect = "0.6"
 scopeguard = "1.2.0"
 tar = "0.4"
 tokio = { workspace = true, features = ["rt", "macros"] }