diff --git a/cmd/ate-setup/commands.md b/cmd/ate-setup/commands.md
index 954856eaa..e69ccb659 100644
--- a/cmd/ate-setup/commands.md
+++ b/cmd/ate-setup/commands.md
@@ -49,6 +49,15 @@ apiserver, the controller, atenet, and atelet. It creates every `create`
 resource below on the way, so those subcommands are only needed to redo one on
 a running cluster.
 
+## Publish
+
+| `ate-setup` | `hack/install-ate.sh` |
+|---|---|
+| `publish worker-images` | (no shell equivalent) |
+
+Builds and pushes the ateom worker images for the checked-out build and prints
+their refs; a WorkerPool points `spec.workerImage` to a build to use the ateom.
+
 ## Delete
 
 | `ate-setup` | `hack/install-ate.sh` |
diff --git a/cmd/ate-setup/internal/cmd/publish.go b/cmd/ate-setup/internal/cmd/publish.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..96525ace9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/ate-setup/internal/cmd/publish.go
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+// Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+var publishCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "publish",
+	Short: "Build and push images that no manifest references",
+}
+
+var publishWorkerImagesCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "worker-images",
+	Short: "Build and push the ateom worker images for this build and print their refs",
+	Long: `Build and push the ateom worker images (one per sandbox class) for the
+checked-out build and print their pushed references, one "<binary>: <ref>"
+line per image.
+
+A WorkerPool moves to a build by pointing spec.workerImage at that build's
+ateom ref.`,
+	Args: cobra.NoArgs,
+	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
+		return env.PublishWorkerImages(cmd.Context(), cmd.OutOrStdout())
+	},
+}
+
+func init() {
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(publishCmd)
+	publishCmd.AddCommand(publishWorkerImagesCmd)
+}
diff --git a/cmd/ate-setup/internal/ko/ko.go b/cmd/ate-setup/internal/ko/ko.go
index 76ed0057c..3cb80a17d 100644
--- a/cmd/ate-setup/internal/ko/ko.go
+++ b/cmd/ate-setup/internal/ko/ko.go
@@ -108,6 +108,31 @@ func (r *Runner) Resolve(ctx context.Context, path string, stdinManifest []byte)
 	return stdout.Bytes(), nil
 }
 
+// Build builds and publishes one Go binary's image and returns its pushed
+// reference (the last line ko prints). Resolve covers everything a manifest
+// references; Build is for the images with no manifest names, such as the ateom
+// worker images a WorkerPool points at through workerImage.
+func (r *Runner) Build(ctx context.Context, importPath string) (string, error) {
+	args := []string{"build", importPath}
+	for _, flag := range r.ldflags() {
+		args = append(args, "--ldflags="+flag)
+	}
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, r.binary, args...)
+	cmd.Dir = r.Root
+	cmd.Env = append(os.Environ(), r.Env...)
+	var stdout bytes.Buffer
+	cmd.Stdout = &stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = r.Stderr
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("while running ko build %s: %w", importPath, err)
+	}
+	lines := strings.Fields(stdout.String())
+	if len(lines) == 0 {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("ko build %s printed no image reference", importPath)
+	}
+	return lines[len(lines)-1], nil
+}
+
 // ResolvePath resolves a manifest file or directory.
 func (r *Runner) ResolvePath(ctx context.Context, path string) ([]byte, error) {
 	return r.Resolve(ctx, path, nil)
diff --git a/cmd/ate-setup/internal/steps/publish.go b/cmd/ate-setup/internal/steps/publish.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5533d90b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/ate-setup/internal/steps/publish.go
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+// Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package steps
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+
+	"github.com/agent-substrate/substrate/cmd/ate-setup/internal/log"
+)
+
+// workerImages are the ateom images a WorkerPool points at through
+// workerImage, one per sandbox class. No manifest references them, so the
+// install never publishes them as a side effect.
+var workerImages = []string{"ateom-gvisor", "ateom-microvm"}
+
+// PublishWorkerImages builds and pushes the ateom images for this build and
+// writes their pushed references to w, one "<binary>: <ref>" line per image,
+// after every build has finished so the refs sit together below ko's build
+// output. A WorkerPool moves to this build by pointing its workerImage at
+// the ref.
+func (e *Env) PublishWorkerImages(ctx context.Context, w io.Writer) error {
+	version, _, err := e.SubstrateVersion()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	log.Stepf("publish_worker_images (%s)", version)
+	runner, err := e.Ko()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	refs := make([]string, 0, len(workerImages))
+	for _, img := range workerImages {
+		ref, err := runner.Build(ctx, "./cmd/"+img)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		refs = append(refs, img+": "+ref)
+	}
+	if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(w, "\nWorker images for %s:\n", version); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	for _, line := range refs {
+		if _, err := fmt.Fprintln(w, line); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}