diff --git a/releases/specs/arm64/stage1.spec b/releases/specs/arm64/stage1.spec
index 26d1d63a..9e9f19a0 100644
--- a/releases/specs/arm64/stage1.spec
+++ b/releases/specs/arm64/stage1.spec
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ rel_type: default
 profile: default/linux/arm64/17.0
 snapshot: current
 source_subpath: default/stage3-arm64-latest
+compression_mode: pixz_x
 pkgcache_path: /var/tmp/catalyst/packages/stage1
 update_seed: yes
 update_seed_command: --update --deep --jobs=5 --newuse --complete-graph @world
diff --git a/releases/specs/arm64/stage2.spec b/releases/specs/arm64/stage2.spec
index 859aa276..7ef4df84 100644
--- a/releases/specs/arm64/stage2.spec
+++ b/releases/specs/arm64/stage2.spec
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ rel_type: default
 profile: default/linux/arm64/17.0
 snapshot: current
 source_subpath: default/stage1-arm64-@TIMESTAMP@
+compression_mode: pixz_x
 pkgcache_path: /var/tmp/catalyst/packages/stage2
 portage_confdir: @REPO_DIR@/releases/portage/stages
 portage_prefix: releng
diff --git a/releases/specs/arm64/stage3.spec b/releases/specs/arm64/stage3.spec
index 003b556c..d8d236ce 100644
--- a/releases/specs/arm64/stage3.spec
+++ b/releases/specs/arm64/stage3.spec
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ rel_type: default
 profile: default/linux/arm64/17.0
 snapshot: current
 source_subpath: default/stage1-arm64-@TIMESTAMP@
+compression_mode: pixz_x
 pkgcache_path: /var/tmp/catalyst/packages/stage3
 portage_confdir: @REPO_DIR@/releases/portage/stages
 portage_prefix: releng