diff --git a/.cci.jenkinsfile b/.cci.jenkinsfile
index 3c8f41c20..8b09b6623 100644
--- a/.cci.jenkinsfile
+++ b/.cci.jenkinsfile
@@ -6,7 +6,16 @@ cosaPod(buildroot: true) {
     // hack to satisfy golang compiler wanting to cache things
     shwrap("mkdir cache")
     withEnv(["XDG_CACHE_HOME=${env.WORKSPACE}/cache"]) {
-        fcosBuild(make: true, skipKola: true)
+        // freeze kernel to 5.6.7 for now to avoid a regression in loopback
+        // code which interferes with blackbox testing
+        // https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/66526
+        shwrap("""
+            mkdir -p /srv/fcos && cd /srv/fcos
+            cosa init https://github.com/coreos/fedora-coreos-config
+            mkdir -p overrides/rpm && cd overrides/rpm
+            curl -L --remote-name-all https://kojipkgs.fedoraproject.org//packages/kernel/5.6.7/200.fc31/x86_64/kernel{,-core,-modules}-5.6.7-200.fc31.x86_64.rpm
+        """)
+        fcosBuild(skipInit: true, make: true, skipKola: true)
     }
 
     // we run the blackbox tests separately instead of as part of the main kola