diff --git a/files/scripts/cachyos-kernel.sh b/files/scripts/cachyos-kernel.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6a42c13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/files/scripts/cachyos-kernel.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Replaces the stock Fedora kernel with the CachyOS LTO kernel.
+# CachyOS LTO kernel is compiled with Link-Time Optimization and ships
+# sched-ext (SCX) support, giving lower latency for realtime audio workloads.
+#
+# Adapted from the Zena project (https://github.com/zena-linux/zena),
+# specifically build-scripts/modules/base/kernel.sh.
+# Zena is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.
+# Credit to the Zena contributors: https://github.com/zena-linux/zena/graphs/contributors
+
+set -ouex pipefail
+
+shopt -s nullglob
+
+KERNEL_PACKAGES=(
+  kernel-cachyos-lto
+  kernel-cachyos-lto-core
+  kernel-cachyos-lto-devel-matched
+  kernel-cachyos-lto-modules
+)
+
+# Disable kernel install hooks so the custom kernel installs cleanly into the image
+pushd /usr/lib/kernel/install.d
+printf '%s\n' '#!/bin/sh' 'exit 0' > 05-rpmostree.install
+printf '%s\n' '#!/bin/sh' 'exit 0' > 50-dracut.install
+chmod +x 05-rpmostree.install 50-dracut.install
+popd
+
+# Remove stock Fedora kernel packages
+for pkg in kernel kernel-core kernel-modules kernel-modules-core; do
+    rpm --erase "$pkg" --nodeps || true
+done
+
+# Remove leftover kernel module directory
+CURRENT_MODULES=$(ls /usr/lib/modules | head -n1)
+if [ -n "$CURRENT_MODULES" ]; then
+    rm -rf "/usr/lib/modules/$CURRENT_MODULES"
+fi
+
+# Install the CachyOS LTO kernel (repos were added via the preceding dnf module)
+dnf5 -y install "${KERNEL_PACKAGES[@]}"
+
+# Version-lock to prevent the kernel from being overwritten by base image updates
+dnf5 versionlock add "${KERNEL_PACKAGES[@]}" || true
+
+# /boot is not used in atomic container images
+rm -rf /boot/*
diff --git a/recipes/common/copr-packages.yml b/recipes/common/copr-packages.yml
index dd533ea..0319387 100644
--- a/recipes/common/copr-packages.yml
+++ b/recipes/common/copr-packages.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ modules:
   - type: dnf
     repos:
       copr:
+        - bieszczaders/kernel-cachyos-lto
+        - bieszczaders/kernel-cachyos-addons
         - patrickl/wine-tkg
         - timlau/audio
         - alternateved/eza
diff --git a/recipes/common/fedora-packages.yml b/recipes/common/fedora-packages.yml
index 1600d80..6637711 100644
--- a/recipes/common/fedora-packages.yml
+++ b/recipes/common/fedora-packages.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,17 @@ modules:
   - type: dnf
     install:
       packages:
+        # CachyOS kernel performance companion packages
+        # cachyos-settings: kernel tunables and sysctl optimisations from CachyOS
+        # cachyos-ksm-settings: Kernel Samepage Merging tuning (reduces RAM usage)
+        # scx-manager / scx-scheds / scx-tools: sched-ext schedulers;
+        #   scx_lavd is ideal for low-latency realtime audio workloads
+        - cachyos-settings
+        - cachyos-ksm-settings
+        - scx-manager
+        - scx-scheds-git
+        - scx-tools-git
+
         # useful tools
         - zsh
         - openssl
diff --git a/recipes/recipe.yml b/recipes/recipe.yml
index 394ee54..9b16fd7 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe.yml
+++ b/recipes/recipe.yml
@@ -3,13 +3,25 @@
 # image will be published to ghcr.io/<user>/<name>
 name: miasma-os
 # description will be included in the image's metadata
-description: An personal spin based on Bazzite targeted towards musicians and music producers inspired by Fedora Jam
+description: A personal spin based on Kinoite targeted towards musicians and music producers, with the CachyOS kernel for low-latency performance
 
 # the base image to build on top of (FROM) and the version tag to use
-base-image: ghcr.io/ublue-os/bazzite
+base-image: ghcr.io/ublue-os/kinoite-main
 image-version: latest # latest is also supported if you want new updates ASAP
 
 modules:
+  # Add CachyOS repos first so the kernel swap script can use them
+  - type: dnf
+    repos:
+      copr:
+        - bieszczaders/kernel-cachyos-lto
+        - bieszczaders/kernel-cachyos-addons
+
+  # Swap stock Fedora kernel for CachyOS LTO kernel
+  - type: script
+    scripts:
+      - cachyos-kernel.sh
+
   - type: dnf
     install:
       packages: