diff --git a/tests/test_packaging.py b/tests/test_packaging.py
index 899e15a..6c7510d 100644
--- a/tests/test_packaging.py
+++ b/tests/test_packaging.py
@@ -32,24 +32,39 @@ def _get_version() -> str:
     return get_version()
 
 
+def _get_container_runtime() -> str:
+    """Get available container runtime (podman or docker)."""
+    for cmd in ["podman", "docker"]:
+        try:
+            r = subprocess.run([cmd, "info"], capture_output=True, timeout=10)
+            if r.returncode == 0:
+                return cmd
+        except (FileNotFoundError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired):
+            continue
+    return "docker"  # fallback
+
+
 def _docker_available() -> bool:
-    """Check if Docker daemon is reachable."""
-    try:
-        r = subprocess.run(
-            ["docker", "info"], capture_output=True, timeout=10
-        )
-        return r.returncode == 0
-    except (FileNotFoundError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired):
-        return False
+    """Check if Docker or Podman daemon is reachable."""
+    return _get_container_runtime() != ""
 
 
 def _container_exec(container: str, cmd: str) -> tuple[int, str]:
     """Execute a command inside a running container."""
-    r = subprocess.run(
-        ["docker", "exec", container, "sh", "-c", cmd],
-        capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=120,
-    )
-    return r.returncode, r.stdout + r.stderr
+    runtime = _get_container_runtime()
+    try:
+        r = subprocess.run(
+            [runtime, "exec", container, "sh", "-c", cmd],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=120,
+        )
+        return r.returncode, r.stdout + r.stderr
+    except (FileNotFoundError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired) as e:
+        return 1, str(e)
+
+
+def _container_cmd(*args: str) -> list[str]:
+    """Build a container runtime command (podman or docker)."""
+    return [_get_container_runtime()] + list(args)
 
 
 def _find_package(fmt: str) -> Path: