diff --git a/stx-init-env b/stx-init-env
index a43c3120c..edf66cfb4 100755
--- a/stx-init-env
+++ b/stx-init-env
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ START_PODS=1
 RESET_SOFT=0
 RESET_HARD=0
 ASSUME_YES=0
+STX_START_OPTS=
 
 COREUTILS_DOCKER_IMAGE="debian:bookworm-20240130-slim"
 
@@ -238,7 +239,7 @@ stx_stop() {
 
 stx_start() {
     stx config --upgrade || exit 1
-    stx control start --wait || exit 1
+    stx control start --wait $STX_START_OPTS || exit 1
 }
 
 #
@@ -710,6 +711,10 @@ elif [[ $RESTART_MINIKUBE -eq 1 ]] ; then
     warn "--restart-minikube is only supported on minikube platform -- ignoring"
 fi
 
+if [[ "$DOCKERHUB_LOGIN" -eq 1 ]] ; then
+    STX_START_OPTS+=" --use-dockerhub-cred"
+fi
+
 # Workaround: Wait for Minikube network to stabilize before building images
 sleep 10
 
diff --git a/stx/lib/stx/k8s.py b/stx/lib/stx/k8s.py
index 61de5f65d..82c3e025f 100644
--- a/stx/lib/stx/k8s.py
+++ b/stx/lib/stx/k8s.py
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 #
+import json
 import logging
+import os
+import re
 from stx import utils  # pylint: disable=E0611
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
@@ -115,6 +118,87 @@ class KubeHelper(object):
 
         return podname
 
+    def __get_docker_cred_secret_name(self):
+        project_name = re.sub(r'[^a-z0-9-]', r'-',
+                              self.config.get('project', 'name').lower())
+        return project_name + '-dockerconfigjson'
+
+    def try_create_docker_cred_secret(self):
+        '''Create a k8s secret with Docker Hub credentials.
+
+        Check the file $HOME/.docker/config.json for Docker Hub
+        credentials. If if found, create the secret and return
+        its name. Otherwise, do nothing and return None.
+        '''
+
+        cred_name = self.__get_docker_cred_secret_name()
+
+        # Create a temporary docker config file that contains only the
+        # docker hub credentials, by extracting it from the calling user's
+        # docker config
+
+        # Find docker config location
+        docker_config = '%s/config.json' % \
+                        os.getenv('DOCKER_CONFIG',
+                                  os.path.expanduser('~/.docker'))
+        try:
+            with open(docker_config) as f:
+                docker_config_data = json.load(f)
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            return None
+
+        # Look for dockerhub credentials
+        dockerhub_auth = docker_config_data.get('auths', {})\
+                                           .get('https://index.docker.io/v1/', {})\
+                                           .get('auth')
+        if not dockerhub_auth:
+            return None
+
+        # Create a temporary file that contains only docker hub credentials
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode='w+t',
+                                         encoding='utf8',
+                                         prefix='stx_docker_config_',
+                                         suffix='.json') as f:
+            new_docker_config_data = {
+                'auths': {
+                    'https://index.docker.io/v1/': {
+                        'auth': dockerhub_auth
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            json.dump(new_docker_config_data, f)
+            f.flush()
+
+            # (re-)create the secret
+            self.__delete_docker_cred_secret(cred_name)
+            create_cmd = self.config.kubectl() + f' create secret generic {cred_name}' + \
+                                                 f' --from-file=.dockerconfigjson="{f.name}"' + \
+                                                 ' --type=kubernetes.io/dockerconfigjson'
+            logger.info('Running: %s', create_cmd)
+            subprocess.run(create_cmd, shell=True, check=True)
+
+        return cred_name
+
+    def delete_docker_cred_secret(self):
+        '''Delete the docker secret from k8s
+
+        Do nothing if it doesn't exist.
+        '''
+        self.__delete_docker_cred_secret(self.__get_docker_cred_secret_name())
+
+    def __delete_docker_cred_secret(self, cred_name):
+        delete_cmd = self.config.kubectl() + \
+            f' delete secret {cred_name} --ignore-not-found'
+        try:
+            logger.info('Running: %s', delete_cmd)
+            subprocess.run(delete_cmd, shell=True,
+                           stderr=subprocess.PIPE, check=True,
+                           encoding='utf8', errors='utf8')
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError as x:
+            logger.error('Failed while attempting to delete k8s ' +
+                         'credentials "%s": %s', cred_name, x.stderr)
+            raise x
+
     def helm_release_exists(self, projectname):
         '''Check if the helm release exists'''
 
diff --git a/stx/lib/stx/stx_control.py b/stx/lib/stx/stx_control.py
index b41cc2585..7f0b1a7c1 100644
--- a/stx/lib/stx/stx_control.py
+++ b/stx/lib/stx/stx_control.py
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ stx-pkgbuilder/configmap/')
 
         return repomgr_type
 
-    def handleStartTask(self, projectname, wait):
+    def handleStartTask(self, projectname, wait, use_dockerhub_cred):
         if self.config.use_minikube:
             self.minikube_ctl.start()
 
@@ -271,6 +271,11 @@ stx-pkgbuilder/configmap/')
         if self.config.container_mtu:
             cmd += f' --set stx-docker.mtu={self.config.container_mtu}'
 
+        if use_dockerhub_cred:
+            image_pull_secret = self.k8s.try_create_docker_cred_secret()
+            if image_pull_secret:
+                cmd += f' --set global.imagePullSecrets[0].name={image_pull_secret}'
+
         self.logger.debug('Execute the helm start command: %s', cmd)
         helm_status = self.k8s.helm_release_exists(self.projectname)
         if helm_status:
@@ -317,6 +322,8 @@ stx-pkgbuilder/configmap/')
                 self.logger.info("waiting for %d pod(s) to exit", pod_count)
                 time.sleep(2)
 
+        self.k8s.delete_docker_cred_secret()
+
     def handleIsStartedTask(self, projectname):
         if self.k8s.helm_release_exists(projectname):
             self.logger.info('Helm release %s is installed' % projectname)
@@ -420,7 +427,8 @@ no lat container is available!')
                 projectname = 'stx'
 
             if args.ctl_task == 'start':
-                self.handleStartTask(projectname, args.wait)
+                self.handleStartTask(projectname, args.wait,
+                                     args.use_dockerhub_cred)
 
             elif args.ctl_task == 'stop':
                 self.handleStopTask(projectname, args.wait)
diff --git a/stx/lib/stx/stx_main.py b/stx/lib/stx/stx_main.py
index 2cba4fce2..d40d280b3 100644
--- a/stx/lib/stx/stx_main.py
+++ b/stx/lib/stx/stx_main.py
@@ -84,6 +84,12 @@ task.\t\teg: [start|enter|stop|is-started|status|upgrade|keys-add]')
                                        help='wait for operation to finish, ' +
                                        'for start, stop\n\n',
                                        action='store_true')
+        control_subparser.add_argument('--use-dockerhub-cred',
+                                       help='Use dockerhub credentials from ' +
+                                       '$HOME/.docker/config for pulling ' +
+                                       'environment pods\' images within ' +
+                                       'k8s (for "start" command only)\n\n',
+                                       action='store_true')
         control_subparser.set_defaults(handle=self.handlecontrol.handleControl)
 
         config_subparser = subparsers.add_parser('config',
diff --git a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-aptly/stx-repomgr/templates/deployment.yaml b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-aptly/stx-repomgr/templates/deployment.yaml
index 290db2f10..7fa4f3afe 100644
--- a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-aptly/stx-repomgr/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-aptly/stx-repomgr/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ spec:
       labels:
         {{- include "stx-repomgr.selectorLabels" . | nindent 8 }}
     spec:
-      {{- with .Values.imagePullSecrets }}
+      {{- with (.Values.imagePullSecrets | default .Values.global.imagePullSecrets) }}
       imagePullSecrets:
         {{- toYaml . | nindent 8 }}
       {{- end }}
diff --git a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-builder-files-http/templates/deployment.yaml b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-builder-files-http/templates/deployment.yaml
index 88f1dff5f..d606e2e38 100644
--- a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-builder-files-http/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-builder-files-http/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ spec:
       labels:
         {{- include "stx-builder-files-http.selectorLabels" . | nindent 8 }}
     spec:
-      {{- with .Values.imagePullSecrets }}
+      {{- with (.Values.imagePullSecrets | default .Values.global.imagePullSecrets) }}
       imagePullSecrets:
         {{- toYaml . | nindent 8 }}
       {{- end }}
diff --git a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-docker/templates/deployment.yaml b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-docker/templates/deployment.yaml
index bf9f9bfe7..b38650aed 100644
--- a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-docker/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-docker/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ spec:
       labels:
         {{- include "stx-docker.selectorLabels" . | nindent 8 }}
     spec:
-      {{- with .Values.imagePullSecrets }}
+      {{- with (.Values.imagePullSecrets | default .Values.global.imagePullSecrets) }}
       imagePullSecrets:
         {{- toYaml . | nindent 8 }}
       {{- end }}
diff --git a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-lat-tool/templates/deployment.yaml b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-lat-tool/templates/deployment.yaml
index a3c134197..4a13aaf97 100644
--- a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-lat-tool/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-lat-tool/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ spec:
       labels:
         {{- include "stx-lat-tool.selectorLabels" . | nindent 8 }}
     spec:
-      {{- with .Values.imagePullSecrets }}
+      {{- with (.Values.imagePullSecrets | default .Values.global.imagePullSecrets) }}
       imagePullSecrets:
         {{- toYaml . | nindent 8 }}
       {{- end }}
diff --git a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-pkgbuilder/templates/deployment.yaml b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-pkgbuilder/templates/deployment.yaml
index 5052127e3..1d0bb2fd6 100644
--- a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-pkgbuilder/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-pkgbuilder/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ spec:
       labels:
         {{- include "stx-pkgbuilder.selectorLabels" . | nindent 8 }}
     spec:
-      {{- with .Values.imagePullSecrets }}
+      {{- with (.Values.imagePullSecrets | default .Values.global.imagePullSecrets) }}
       imagePullSecrets:
         {{- toYaml . | nindent 8 }}
       {{- end }}
diff --git a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-pulp/stx-repomgr/templates/deployment.yaml b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-pulp/stx-repomgr/templates/deployment.yaml
index b991738de..9a98680fe 100644
--- a/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-pulp/stx-repomgr/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/stx/stx-build-tools-chart/stx-builder/dependency_chart/stx-pulp/stx-repomgr/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ spec:
       labels:
         {{- include "stx-repomgr.selectorLabels" . | nindent 8 }}
     spec:
-      {{- with .Values.imagePullSecrets }}
+      {{- with (.Values.imagePullSecrets | default .Values.global.imagePullSecrets) }}
       imagePullSecrets:
         {{- toYaml . | nindent 8 }}
       {{- end }}