diff --git a/e2e/relayer/relayer.go b/e2e/relayer/relayer.go
index 0b0d1421dab..7812180443a 100644
--- a/e2e/relayer/relayer.go
+++ b/e2e/relayer/relayer.go
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ func New(t *testing.T, cfg Config, logger *zap.Logger, dockerClient *dockerclien
 	t.Helper()
 	switch cfg.Type {
 	case Rly:
-		return newCosmosRelayer(t, cfg.Tag, logger, dockerClient, network)
+		return newCosmosRelayer(t, cfg.Tag, logger, dockerClient, network, cfg.Image)
 	case Hermes:
-		return newHermesRelayer(t, cfg.Tag, logger, dockerClient, network)
+		return newHermesRelayer(t, cfg.Tag, logger, dockerClient, network, cfg.Image)
 	default:
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unknown relayer specified: %s", cfg.Type))
 	}
@@ -46,9 +46,14 @@ func New(t *testing.T, cfg Config, logger *zap.Logger, dockerClient *dockerclien
 
 // newCosmosRelayer returns an instance of the go relayer.
 // Options are used to allow for relayer version selection and specifying the default processing option.
-func newCosmosRelayer(t *testing.T, tag string, logger *zap.Logger, dockerClient *dockerclient.Client, network string) ibc.Relayer {
+func newCosmosRelayer(t *testing.T, tag string, logger *zap.Logger, dockerClient *dockerclient.Client, network, relayerImage string) ibc.Relayer {
 	t.Helper()
-	customImageOption := relayer.CustomDockerImage(rlyRelayerRepository, tag, rlyRelayerUser)
+
+	if relayerImage == "" {
+		relayerImage = rlyRelayerRepository
+	}
+
+	customImageOption := relayer.CustomDockerImage(relayerImage, tag, rlyRelayerUser)
 	relayerProcessingOption := relayer.StartupFlags("-p", "events") // relayer processes via events
 
 	relayerFactory := interchaintest.NewBuiltinRelayerFactory(ibc.CosmosRly, logger, customImageOption, relayerProcessingOption)
@@ -59,9 +64,14 @@ func newCosmosRelayer(t *testing.T, tag string, logger *zap.Logger, dockerClient
 }
 
 // newHermesRelayer returns an instance of the hermes relayer.
-func newHermesRelayer(t *testing.T, tag string, logger *zap.Logger, dockerClient *dockerclient.Client, network string) ibc.Relayer {
+func newHermesRelayer(t *testing.T, tag string, logger *zap.Logger, dockerClient *dockerclient.Client, network, relayerImage string) ibc.Relayer {
 	t.Helper()
-	customImageOption := relayer.CustomDockerImage(hermesRelayerRepository, tag, hermesRelayerUser)
+
+	if relayerImage == "" {
+		relayerImage = hermesRelayerRepository
+	}
+
+	customImageOption := relayer.CustomDockerImage(relayerImage, tag, hermesRelayerUser)
 	relayerFactory := interchaintest.NewBuiltinRelayerFactory(ibc.Hermes, logger, customImageOption)
 
 	return relayerFactory.Build(
@@ -69,7 +79,7 @@ func newHermesRelayer(t *testing.T, tag string, logger *zap.Logger, dockerClient
 	)
 }
 
-// RelayerMap is a mapping from test names to a relayer set for that test.
+// Map is a mapping from test names to a relayer set for that test.
 type Map map[string]map[ibc.Wallet]bool
 
 // AddRelayer adds the given relayer to the relayer set for the given test name.
diff --git a/e2e/sample.config.yaml b/e2e/sample.config.yaml
index 250738a27ac..8bf1e064fad 100644
--- a/e2e/sample.config.yaml
+++ b/e2e/sample.config.yaml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ chains:
 
 relayer:
   type: rly # override with RELAYER_TYPE
-  image: ghcr.io/cosmos/relayer
+  image: ghcr.io/cosmos/relayer # override with RELAYER_IMAGE
   tag: latest # override with RELAYER_TAG
 
 cometbft:
diff --git a/e2e/testsuite/testconfig.go b/e2e/testsuite/testconfig.go
index 6cdca97e33a..56f9332ad33 100644
--- a/e2e/testsuite/testconfig.go
+++ b/e2e/testsuite/testconfig.go
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ const (
 	ChainBTagEnv = "CHAIN_B_TAG"
 	// RelayerTagEnv specifies the relayer version. Defaults to "main"
 	RelayerTagEnv = "RELAYER_TAG"
+	// RelayerImageEnv specifies the image that the relayer will use. If left unspecified, it will default
+	// to values set for hermesRelayerRepository or rlyRelayerRepository.
+	RelayerImageEnv = "RELAYER_IMAGE"
 	// RelayerTypeEnv specifies the type of relayer that should be used.
 	RelayerTypeEnv = "RELAYER_TYPE"
 	// ChainBinaryEnv binary is the binary that will be used for both chains.
@@ -206,6 +209,10 @@ func applyEnvironmentVariableOverrides(fromFile TestConfig) TestConfig {
 		fromFile.RelayerConfig.Type = envTc.RelayerConfig.Type
 	}
 
+	if os.Getenv(RelayerImageEnv) != "" {
+		fromFile.RelayerConfig.Image = envTc.RelayerConfig.Image
+	}
+
 	if os.Getenv(ChainUpgradePlanEnv) != "" {
 		fromFile.UpgradeConfig.PlanName = envTc.UpgradeConfig.PlanName
 	}