diff --git a/OneBranchPipelines/build-release-package-pipeline.yml b/OneBranchPipelines/build-release-package-pipeline.yml
index eff7fd9d..04e67887 100644
--- a/OneBranchPipelines/build-release-package-pipeline.yml
+++ b/OneBranchPipelines/build-release-package-pipeline.yml
@@ -130,9 +130,10 @@ parameters:
   - name: linuxConfigs
     type: object
     default:
-      # manylinux (glibc-based) for x86_64 and ARM64
-      - { tag: 'manylinux', arch: 'x86_64', platform: 'linux/amd64' }
-      - { tag: 'manylinux', arch: 'aarch64', platform: 'linux/arm64' }
+      # manylinux_2_28 (glibc 2.28, AlmaLinux 8 / RHEL 8+) for x86_64 and ARM64
+      # manylinux_2_28 wheels are forward-compatible: pip on glibc 2.34+ systems installs them fine
+      - { tag: 'manylinux_2_28', arch: 'x86_64', platform: 'linux/amd64' }
+      - { tag: 'manylinux_2_28', arch: 'aarch64', platform: 'linux/arm64' }
       # musllinux (musl-based) for x86_64 and ARM64
       - { tag: 'musllinux', arch: 'x86_64', platform: 'linux/amd64' }
       - { tag: 'musllinux', arch: 'aarch64', platform: 'linux/arm64' }
@@ -394,14 +395,14 @@ extends:
       # LINUX BUILD STAGES
       # =========================
       # Strategy: One stage per distribution × architecture
-      # Total: 4 stages (manylinux×2 + musllinux×2)
+      # Total: 4 stages (manylinux_2_28×2 + musllinux×2)
       # Each stage builds ALL Python versions (3.10-3.14) in a loop
       # Distributions:
-      # - manylinux: glibc-based (Ubuntu, CentOS, etc.)
+      # - manylinux_2_28: glibc 2.28+ (RHEL 8, Ubuntu 20.04+, etc.) — forward-compatible with newer glibc
       # - musllinux: musl-based (Alpine Linux)
       # Architectures: x86_64 (AMD/Intel), aarch64 (ARM64)
       # Each stage:
-      # 1. Starts PyPA Docker container (manylinux_2_34 or musllinux_1_2)
+      # 1. Starts PyPA Docker container (manylinux_2_28 or musllinux_1_2)
       # 2. Starts SQL Server Docker container
       # 3. For each Python version (cp310-cp314):
       #    a. Builds .so native extension
@@ -452,8 +453,8 @@ extends:
           - MacOS_py313
           - MacOS_py314
           # Linux dependencies (4 stages)
-          - Linux_manylinux_x86_64
-          - Linux_manylinux_aarch64
+          - Linux_manylinux_2_28_x86_64
+          - Linux_manylinux_2_28_aarch64
           - Linux_musllinux_x86_64
           - Linux_musllinux_aarch64
         jobs:
diff --git a/OneBranchPipelines/stages/build-linux-single-stage.yml b/OneBranchPipelines/stages/build-linux-single-stage.yml
index 17815cad..6d82f5a6 100644
--- a/OneBranchPipelines/stages/build-linux-single-stage.yml
+++ b/OneBranchPipelines/stages/build-linux-single-stage.yml
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@
 # Builds for Python 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, 3.14 within single job
 # Tests each wheel after building with isolated pytest execution
 parameters:
-  # Stage identifier (e.g., 'Linux_manylinux_x86_64')
+  # Stage identifier (e.g., 'Linux_manylinux_2_28_x86_64')
   - name: stageName
     type: string
   # Job identifier within the stage
   - name: jobName
     type: string
     default: 'BuildWheels'
-  # Linux distribution type: 'manylinux' (glibc-based) or 'musllinux' (musl libc-based)
+  # Linux distribution type: 'manylinux_2_28' (glibc 2.28+) or 'musllinux' (musl libc-based)
   - name: linuxTag
     type: string
   # CPU architecture: 'x86_64' (AMD64) or 'aarch64' (ARM64)
@@ -114,12 +114,15 @@ stages:
           - script: |
               # Determine image based on LINUX_TAG and ARCH
               # Images are mirrored weekly from Quay.io into tdslibrs.azurecr.io
-              # manylinux_2_34 = AlmaLinux 9 (glibc 2.34)
+              # manylinux_2_28 = AlmaLinux 8 / RHEL 8 compatible (glibc 2.28)
               # musllinux_1_2  = Alpine-based (musl libc)
-              if [[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "musllinux" ]]; then
+              if [[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "manylinux_2_28" ]]; then
+                IMAGE="tdslibrs.azurecr.io/import/python-build/manylinux_2_28_$(ARCH):latest"
+              elif [[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "musllinux" ]]; then
                 IMAGE="tdslibrs.azurecr.io/import/python-build/musllinux_1_2_$(ARCH):latest"
               else
-                IMAGE="tdslibrs.azurecr.io/import/python-build/manylinux_2_34_$(ARCH):latest"
+                echo "ERROR: Unsupported LINUX_TAG '$(LINUX_TAG)'. Expected: manylinux_2_28 or musllinux" >&2
+                exit 1
               fi
               
               docker run -d --name build-$(LINUX_TAG)-$(ARCH) \
@@ -133,7 +136,7 @@ stages:
           - script: |
               set -euxo pipefail
               export PATH=$PATH:`pwd`/docker
-              if [[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "manylinux" ]]; then
+              if [[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "manylinux_2_28" ]]; then
                 docker exec build-$(LINUX_TAG)-$(ARCH) bash -lc '
                   set -euxo pipefail
                   if command -v dnf >/dev/null 2>&1; then
@@ -191,7 +194,7 @@ stages:
           # Build wheels for all Python versions (3.10-3.14) and test each one
           - script: |
               set -euxo pipefail
-              if [[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "manylinux" ]]; then SHELL_EXE=bash; else SHELL_EXE=sh; fi
+              if [[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "manylinux_2_28" ]]; then SHELL_EXE=bash; else SHELL_EXE=sh; fi
               docker exec build-$(LINUX_TAG)-$(ARCH) $SHELL_EXE -lc 'mkdir -p /workspace/dist'
               
               # Loop through all Python versions: build wheel -> test wheel -> repeat
@@ -201,9 +204,9 @@ stages:
                 echo "Building and testing $PYBIN on $(LINUX_TAG)/$(ARCH)"
                 echo "====================================================="
                 
-                if [[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "manylinux" ]]; then
+                if [[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "manylinux_2_28" ]]; then
                   # Manylinux (glibc-based) - use bash
-                  docker exec -e PYBIN=$PYBIN -e SQL_IP=$(SQL_IP) -e DB_PASSWORD="$(DB_PASSWORD)" build-$(LINUX_TAG)-$(ARCH) bash -lc '
+                  docker exec -e PYBIN=$PYBIN -e SQL_IP=$(SQL_IP) -e DB_PASSWORD="$(DB_PASSWORD)" -e MANYLINUX_TAG="$(LINUX_TAG)" build-$(LINUX_TAG)-$(ARCH) bash -lc '
                     set -euxo pipefail;
                     
                     # Step 1: Setup Python environment
@@ -271,7 +274,7 @@ stages:
                   '
                 else
                   # Musllinux (musl libc-based) - use sh
-                  docker exec -e PYBIN=$PYBIN -e SQL_IP=$(SQL_IP) -e DB_PASSWORD="$(DB_PASSWORD)" build-$(LINUX_TAG)-$(ARCH) sh -lc '
+                  docker exec -e PYBIN=$PYBIN -e SQL_IP=$(SQL_IP) -e DB_PASSWORD="$(DB_PASSWORD)" -e MANYLINUX_TAG="$(LINUX_TAG)" build-$(LINUX_TAG)-$(ARCH) sh -lc '
                     set -euxo pipefail;
                     
                     # Step 1: Setup Python environment
@@ -361,7 +364,7 @@ stages:
               # Copy native .so bindings for artifact archival
               echo "Copying .so bindings to host..."
               mkdir -p "$(ob_outputDirectory)/bindings/$(LINUX_TAG)-$(ARCH)"
-              docker exec build-$(LINUX_TAG)-$(ARCH) $([[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "manylinux" ]] && echo bash -lc || echo sh -lc) '
+              docker exec build-$(LINUX_TAG)-$(ARCH) $([[ "$(LINUX_TAG)" == "manylinux_2_28" ]] && echo bash -lc || echo sh -lc) '
                 OUT="/tmp/ddbc-out";
                 rm -rf "$OUT"; mkdir -p "$OUT";
                 find /workspace/mssql_python -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "*.so" -exec cp -v {} "$OUT"/ \; || true
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 0e719c48..30a177fe 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -47,10 +47,13 @@ def get_platform_info():
         libc_name, _ = platform.libc_ver()
         is_musl = libc_name == "" or "musl" in libc_name.lower()
 
+        # Allow explicit override via MANYLINUX_TAG env var (defaults to manylinux_2_28)
+        manylinux_tag = os.environ.get("MANYLINUX_TAG", "manylinux_2_28")
+
         if target_arch == "x86_64":
-            return "x86_64", "musllinux_1_2_x86_64" if is_musl else "manylinux_2_34_x86_64"
+            return "x86_64", f"musllinux_1_2_x86_64" if is_musl else f"{manylinux_tag}_x86_64"
         elif target_arch in ["aarch64", "arm64"]:
-            return "aarch64", "musllinux_1_2_aarch64" if is_musl else "manylinux_2_34_aarch64"
+            return "aarch64", f"musllinux_1_2_aarch64" if is_musl else f"{manylinux_tag}_aarch64"
         else:
             raise OSError(
                 f"Unsupported architecture '{target_arch}' for Linux; expected 'x86_64' or 'aarch64'."