diff --git a/ci-operator/config/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-main.yaml b/ci-operator/config/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-main.yaml
index 33a87fe5b78f2..d838d3ec2b355 100644
--- a/ci-operator/config/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-main.yaml
+++ b/ci-operator/config/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-main.yaml
@@ -434,6 +434,31 @@ tests:
       MICROSHIFT_OS: rhel-9.6
       SCENARIO_TYPE: bootc-c2cc
     workflow: openshift-microshift-e2e-metal-tests
+- always_run: false
+  as: perf-node-density
+  capabilities:
+  - intranet
+  disable_rehearsal: true
+  optional: true
+  restrict_network_access: false
+  steps:
+    cluster_profile: metal-perfscale-selfsched
+    env:
+      BUILD_FROM_PR: "true"
+      MICROSHIFT_BRANCH: main
+      MODEL: R640
+      NUM_SERVERS: "1"
+      PROMETHEUS_LOGGING: "true"
+      QPS: "10"
+      WORKLOAD: node-density
+    post:
+    - ref: openshift-qe-installer-bm-self-sched-terminate
+    pre:
+    - ref: openshift-qe-installer-bm-self-sched
+    - ref: openshift-qe-installer-bm-ping
+    test:
+    - ref: openshift-qe-microshift-deploy
+    - ref: openshift-qe-microshift-kube-burner
 zz_generated_metadata:
   branch: main
   org: openshift
diff --git a/ci-operator/config/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-release-4.22.yaml b/ci-operator/config/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-release-4.22.yaml
index c712225b69a12..b846b751baf7b 100644
--- a/ci-operator/config/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-release-4.22.yaml
+++ b/ci-operator/config/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-release-4.22.yaml
@@ -376,6 +376,31 @@ tests:
       MICROSHIFT_OS: rhel-9.8
       SCENARIO_TYPE: bootc-c2cc
     workflow: openshift-microshift-e2e-metal-tests
+- always_run: false
+  as: perf-node-density
+  capabilities:
+  - intranet
+  disable_rehearsal: true
+  optional: true
+  restrict_network_access: false
+  steps:
+    cluster_profile: metal-perfscale-selfsched
+    env:
+      BUILD_FROM_PR: "true"
+      MICROSHIFT_BRANCH: release-4.22
+      MODEL: R640
+      NUM_SERVERS: "1"
+      PROMETHEUS_LOGGING: "true"
+      QPS: "10"
+      WORKLOAD: node-density
+    post:
+    - ref: openshift-qe-installer-bm-self-sched-terminate
+    pre:
+    - ref: openshift-qe-installer-bm-self-sched
+    - ref: openshift-qe-installer-bm-ping
+    test:
+    - ref: openshift-qe-microshift-deploy
+    - ref: openshift-qe-microshift-kube-burner
 zz_generated_metadata:
   branch: release-4.22
   org: openshift
diff --git a/ci-operator/jobs/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-main-presubmits.yaml b/ci-operator/jobs/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-main-presubmits.yaml
index 943a943bc7f91..3091d375e60bb 100644
--- a/ci-operator/jobs/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-main-presubmits.yaml
+++ b/ci-operator/jobs/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-main-presubmits.yaml
@@ -2412,6 +2412,90 @@ presubmits:
         secret:
           secretName: result-aggregator
     trigger: (?m)^/test( | .* )ocp-full-conformance-serial-rhel-eus,?($|\s.*)
+  - agent: kubernetes
+    always_run: false
+    branches:
+    - ^main$
+    - ^main-
+    cluster: build05
+    context: ci/prow/perf-node-density
+    decorate: true
+    decoration_config:
+      skip_cloning: true
+    labels:
+      capability/intranet: intranet
+      ci-operator.openshift.io/cloud: metal-perfscale-selfsched
+      ci-operator.openshift.io/cloud-cluster-profile: metal-perfscale-selfsched
+      ci.openshift.io/generator: prowgen
+      job-release: "5.0"
+    name: pull-ci-openshift-microshift-main-perf-node-density
+    optional: true
+    rerun_command: /test perf-node-density
+    spec:
+      containers:
+      - args:
+        - --gcs-upload-secret=/secrets/gcs/service-account.json
+        - --image-import-pull-secret=/etc/pull-secret/.dockerconfigjson
+        - --lease-server-credentials-file=/etc/boskos/credentials
+        - --report-credentials-file=/etc/report/credentials
+        - --secret-dir=/secrets/ci-pull-credentials
+        - --target=perf-node-density
+        command:
+        - ci-operator
+        env:
+        - name: HTTP_SERVER_IP
+          valueFrom:
+            fieldRef:
+              fieldPath: status.podIP
+        image: quay-proxy.ci.openshift.org/openshift/ci:ci_ci-operator_latest
+        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        name: ""
+        ports:
+        - containerPort: 8080
+          name: http
+        resources:
+          requests:
+            cpu: 10m
+        volumeMounts:
+        - mountPath: /etc/boskos
+          name: boskos
+          readOnly: true
+        - mountPath: /secrets/ci-pull-credentials
+          name: ci-pull-credentials
+          readOnly: true
+        - mountPath: /secrets/gcs
+          name: gcs-credentials
+          readOnly: true
+        - mountPath: /secrets/manifest-tool
+          name: manifest-tool-local-pusher
+          readOnly: true
+        - mountPath: /etc/pull-secret
+          name: pull-secret
+          readOnly: true
+        - mountPath: /etc/report
+          name: result-aggregator
+          readOnly: true
+      serviceAccountName: ci-operator
+      volumes:
+      - name: boskos
+        secret:
+          items:
+          - key: credentials
+            path: credentials
+          secretName: boskos-credentials
+      - name: ci-pull-credentials
+        secret:
+          secretName: ci-pull-credentials
+      - name: manifest-tool-local-pusher
+        secret:
+          secretName: manifest-tool-local-pusher
+      - name: pull-secret
+        secret:
+          secretName: registry-pull-credentials
+      - name: result-aggregator
+        secret:
+          secretName: result-aggregator
+    trigger: (?m)^/test( | .* )perf-node-density,?($|\s.*)
   - agent: kubernetes
     always_run: true
     branches:
diff --git a/ci-operator/jobs/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-release-4.22-presubmits.yaml b/ci-operator/jobs/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-release-4.22-presubmits.yaml
index 512a0689f53c6..adcceb1223145 100644
--- a/ci-operator/jobs/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-release-4.22-presubmits.yaml
+++ b/ci-operator/jobs/openshift/microshift/openshift-microshift-release-4.22-presubmits.yaml
@@ -2244,6 +2244,90 @@ presubmits:
         secret:
           secretName: result-aggregator
     trigger: (?m)^/test( | .* )ocp-full-conformance-serial-rhel-eus,?($|\s.*)
+  - agent: kubernetes
+    always_run: false
+    branches:
+    - ^release-4\.22$
+    - ^release-4\.22-
+    cluster: build05
+    context: ci/prow/perf-node-density
+    decorate: true
+    decoration_config:
+      skip_cloning: true
+    labels:
+      capability/intranet: intranet
+      ci-operator.openshift.io/cloud: metal-perfscale-selfsched
+      ci-operator.openshift.io/cloud-cluster-profile: metal-perfscale-selfsched
+      ci.openshift.io/generator: prowgen
+      job-release: "4.22"
+    name: pull-ci-openshift-microshift-release-4.22-perf-node-density
+    optional: true
+    rerun_command: /test perf-node-density
+    spec:
+      containers:
+      - args:
+        - --gcs-upload-secret=/secrets/gcs/service-account.json
+        - --image-import-pull-secret=/etc/pull-secret/.dockerconfigjson
+        - --lease-server-credentials-file=/etc/boskos/credentials
+        - --report-credentials-file=/etc/report/credentials
+        - --secret-dir=/secrets/ci-pull-credentials
+        - --target=perf-node-density
+        command:
+        - ci-operator
+        env:
+        - name: HTTP_SERVER_IP
+          valueFrom:
+            fieldRef:
+              fieldPath: status.podIP
+        image: quay-proxy.ci.openshift.org/openshift/ci:ci_ci-operator_latest
+        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        name: ""
+        ports:
+        - containerPort: 8080
+          name: http
+        resources:
+          requests:
+            cpu: 10m
+        volumeMounts:
+        - mountPath: /etc/boskos
+          name: boskos
+          readOnly: true
+        - mountPath: /secrets/ci-pull-credentials
+          name: ci-pull-credentials
+          readOnly: true
+        - mountPath: /secrets/gcs
+          name: gcs-credentials
+          readOnly: true
+        - mountPath: /secrets/manifest-tool
+          name: manifest-tool-local-pusher
+          readOnly: true
+        - mountPath: /etc/pull-secret
+          name: pull-secret
+          readOnly: true
+        - mountPath: /etc/report
+          name: result-aggregator
+          readOnly: true
+      serviceAccountName: ci-operator
+      volumes:
+      - name: boskos
+        secret:
+          items:
+          - key: credentials
+            path: credentials
+          secretName: boskos-credentials
+      - name: ci-pull-credentials
+        secret:
+          secretName: ci-pull-credentials
+      - name: manifest-tool-local-pusher
+        secret:
+          secretName: manifest-tool-local-pusher
+      - name: pull-secret
+        secret:
+          secretName: registry-pull-credentials
+      - name: result-aggregator
+        secret:
+          secretName: result-aggregator
+    trigger: (?m)^/test( | .* )perf-node-density,?($|\s.*)
   - agent: kubernetes
     always_run: true
     branches:
diff --git a/ci-operator/step-registry/openshift-qe/microshift-deploy/openshift-qe-microshift-deploy-commands.sh b/ci-operator/step-registry/openshift-qe/microshift-deploy/openshift-qe-microshift-deploy-commands.sh
index 7f861ceeac5e9..81f654ec1b1b4 100644
--- a/ci-operator/step-registry/openshift-qe/microshift-deploy/openshift-qe-microshift-deploy-commands.sh
+++ b/ci-operator/step-registry/openshift-qe/microshift-deploy/openshift-qe-microshift-deploy-commands.sh
@@ -4,11 +4,40 @@ set -o nounset
 set -o pipefail
 set -x
 
-SSH_ARGS="-i ${CLUSTER_PROFILE_DIR}/jh_priv_ssh_key -oStrictHostKeyChecking=no -oUserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null"
-bastion=$(cat ${CLUSTER_PROFILE_DIR}/address)
+BUILD_FROM_PR=${BUILD_FROM_PR:-false}
 MICROSHIFT_PR=${MICROSHIFT_PR:-}
 REPO_NAME=${REPO_NAME:-}
 PULL_NUMBER=${PULL_NUMBER:-}
+PULL_PULL_SHA=${PULL_PULL_SHA:-}
+microshift_git_refspec=""
+
+if [[ "${BUILD_FROM_PR}" != "true" && "${BUILD_FROM_PR}" != "false" ]]; then
+  echo "ERROR: BUILD_FROM_PR must be either 'true' or 'false'"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ "${BUILD_FROM_PR}" == "true" ]]; then
+  if [[ "${REPO_NAME}" != "microshift" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: BUILD_FROM_PR requires REPO_NAME=microshift"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if [[ ! "${PULL_NUMBER}" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: BUILD_FROM_PR requires a numeric PULL_NUMBER"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if [[ ! "${PULL_PULL_SHA}" =~ ^[0-9a-f]{40}$ ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: BUILD_FROM_PR requires PULL_PULL_SHA to be a full 40-character Git SHA"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if [[ -n "${MICROSHIFT_PR}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: BUILD_FROM_PR and MICROSHIFT_PR cannot be used together"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  microshift_git_refspec="+refs/pull/${PULL_NUMBER}/head:refs/remotes/origin/pr-${PULL_NUMBER}"
+fi
+
+SSH_ARGS="-i ${CLUSTER_PROFILE_DIR}/jh_priv_ssh_key -oStrictHostKeyChecking=no -oUserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null"
+bastion=$(cat ${CLUSTER_PROFILE_DIR}/address)
 LAB=$(cat ${CLUSTER_PROFILE_DIR}/lab)
 export LAB
 if [[ -f "${CLUSTER_PROFILE_DIR}/lab_cloud" ]]; then
@@ -34,6 +63,7 @@ if [[ -z "${NODES}" ]]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 echo "Nodes to deploy MicroShift on: $NODES"
+first_node=$(printf '%s\n' "${NODES}" | head -n1)
 
 # Copy SSH keys from bastion to provisioned nodes
 echo "Copying SSH keys to provisioned nodes..."
@@ -101,10 +131,20 @@ ssh ${SSH_ARGS} root@${bastion} "
    set -o pipefail
    git clone https://github.com/openshift/microshift.git --depth=1 --branch=${MICROSHIFT_BRANCH:-main} ${microshift_repo}
    cd ${microshift_repo}
-   # MICROSHIFT_PR or PULL_NUMBER can't be set at the same time
+   # Preserve the legacy PR inputs unless exact presubmit source was requested.
    if [[ -n '${MICROSHIFT_PR}' ]]; then
      git pull origin pull/${MICROSHIFT_PR}/head:${MICROSHIFT_PR} --rebase
      git switch ${MICROSHIFT_PR}
+   elif [[ '${BUILD_FROM_PR}' == 'true' ]]; then
+     if ! git fetch origin '${microshift_git_refspec}'; then
+       echo 'ERROR: Could not fetch MicroShift PR ${PULL_NUMBER}; its head may have moved'
+       exit 1
+     fi
+     if ! git rev-parse 'refs/remotes/origin/pr-${PULL_NUMBER}' | grep -qx '${PULL_PULL_SHA}'; then
+       echo 'ERROR: MicroShift PR ${PULL_NUMBER} head moved after this job was created; expected ${PULL_PULL_SHA}'
+       exit 1
+     fi
+     git checkout --detach '${PULL_PULL_SHA}'
    elif [[ -n '${PULL_NUMBER}' ]] && [[ '${REPO_NAME}' == 'microshift' ]]; then
      git pull origin pull/${PULL_NUMBER}/head:${PULL_NUMBER} --rebase
      git switch ${PULL_NUMBER}
@@ -123,6 +163,28 @@ ssh ${SSH_ARGS} root@${bastion} "
    pip3 install kubernetes
 "
 
+bastion_checkout_sha=""
+pr_microshift_version=""
+if [[ "${BUILD_FROM_PR}" == "true" ]]; then
+  bastion_checkout_sha=$(ssh ${SSH_ARGS} root@${bastion} "git -C '${microshift_repo}' rev-parse HEAD")
+  microshift_arch=$(ssh ${SSH_ARGS} root@${bastion} "ssh root@${first_node} uname -m")
+  if [[ ! "${microshift_arch}" =~ ^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$ ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Unsupported target architecture value '${microshift_arch}'"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  version_file="${microshift_repo}/Makefile.version.${microshift_arch}.var"
+  if ! ssh ${SSH_ARGS} root@${bastion} "test -f '${version_file}'"; then
+    echo "ERROR: Version file Makefile.version.${microshift_arch}.var not found in the PR checkout"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  pr_microshift_version=$(ssh ${SSH_ARGS} root@${bastion} "awk '\$1 == \"OCP_VERSION\" { split(\$NF, version, \".\"); print version[1] \".\" version[2]; exit }' '${version_file}'")
+  if [[ ! "${pr_microshift_version}" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Could not derive a major.minor MicroShift version from ${version_file}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "Building MicroShift ${pr_microshift_version} from PR ${PULL_NUMBER} at ${PULL_PULL_SHA}"
+fi
+
 # Discover storage layout on target nodes
 echo "Discovering storage layout on target nodes..."
 for node in $NODES; do
@@ -150,16 +212,28 @@ ssh ${SSH_ARGS} root@${bastion} "
    set -o pipefail
    cd ${microshift_repo}/ansible
 
+   microshift_version_arg='${MICROSHIFT_VERSION}'
+   source_build_args=()
+   if [[ '${BUILD_FROM_PR}' == 'true' ]]; then
+     microshift_version_arg='${pr_microshift_version}'
+     source_build_args=(
+       -e 'build_microshift=true'
+       -e 'microshift_git_revision=${PULL_PULL_SHA}'
+       -e 'microshift_git_refspec=${microshift_git_refspec}'
+     )
+   fi
+
    # Run the deployment playbook
    if [[ -f '${ANSIBLE_PLAYBOOK}' ]]; then
      ansible-playbook -i ${ANSIBLE_INVENTORY} ${ANSIBLE_PLAYBOOK} \
-       -e "microshift_version=${MICROSHIFT_VERSION}" \
+       -e \"microshift_version=\${microshift_version_arg}\" \
        -e "setup_microshift_host=${SETUP_MICROSHIFT_HOST}" \
        -e "install_microshift=${INSTALL_MICROSHIFT}" \
        -e "manage_repos=${MANAGE_REPOS}" \
        -e "prometheus_logging=${PROMETHEUS_LOGGING}" \
        -e "vg_name=${VG_NAME}" \
        -e "lvm_disk=${LVM_DISK}" \
+       \"\${source_build_args[@]}\" \
        -v | tee /tmp/ansible-microshift-deploy-$(date +%s).log
    else
      echo 'ERROR: Ansible playbook ${ANSIBLE_PLAYBOOK} not found'
@@ -191,11 +265,47 @@ scp -q ${SSH_ARGS} root@${bastion}:/root/$LAB/$LAB_CLOUD/microshift/kubeconfig $
 }
 
 # Publish handoff files for workload steps
-first_node=$(echo "${NODES}" | head -n1)
 echo "${first_node}" > "${SHARED_DIR}/microshift_node"
 if [[ "${PROMETHEUS_LOGGING}" == "true" ]]; then
   # install-logging runs on the [logging] host (localhost = the bastion)
   echo "http://${bastion}:9091" > "${SHARED_DIR}/prometheus_url"
 fi
 
+if [[ "${BUILD_FROM_PR}" == "true" ]]; then
+  node_verification=""
+  for attempt in 1 2 3; do
+    if node_verification=$(ssh ${SSH_ARGS} root@${bastion} "
+      ssh root@${first_node} '
+        node_checkout_sha=\$(git -C /root/microshift rev-parse HEAD 2>/dev/null || printf unavailable)
+        printf \"node_checkout_sha=%s\\n\" \"\${node_checkout_sha}\"
+        printf \"rpm_query:\\n\"
+        rpm -q microshift 2>&1 || true
+        printf \"microshift_version:\\n\"
+        microshift version 2>&1 || true
+      '
+    "); then
+      break
+    fi
+    echo "WARNING: Could not collect PR source verification from ${first_node} (attempt ${attempt}/3)"
+  done
+  if [[ -z "${node_verification}" ]]; then
+    node_verification=$'node_checkout_sha=unavailable\nrpm_query:\nunavailable\nmicroshift_version:\nunavailable'
+  fi
+  node_checkout_sha=${node_verification%%$'\n'*}
+  node_checkout_sha=${node_checkout_sha#node_checkout_sha=}
+  node_checkout_sha=${node_checkout_sha:-unavailable}
+
+  mkdir -p "${ARTIFACT_DIR}"
+  {
+    printf 'expected_sha=%s\n' "${PULL_PULL_SHA}"
+    printf 'bastion_checkout_sha=%s\n' "${bastion_checkout_sha}"
+    printf '%s\n' "${node_verification}"
+  } > "${ARTIFACT_DIR}/pr-source-verification.txt"
+
+  if [[ "${node_checkout_sha}" != "${PULL_PULL_SHA}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Node checkout ${node_checkout_sha} does not match expected PR SHA ${PULL_PULL_SHA}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+
 echo "MicroShift deployment completed successfully"
diff --git a/ci-operator/step-registry/openshift-qe/microshift-deploy/openshift-qe-microshift-deploy-ref.yaml b/ci-operator/step-registry/openshift-qe/microshift-deploy/openshift-qe-microshift-deploy-ref.yaml
index 7bd754337690f..303605bffd97c 100644
--- a/ci-operator/step-registry/openshift-qe/microshift-deploy/openshift-qe-microshift-deploy-ref.yaml
+++ b/ci-operator/step-registry/openshift-qe/microshift-deploy/openshift-qe-microshift-deploy-ref.yaml
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ ref:
       default: ""
       documentation: |-
         If defined, use a specific MicroShift PR. When defined, MICROSHIFT_BRANCH gets ignored.
+    - name: BUILD_FROM_PR
+      default: "false"
+      documentation: |-
+        Build and install MicroShift from the pull request under test instead
+        of released packages. Requires a MicroShift presubmit context
+        (REPO_NAME=microshift) with PULL_NUMBER and PULL_PULL_SHA set.
     - name: ANSIBLE_PLAYBOOK
       default: "setup-node.yml"
       documentation: |-