diff --git a/elements/rhel-common/os-refresh-config/pre-configure.d/06-rhel-registration b/elements/rhel-common/os-refresh-config/pre-configure.d/06-rhel-registration
index 9fb71b679..4f75d5dc2 100755
--- a/elements/rhel-common/os-refresh-config/pre-configure.d/06-rhel-registration
+++ b/elements/rhel-common/os-refresh-config/pre-configure.d/06-rhel-registration
@@ -64,12 +64,20 @@ if [ -n "${REG_SERVER_URL:-}" ]; then
     opts="$opts --serverurl=$REG_SERVER_URL"
 fi
 
-if [ -n "${REG_USER:-}" ]; then
-    opts="$opts --username $REG_USER"
-fi
+if [ -n "${REG_ACTIVATION_KEY:-}" ]; then
+    opts="$opts --activationkey=$REG_ACTIVATION_KEY"
 
-if [ -n "${REG_PASSWORD:-}" ]; then
-    opts="$opts --password $REG_PASSWORD"
+    if [ -z "${REG_ORG:-}" ]; then
+        echo "WARNING: REG_ACTIVATION_KEY set without REG_ORG."
+    fi
+else
+    if [ -n "${REG_PASSWORD:-}" ]; then
+        opts="$opts --password $REG_PASSWORD"
+    fi
+
+    if [ -n "${REG_USER:-}" ]; then
+        opts="$opts --username $REG_USER"
+    fi
 fi
 
 if [ -n "${REG_MACHINE_NAME:-}" ]; then
@@ -79,18 +87,19 @@ fi
 if [ -n "${REG_ORG:-}" ]; then
     opts="$opts --org $REG_ORG"
 fi
+
+if [ -n "${REG_REPOS:-}" ]; then
+    for repo in $REG_REPOS; do
+        repos="$repos --enable $repo"
+    done
+fi
+
+if [ -n "${REG_TYPE:-}" ]; then
+    opts="$opts --type=$REG_TYPE"
+fi
+
 case "${REG_METHOD:-}" in
     portal)
-        if [ -n "${REG_ACTIVATION_KEY:-}" ]; then
-            echo "WARNING: Activation keys are not supported by the customer portal at this time."
-        fi
-
-        if [ -n "${REG_REPOS:-}" ]; then
-            for repo in $REG_REPOS; do
-                repos="$repos --enable $repo"
-            done
-        fi
-
         subscription-manager register $opts
         if [ -z "${REG_AUTO_ATTACH:-}" ]; then
             subscription-manager attach $attach_opts
@@ -99,12 +108,6 @@ case "${REG_METHOD:-}" in
         ;;
     satellite)
         repos="$repos --enable ${satellite_repo}"
-        if [ -n "${REG_REPOS:-}" ]; then
-            for repo in $REG_REPOS; do
-                repos="$repos --enable $repo"
-            done
-        fi
-
         rpm -Uvh "$REG_SAT_URL/pub/katello-ca-consumer-latest.noarch.rpm" || true
         subscription-manager register $opts
         subscription-manager $repos
@@ -115,5 +118,5 @@ case "${REG_METHOD:-}" in
         ;;
     *)
         echo "WARNING: only 'portal' and 'satellite' are valid values for REG_METHOD."
-        exit 0
+        exit 0 # keeps the stack from failing if you don't set a value in REG_METHOD
 esac
diff --git a/elements/rhel-common/pre-install.d/00-rhel-registration b/elements/rhel-common/pre-install.d/00-rhel-registration
index 24528106f..528323612 100755
--- a/elements/rhel-common/pre-install.d/00-rhel-registration
+++ b/elements/rhel-common/pre-install.d/00-rhel-registration
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ set -o pipefail
 opts=
 attach_opts=
 repos="repos --enable rhel-7-server-rpms"
+satellite_repo="rhel-7-server-rh-common-beta-rpms"
 
 if [ -n "${REG_AUTO_ATTACH:-}" ]; then
     opts="$opts --auto-attach"
@@ -30,8 +31,6 @@ else
     fi
 fi
 
-
-
 if [ -n "${REG_BASE_URL:-}" ]; then
     opts="$opts --baseurl=$REG_BASE_URL"
 fi
@@ -48,12 +47,20 @@ if [ -n "${REG_SERVER_URL:-}" ]; then
     opts="$opts --serverurl=$REG_SERVER_URL"
 fi
 
-if [ -n "${REG_USER:-}" ]; then
-    opts="$opts --username $REG_USER"
-fi
+if [ -n "${REG_ACTIVATION_KEY:-}" ]; then
+    opts="$opts --activationkey=$REG_ACTIVATION_KEY"
 
-if [ -n "${REG_PASSWORD:-}" ]; then
-    opts="$opts --password $REG_PASSWORD"
+    if [ -z "${REG_ORG:-}" ]; then
+        echo "WARNING: REG_ACTIVATION_KEY set without REG_ORG."
+    fi
+else
+    if [ -n "${REG_PASSWORD:-}" ]; then
+        opts="$opts --password $REG_PASSWORD"
+    fi
+
+    if [ -n "${REG_USER:-}" ]; then
+        opts="$opts --username $REG_USER"
+    fi
 fi
 
 if [ -n "${REG_MACHINE_NAME:-}" ]; then
@@ -64,18 +71,18 @@ if [ -n "${REG_ORG:-}" ]; then
     opts="$opts --org $REG_ORG"
 fi
 
+if [ -n "${REG_REPOS:-}" ]; then
+    for repo in $REG_REPOS; do
+        repos="$repos --enable $repo"
+    done
+fi
+
+if [ -n "${REG_TYPE:-}" ]; then
+    opts="$opts --type=$REG_TYPE"
+fi
+
 case "${REG_METHOD:-}" in
     portal)
-        if [ -n "${REG_ACTIVATION_KEY:-}" ]; then
-            echo "WARNING: Activation keys are not supported by the customer portal at this time."
-        fi
-
-        if [ -n "${REG_REPOS:-}" ]; then
-            for repo in $REG_REPOS; do
-                repos="$repos --enable $repo"
-            done
-        fi
-
         subscription-manager register $opts
         if [ -z "${REG_AUTO_ATTACH:-}" ]; then
             subscription-manager attach $attach_opts
@@ -83,13 +90,7 @@ case "${REG_METHOD:-}" in
         subscription-manager $repos
         ;;
     satellite)
-        repos="$repos --enable rhel-7-server-rh-common-beta-rpms"
-        if [ -n "${REG_REPOS:-}" ]; then
-            for repo in $REG_REPOS; do
-                repos="$repos --enable $repo"
-            done
-        fi
-
+        repos="$repos --enable ${satellite_repo}"
         rpm -Uvh "$REG_SAT_URL/pub/katello-ca-consumer-latest.noarch.rpm" || true
         subscription-manager register $opts
         subscription-manager $repos
@@ -98,5 +99,5 @@ case "${REG_METHOD:-}" in
         ;;
     *)
         echo "WARNING: only 'portal' and 'satellite' are valid values for REG_METHOD."
-        exit 1
+        exit 1 # RHEL requires registration, fail image build if REG_Method isn't set
 esac