diff --git a/.buildkite/pipelines/artifacts.yml b/.buildkite/pipelines/artifacts.yml
index 647f2c317569c..ab3201472b5c2 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipelines/artifacts.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipelines/artifacts.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ steps:
       queue: n2-2
     timeout_in_minutes: 30
 
+  - command: .buildkite/scripts/steps/artifacts/cloud.sh
+    label: 'Cloud Deployment'
+    agents:
+      queue: n2-2
+    timeout_in_minutes: 30
+    if: "build.env('RELEASE_BUILD') == null || build.env('RELEASE_BUILD') == '' || build.env('RELEASE_BUILD') == 'false'"
+
   - wait
 
   - command: .buildkite/scripts/steps/artifacts/publish.sh
diff --git a/.buildkite/scripts/steps/artifacts/cloud.sh b/.buildkite/scripts/steps/artifacts/cloud.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..8fa04a5d176b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.buildkite/scripts/steps/artifacts/cloud.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+.buildkite/scripts/bootstrap.sh
+
+source .buildkite/scripts/steps/artifacts/env.sh
+
+echo "--- Publish Cloud image"
+mkdir -p target
+cd target
+
+buildkite-agent artifact download "kibana-cloud-$FULL_VERSION-docker-image.tar.gz" . --build "${KIBANA_BUILD_ID:-$BUILDKITE_BUILD_ID}"
+docker load --input kibana-cloud-$FULL_VERSION-docker-image.tar.gz
+
+TAG="$FULL_VERSION-$GIT_COMMIT"
+KIBANA_BASE_IMAGE="docker.elastic.co/kibana-ci/kibana-cloud:$FULL_VERSION"
+KIBANA_TEST_IMAGE="docker.elastic.co/kibana-ci/kibana-cloud:$TAG"
+
+docker tag "$KIBANA_BASE_IMAGE" "$KIBANA_TEST_IMAGE"
+
+echo "$KIBANA_DOCKER_PASSWORD" | docker login -u "$KIBANA_DOCKER_USERNAME" --password-stdin docker.elastic.co
+trap 'docker logout docker.elastic.co' EXIT
+
+docker push "$KIBANA_TEST_IMAGE"
+docker logout docker.elastic.co
+
+cd -
+
+echo "--- Create deployment"
+CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_NAME="kibana-artifacts-$TAG"
+
+LOGS=$(mktemp --suffix ".json")
+DEPLOYMENT_SPEC=$(mktemp --suffix ".json")
+
+jq '
+  .name = "'$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_NAME'" |
+  .resources.kibana[0].plan.kibana.docker_image = "'$KIBANA_TEST_IMAGE'" |
+  .resources.kibana[0].plan.kibana.version = "'$FULL_VERSION'" |
+  .resources.elasticsearch[0].plan.elasticsearch.version = "'$FULL_VERSION'" |
+  .resources.enterprise_search[0].plan.enterprise_search.version = "'$FULL_VERSION'" |
+  .resources.integrations_server[0].plan.integrations_server.version = "'$FULL_VERSION'"
+  ' .buildkite/scripts/steps/cloud/deploy.json > "$DEPLOYMENT_SPEC"
+
+ecctl deployment create --track --output json --file "$DEPLOYMENT_SPEC" &> "$LOGS"
+CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_USERNAME=$(jq --slurp '.[]|select(.resources).resources[] | select(.credentials).credentials.username' "$LOGS")
+CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_PASSWORD=$(jq --slurp '.[]|select(.resources).resources[] | select(.credentials).credentials.password' "$LOGS")
+CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_ID=$(jq -r --slurp '.[0].id' "$LOGS")
+CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_STATUS_MESSAGES=$(jq --slurp '[.[]|select(.resources == null)]' "$LOGS")
+
+CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_KIBANA_URL=$(ecctl deployment show "$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_ID" | jq -r '.resources.kibana[0].info.metadata.aliased_url')
+CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_ELASTICSEARCH_URL=$(ecctl deployment show "$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_ID" | jq -r '.resources.elasticsearch[0].info.metadata.aliased_url')
+
+# NOTE: disabled pending log sanitization
+# echo "--- Setup FTR"
+# export TEST_KIBANA_PROTOCOL=$(node -e "console.log(new URL('$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_KIBANA_URL').protocol)")
+# export TEST_KIBANA_HOSTNAME=$(node -e "console.log(new URL('$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_KIBANA_URL').hostname)")
+# export TEST_KIBANA_PORT=$(node -e "console.log(new URL('$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_KIBANA_URL').port)")
+# export TEST_KIBANA_USERNAME=$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_USERNAME"
+# export TEST_KIBANA_PASS=$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_PASSWORD"
+
+# export TEST_ES_PROTOCOL=$(node -e "console.log(new URL('$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_KIBANA_URL').protocol)")
+# export TEST_ES_HOSTNAME==$(node -e "console.log(new URL('$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_KIBANA_URL').hostname)")
+# export TEST_ES_PORT=$(node -e "console.log(new URL('$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_KIBANA_URL').port)")
+# export TEST_ES_USER="$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_USERNAME"
+# export TEST_ES_PASS="$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_PASSWORD"
+
+# export TEST_BROWSER_HEADLESS=1
+
+# Error: attempted to use the "es" service to fetch Elasticsearch version info but the request failed: ConnectionError: self signed certificate in certificate chain
+# export NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0
+
+# echo "--- Run default functional tests"
+# node --no-warnings scripts/functional_test_runner.js --include-tag=cloud -exclude-tag=skipCloud
+
+# echo "--- Run x-pack functional tests"
+# cd x-pack
+# node --no-warnings scripts/functional_test_runner.js --include-tag=cloud -exclude-tag=skipCloud 
+
+echo "--- Shutdown deployment"
+ecctl deployment shutdown "$CLOUD_DEPLOYMENT_ID" --force --track --output json &> "$LOGS"