diff --git a/internal/dis/component/instances/create.go b/internal/dis/component/instances/create.go
index 9e18848..826e04f 100644
--- a/internal/dis/component/instances/create.go
+++ b/internal/dis/component/instances/create.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/config/validators"
+	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/models"
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/wisski"
 )
 
@@ -14,29 +15,6 @@ var (
 	errRestrictedSlug = errors.New("restricted slug")
 )
 
-const (
-	PHP8         = "8.0"
-	PHP8_IMAGE   = "docker.io/library/php:8.0-apache-bullseye"
-	PHP8_1       = "8.1"
-	PHP8_1_IMAGE = "docker.io/library/php:8.1-apache-bullseye"
-)
-
-var errUnknownPHPVersion = errors.New("unknown php version")
-
-// GetBaseImage returns the php base image to use
-func GetBaseImage(php string) (string, error) {
-	switch php {
-	case "":
-		return PHP8_IMAGE, nil
-	case PHP8:
-		return PHP8_IMAGE, nil
-	case PHP8_1:
-		return PHP8_1_IMAGE, nil
-	default:
-		return "", errUnknownPHPVersion
-	}
-}
-
 // Create fills the struct for a new WissKI instance.
 // It validates that slug is a valid name for an instance.
 //
@@ -88,7 +66,7 @@ func (instances *Instances) Create(slug string, phpversion string) (wissKI *wiss
 	}
 
 	// docker image
-	wissKI.Liquid.Instance.DockerBaseImage, err = GetBaseImage(phpversion)
+	wissKI.Liquid.Instance.DockerBaseImage, err = models.GetBaseImage(phpversion)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/dis/component/provision/provision.go b/internal/dis/component/provision/provision.go
index c664e85..b3e5e13 100644
--- a/internal/dis/component/provision/provision.go
+++ b/internal/dis/component/provision/provision.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/dis/component"
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/dis/component/instances"
+	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/models"
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/wisski"
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/pkg/logging"
 	"github.com/tkw1536/pkglib/fsx"
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ func (pv *Provision) ValidateFlags(flags ProvisionFlags) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	// check for known php versions
-	if _, err := instances.GetBaseImage(flags.PHPVersion); err != nil {
+	if _, err := models.GetBaseImage(flags.PHPVersion); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/internal/dis/component/server/admin/html/instance.html b/internal/dis/component/server/admin/html/instance.html
index d707792..205f18e 100644
--- a/internal/dis/component/server/admin/html/instance.html
+++ b/internal/dis/component/server/admin/html/instance.html
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@
                             Docker Base Image
                         </td>
                         <td>
-                            {{ if  .Instance.DockerBaseImage }}
-                            <code>{{ .Instance.DockerBaseImage }}</code>
-                            {{ else }}
-                            (none)
-                            {{ end }}
+                            <code>{{ .Instance.GetDockerBaseImage }}</code>
                         </td>
                     </tr>
                     <tr>
diff --git a/internal/models/instances.go b/internal/models/instances.go
index d601121..aa103e6 100644
--- a/internal/models/instances.go
+++ b/internal/models/instances.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ type Instance struct {
 	FilesystemBase string `gorm:"column:filesystem_base;not null"`
 
 	// DockerBaseImage is the php base image to use
-	DockerBaseImage string `gorm:"column:docker_base;not_null`
+	DockerBaseImage string `gorm:"column:docker_base;not_null"`
 
 	// SQL Database credentials for the system
 	SqlDatabase string `gorm:"column:sql_database;not null"`
@@ -48,6 +48,36 @@ type Instance struct {
 	GraphDBPassword   string `gorm:"column:graphdb_password;not null"`
 }
 
+const (
+	PHP8         = "8.0"
+	PHP8_IMAGE   = "docker.io/library/php:8.0-apache-bullseye"
+	PHP8_1       = "8.1"
+	PHP8_1_IMAGE = "docker.io/library/php:8.1-apache-bullseye"
+)
+
+var errUnknownPHPVersion = errors.New("unknown php version")
+
+// GetBaseImage returns the php base image to use
+func GetBaseImage(php string) (string, error) {
+	switch php {
+	case "":
+		return PHP8_IMAGE, nil
+	case PHP8:
+		return PHP8_IMAGE, nil
+	case PHP8_1:
+		return PHP8_1_IMAGE, nil
+	default:
+		return "", errUnknownPHPVersion
+	}
+}
+
+func (i Instance) GetDockerBaseImage() string {
+	if i.DockerBaseImage == "" {
+		return PHP8_IMAGE
+	}
+	return i.DockerBaseImage
+}
+
 func (i Instance) IsBlindUpdateEnabled() bool {
 	return bool(i.AutoBlindUpdateEnabled)
 }
diff --git a/internal/wisski/ingredient/barrel/build.go b/internal/wisski/ingredient/barrel/build.go
index 6c83a22..41c8849 100644
--- a/internal/wisski/ingredient/barrel/build.go
+++ b/internal/wisski/ingredient/barrel/build.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/wisski/ingredient/mstore"
 )
 
-// Build builds or rebuilds the barel connected to this instance.
+// Build builds or rebuilds the barrel connected to this instance.
 //
 // It also logs the current time into the metadata belonging to this instance.
 func (barrel *Barrel) Build(ctx context.Context, progress io.Writer, start bool) error {
diff --git a/internal/wisski/ingredient/barrel/stack.go b/internal/wisski/ingredient/barrel/stack.go
index 860b677..1609aa0 100644
--- a/internal/wisski/ingredient/barrel/stack.go
+++ b/internal/wisski/ingredient/barrel/stack.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func (barrel *Barrel) Stack() component.StackWithResources {
 			"DATA_PATH":   filepath.Join(barrel.FilesystemBase, "data"),
 			"RUNTIME_DIR": barrel.Malt.Config.Paths.RuntimeDir(),
 
-			"BARREL_BASE_IMAGE": barrel.DockerBaseImage,
+			"BARREL_BASE_IMAGE": barrel.GetDockerBaseImage(),
 		},
 
 		MakeDirs: []string{"data", ".composer"},