diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index eb6951b28e..018032cf50 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 variables:
   GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: recursive
   K8S_PLAYGROUND_ROLE: k8s:v1/app-play1/namespace/threat-research/role/deployer
+  K8S_STAGING_ROLE: k8s:v1/app-stage1/namespace/tr-st-deploy/role/deployer
   DOCKER_ROLE: docker:v1/registry/prefix/threat-research
   K8_DEPLOYER_CONTAINER: docker.repo.splunkdev.net/threat-research/k8-deployer
   SMOKETEST_RUNNER: docker.repo.splunkdev.net/threat-research/smoketest-runner
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ variables:
 stages:
   - publish_smoketest_runner
   - publish_deployer
+  - smoketest_staging
   - smoketest_play
   - ssa-validate
 
@@ -58,3 +60,18 @@ smoketest_play:
   variables:
     SCSENV: app_play1
     SMOKETEST_RUNNER_IMAGE: ${SMOKETEST_RUNNER}:${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}
+
+smoketest_staging:
+  stage: smoketest_staging
+  dependencies:
+    - publish_smoketest_runner
+    - publish_deployer
+  image: ${K8_DEPLOYER_CONTAINER}:${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}
+  script:
+    - eval $(go-go vault -a ${K8S_STAGING_ROLE})
+    - eval $(go-go vault -a ${DOCKER_ROLE})
+    - cd /deployer/k8s
+    - ./deployer.sh
+  variables:
+    SCSENV: app_staging1
+    SMOKETEST_RUNNER_IMAGE: ${SMOKETEST_RUNNER}:${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}
diff --git a/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/environments/smoke-test-staging.libsonnet b/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/environments/smoke-test-staging.libsonnet
index b50f700f07..0c64f68503 100644
--- a/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/environments/smoke-test-staging.libsonnet
+++ b/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/environments/smoke-test-staging.libsonnet
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ local base = import './base.libsonnet';
 
 base {
   components +: {
-    smokeTestImage: 'docker-test.repo.splunkdev.net/user-icorrales/security-content-test',
     serviceAccountName: "sa-tr-staging",
-    vaultReadPath: 'scpauth-stage1/token/threat-research-test.app-stage1',
+    vaultReadPath: 'scpauth-app-stage1/token/threat-research-test.app-stage1',
     tenant: 'research',
     dspEnv: 'staging',
   }
diff --git a/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/params.libsonnet b/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/params.libsonnet
index 9fcf5a58b4..68fe14c8e9 100644
--- a/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/params.libsonnet
+++ b/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/params.libsonnet
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ local env = std.extVar('qbec.io/env');
 local paramsMap = {
   _: import './environments/base.libsonnet',
   app_play1: import './environments/smoke-test-playground.libsonnet',
-  app_stage1: import './environments/smoke-test-staging.libsonnet',
+  app_staging1: import './environments/smoke-test-staging.libsonnet',
 };
 
 if std.objectHas(paramsMap, env) then paramsMap[env] else error 'environment ' + env + ' not defined in ' + std.thisFile
diff --git a/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/qbec.yaml b/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/qbec.yaml
index 4cb743ef9c..10f86b9eca 100644
--- a/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/qbec.yaml
+++ b/bin/ssa-end-to-end-testing/k8s-deployer/k8s/qbec.yaml
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ spec:
     app_play1:
       defaultNamespace: threat-research
       server: https://internal.api.app-play1.dev.us-west-2.splunk8s.io
-    app_play2:
-      defaultNamespace: threat-research
-      server: https://internal.api.app-play1.dev.us-west-2.splunk8s.io
+    app_staging1:
+      defaultNamespace: tr-st-deploy
+      server: https://internal.api.app-stage1.stage.us-west-2.splunk8s.io
   vars:
     external:
       - name: SCBRANCH