diff --git a/devops/build/packaging/rpm/apache-cloudberry-db-incubating.spec b/devops/build/packaging/rpm/apache-cloudberry-db-incubating.spec
index e228f8fe76a..b5866f15b85 100644
--- a/devops/build/packaging/rpm/apache-cloudberry-db-incubating.spec
+++ b/devops/build/packaging/rpm/apache-cloudberry-db-incubating.spec
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 
-%define cloudberry_install_dir /usr/local/cloudberry-db
+%define cloudberry_base_dir /usr/local
+%define cloudberry_name cloudberry-db
+%define cloudberry_install_dir %{cloudberry_base_dir}/%{cloudberry_name}
 
 # Add at the top of the spec file
 # Default to non-debug build
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@ License:        ASL 2.0
 URL:            https://cloudberry.apache.org
 Vendor:         Apache Cloudberry (Incubating)
 Group:          Applications/Databases
-Prefix:         %{cloudberry_install_dir}
+Prefix:         %{cloudberry_base_dir}
 
 # Disabled as we are shipping GO programs (e.g. gpbackup)
 %define _missing_build_ids_terminate_build 0
@@ -142,10 +144,18 @@ completeness or stability of the code, it does indicate that the
 project has yet to be fully endorsed by the ASF.
 
 %prep
-# No prep needed for binary RPM
+# Validate required macros are provided
+if [ %{version} = '%%{version}' ] ; then
+  echo "The macro 'version' must be supplied as rpmbuild ... --define='version [VERSION]'"
+  exit 1
+fi
+if [ %{release} = '%%{release}' ] ; then
+  echo "The macro 'release' must be supplied as rpmbuild ... --define='release [RELEASE]'"
+  exit 1
+fi
 
 %build
-# No prep needed for binary RPM
+# No build needed for binary RPM
 
 %install
 rm -rf %{buildroot}
@@ -155,31 +165,57 @@ mkdir -p %{buildroot}%{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version}
 
 cp -R %{cloudberry_install_dir}/* %{buildroot}%{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version}
 
+# Pre-compile Python bytecode to reduce first-run latency
+if command -v python3 &>/dev/null; then
+    python3 -m compileall -q -x test %{buildroot}%{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version} || :
+fi
+
 # Copy Apache mandatory compliance files from the SOURCES directory into the installation directory
 cp %{_sourcedir}/LICENSE %{buildroot}%{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version}/
 cp %{_sourcedir}/NOTICE %{buildroot}%{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version}/
 cp %{_sourcedir}/DISCLAIMER %{buildroot}%{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version}/
 cp -R %{_sourcedir}/licenses %{buildroot}%{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version}/
 
-# Create the symbolic link
-ln -sfn %{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version} %{buildroot}%{cloudberry_install_dir}
-
 %files
-%{prefix}-%{version}
-%{prefix}
+%{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version}
+%config(noreplace) %{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version}/cloudberry-env.sh
 
 %debug_package
 
 %post
+# RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX is set dynamically by RPM to the actual --prefix value
+LINK_PATH="${RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX}/%{cloudberry_name}"
+VERSIONED_DIR="${RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX}/%{cloudberry_name}-%{version}"
+
+if [ ! -e "${LINK_PATH}" ]; then
+    # No existing link or file, create symlink
+    ln -fsT "${VERSIONED_DIR}" "${LINK_PATH}" || :
+elif [ -L "${LINK_PATH}" ] && [ -e "${LINK_PATH}/bin/postgres" ] && [ -e "${LINK_PATH}/cloudberry-env.sh" ]; then
+    # Existing valid Cloudberry installation, check major version
+    original_version=$(source "${LINK_PATH}/cloudberry-env.sh"; "${LINK_PATH}/bin/postgres" --gp-version | grep -Eo '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+')
+    original_major_version=${original_version%%.*}
+    current_major_version=%{version}
+    current_major_version=${current_major_version%%.*}
+    if [ "${original_major_version}" == "${current_major_version}" ]; then
+        ln -fsT "${VERSIONED_DIR}" "${LINK_PATH}" || :
+    else
+        echo "Warning: symlink ${LINK_PATH} not updated because it points to a different major version (${original_major_version})"
+    fi
+else
+    echo "Warning: symlink ${LINK_PATH} not created because a file or directory already exists at that location"
+fi
+
 # Change ownership to gpadmin.gpadmin if the gpadmin user exists
 if id "gpadmin" &>/dev/null; then
-    chown -R gpadmin:gpadmin %{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version}
-    chown gpadmin:gpadmin %{cloudberry_install_dir}
+    chown -R gpadmin:gpadmin "${VERSIONED_DIR}"
+    if [ -L "${LINK_PATH}" ]; then
+        chown -h gpadmin:gpadmin "${LINK_PATH}"
+    fi
 fi
 
 %postun
 if [ $1 -eq 0 ] ; then
-  if [ "$(readlink -f "%{cloudberry_install_dir}")" == "%{cloudberry_install_dir}-%{version}" ]; then
-    unlink "%{cloudberry_install_dir}" || true
+  if [ "$(readlink -f "${RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX}/%{cloudberry_name}")" == "${RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX}/%{cloudberry_name}-%{version}" ]; then
+    unlink "${RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX}/%{cloudberry_name}" || :
   fi
 fi