diff --git a/.github/workflows/ruby.yml b/.github/workflows/ruby.yml
index ed9c521a2..f2d3bd44f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ruby.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ruby.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,12 @@ jobs:
             ruby: "3.2"
             blacklight_version: "~> 7.34"
             bootstrap_version: ~> 4.0
-            additional_name: Rails 6.1
+            additional_name: Rails 7.1
+          - rails_version: 7.1.3.4
+            ruby: 3.3
+            blacklight_version: ~> 8.0
+            bootstrap_version: ~> 4.0
+            additional_name: Blacklight 8
           - rails_version: 7.0.8.4
             ruby: 3.3
             blacklight_version: ~> 7.34
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/spotlight/base.html.erb b/app/views/layouts/spotlight/base.html.erb
index 619527cb5..277f17b0f 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/spotlight/base.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/layouts/spotlight/base.html.erb
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@
     <% else %>
       <%= stylesheet_link_tag "application" %>
     <% end %>
-    <%= javascript_include_tag "application" %>
+    <% if defined? Importmap %>
+      <%= javascript_importmap_tags %>
+    <% else %>
+      <%= javascript_include_tag "application" %>
+    <% end %>
     <%= csrf_meta_tags %>
     <%= content_for(:head) %>
     <%= description %>
diff --git a/lib/generators/spotlight/install_generator.rb b/lib/generators/spotlight/install_generator.rb
index 7f79134fd..5dd464bd8 100644
--- a/lib/generators/spotlight/install_generator.rb
+++ b/lib/generators/spotlight/install_generator.rb
@@ -19,11 +19,21 @@ def add_js_rails6
     end
 
     def add_manifest
-      append_to_file 'app/assets/javascripts/application.js', "\n//= require_tree .\n"
       append_to_file 'app/assets/config/manifest.js', "\n//= link spotlight/manifest.js"
 
-      # Rails installed importmap by default, but we don't have importmap + Blacklight 7 working yet.
-      remove_file 'app/javascript/application.js'
+      # Blacklight 8 does not use this directory by default.
+      if File.exist?('app/assets/javascripts')
+        append_to_file 'app/assets/javascripts/application.js', "\n//= require_tree .\n"
+        # Rails installed importmap by default, but we don't have importmap + Blacklight 7 working yet.
+        remove_file 'app/javascript/application.js'
+      else
+        # install via importmap
+        append_to_file 'app/javascript/application.js' do
+          <<~CONTENT
+            import Spotlight from "spotlight.esm"
+          CONTENT
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     def inject_spotlight_routes
diff --git a/spec/test_app_templates/Gemfile.extra b/spec/test_app_templates/Gemfile.extra
index 575e79f5d..9e9b6bbc2 100644
--- a/spec/test_app_templates/Gemfile.extra
+++ b/spec/test_app_templates/Gemfile.extra
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
-if ENV['BLACKLIGHT_VERSION'] == 'edge'
+case ENV['BLACKLIGHT_VERSION']
+when 'edge'
   gem 'blacklight', github: 'projectblacklight/blacklight'
   gem 'blacklight-gallery', github: 'projectblacklight/blacklight-gallery'
   gem 'blacklight-oembed', github: 'projectblacklight/blacklight-oembed'
+when 'latest'
+  gem 'blacklight'
+else
+  gem 'blacklight', ENV['BLACKLIGHT_VERSION'] if ENV['BLACKLIGHT_VERSION'] && !ENV['BLACKLIGHT_VERSION'].empty?
 end
diff --git a/spec/test_app_templates/lib/generators/test_app_generator.rb b/spec/test_app_templates/lib/generators/test_app_generator.rb
index 4d60bb9c6..86360a593 100644
--- a/spec/test_app_templates/lib/generators/test_app_generator.rb
+++ b/spec/test_app_templates/lib/generators/test_app_generator.rb
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ def run_spotlight_migrations
 
   def add_spotlight_routes_and_assets
     generate :'spotlight:install', '-f --mailer_default_url_host=localhost:3000'
-    append_to_file 'app/assets/config/manifest.js', "\n//= link application.js\n" if Rails.version > '7' && File.exist?('app/assets/config/manifest.js')
   end
 
   def install_test_catalog_controller