diff --git a/brainsmith/kernels/__init__.py b/brainsmith/kernels/__init__.py
index 5be5f4f1..52969c0e 100644
--- a/brainsmith/kernels/__init__.py
+++ b/brainsmith/kernels/__init__.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 # Backends
 from brainsmith.kernels.layernorm.layernorm_hls import LayerNorm_hls
+from brainsmith.kernels.layernorm.layernorm_rtl import LayerNorm_rtl
 from brainsmith.kernels.crop.crop_hls import Crop_hls
 from brainsmith.kernels.softmax.hwsoftmax_hls import Softmax_hls
 from brainsmith.kernels.shuffle.shuffle_hls import Shuffle_hls
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
     'Shuffle',
     # Backends
     'LayerNorm_hls',
+    'LayerNorm_rtl',
     'Crop_hls',
     'Softmax_hls',
     'Shuffle_hls',
diff --git a/brainsmith/kernels/layernorm/__init__.py b/brainsmith/kernels/layernorm/__init__.py
index 755295e9..65f5c1fd 100644
--- a/brainsmith/kernels/layernorm/__init__.py
+++ b/brainsmith/kernels/layernorm/__init__.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 # Components auto-register via decorators
 from .layernorm import LayerNorm
 from .layernorm_hls import LayerNorm_hls as LayerNormHLS
+from .layernorm_rtl import LayerNorm_rtl as LayerNormRTL
 from .infer_layernorm import InferLayerNorm
 
-__all__ = ["LayerNorm", "LayerNormHLS", "InferLayerNorm"]
\ No newline at end of file
+__all__ = ["LayerNorm", "LayerNormHLS", "LayerNormRTL", "InferLayerNorm"]
diff --git a/brainsmith/kernels/layernorm/layernorm_rtl.py b/brainsmith/kernels/layernorm/layernorm_rtl.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..83ea9914
--- /dev/null
+++ b/brainsmith/kernels/layernorm/layernorm_rtl.py
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+############################################################################
+# Copyright (C) 2025, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+#
+# @author       Jakoba Petri-Koenig <jakoba.petri-koenig@amd.com>
+############################################################################
+
+import os
+import shutil
+
+from finn.custom_op.fpgadataflow.rtlbackend import RTLBackend
+from brainsmith.kernels.layernorm.layernorm import LayerNorm
+from brainsmith.registry import backend
+
+
+@backend(name='LayerNorm_rtl', target_kernel='brainsmith:LayerNorm', language='rtl')
+class LayerNorm_rtl(LayerNorm, RTLBackend):
+    """RTL backend implementation for LayerNorm kernel.
+
+    Generates RTL code for hardware synthesis of LayerNorm operations.
+
+    Metadata for registry (namespace-based component registry):
+    - target_kernel: Which kernel this backend implements
+    - language: Backend language (hls/rtl/etc)
+    """
+
+    # Metadata for namespace-based registry
+    target_kernel = 'brainsmith:LayerNorm'
+    language = 'rtl'
+
+    def __init__(self, onnx_node, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(onnx_node, **kwargs)
+
+    def get_nodeattr_types(self):
+        my_attrs = {}
+        my_attrs.update(RTLBackend.get_nodeattr_types(self))
+        my_attrs.update(LayerNorm.get_nodeattr_types(self))
+        return my_attrs
+
+
+    def generate_hdl(self, model, fpgapart, clk):
+        rtlsrc = os.environ["BSMITH_DIR"] + "/deps/finn/finn-rtllib/layernorm/"
+        template_path = rtlsrc + "layernorm_wrapper_template.v"
+        simd = self.get_nodeattr("SIMD")
+        topname = self.get_verilog_top_module_name()
+        code_gen_dict = {
+            "$N$": int(self.get_normal_input_shape()[-1]),
+            "$SIMD$": int(simd),
+            "$TOP_MODULE_NAME$": topname,
+        }
+        # save top module name so we can refer to it after this node has been renamed
+        # (e.g. by GiveUniqueNodeNames(prefix) during MakeZynqProject)
+        self.set_nodeattr("gen_top_module", self.get_verilog_top_module_name())
+
+        # apply code generation to templates
+        code_gen_dir = self.get_nodeattr("code_gen_dir_ipgen")
+        with open(template_path, "r") as f:
+            template = f.read()
+        for key in code_gen_dict:
+            template = template.replace(key, str(code_gen_dict[key]))
+
+        with open(
+            os.path.join(code_gen_dir, self.get_verilog_top_module_name() + ".v"),
+            "w",
+        ) as f:
+            f.write(template)
+
+        sv_files = ["layernorm.sv", "queue.sv", "accuf.sv", "binopf.sv", "rsqrtf.sv"]
+        for sv_file in sv_files:
+            shutil.copy(rtlsrc + sv_file, code_gen_dir)
+        # set ipgen_path and ip_path so that HLS-Synth transformation
+        # and stich_ip transformation do not complain
+        self.set_nodeattr("ipgen_path", code_gen_dir)
+        self.set_nodeattr("ip_path", code_gen_dir)
+
+    def get_rtl_file_list(self, abspath=False):
+        if abspath:
+            code_gen_dir = self.get_nodeattr("code_gen_dir_ipgen") + "/"
+            rtllib_dir = rtlsrc = os.environ["BSMITH_DIR"] + "/deps/finn/finn-rtllib/layernorm/"
+        else:
+            code_gen_dir = ""
+            rtllib_dir = ""
+
+        verilog_files = [
+            rtllib_dir + "layernorm.sv",
+            rtllib_dir + "queue.sv",
+            rtllib_dir + "accuf.sv",
+            rtllib_dir + "binopf.sv",
+            rtllib_dir + "rsqrtf.sv",
+            code_gen_dir + self.get_nodeattr("gen_top_module") + ".v",
+        ]
+        return verilog_files
+
+    def code_generation_ipi(self):
+        """Constructs and returns the TCL for node instantiation in Vivado IPI."""
+        code_gen_dir = self.get_nodeattr("code_gen_dir_ipgen")
+
+        sourcefiles = [
+            "layernorm.sv",
+            "queue.sv",
+            "accuf.sv",
+            "binopf.sv",
+            "rsqrtf.sv",
+            self.get_nodeattr("gen_top_module") + ".v",
+        ]
+
+        sourcefiles = [os.path.join(code_gen_dir, f) for f in sourcefiles]
+
+        cmd = []
+        for f in sourcefiles:
+            cmd += ["add_files -norecurse %s" % (f)]
+        cmd += [
+            "create_bd_cell -type module -reference %s %s"
+            % (self.get_nodeattr("gen_top_module"), self.onnx_node.name)
+        ]
+        return cmd
+
+    def execute_node(self, context, graph):
+        mode = self.get_nodeattr("exec_mode")
+        if mode == "cppsim":
+            LayerNorm.execute_node(self, context, graph)
+        elif mode == "rtlsim":
+            RTLBackend.execute_node(self, context, graph)
diff --git a/brainsmith/kernels/rtl/__init__.py b/brainsmith/kernels/rtl/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..48a7d2a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/brainsmith/kernels/rtl/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.
+# Licensed under the MIT License.
+
+# flake8: noqa
+# Disable linting from here, as all imports will be flagged E402 and maybe F401
+
+"""
+Brainsmith RTL Kernel Imports
+
+This is a TEMPORARY measure to ensure RTL variants are properly registered
+in the kernels.rtl namepace until backend refactoring is complete.
+
+Similar to how FINN imports its RTL variants in:
+deps/finn/src/finn/custom_op/fpgadataflow/rtl/__init__.py
+"""
+
+# Import all RTL custom ops - they will be discovered automatically via namespace
+# Note: Using absolute imports to ensure proper registration
+
+# Import Brainsmith RTL kernels
+from brainsmith.kernels.layernorm.layernorm_rtl import LayerNorm_rtl
diff --git a/docker/fetch-repos.sh b/docker/fetch-repos.sh
index cf8fbab2..3382fbea 100755
--- a/docker/fetch-repos.sh
+++ b/docker/fetch-repos.sh
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ fi
 declare -A GIT_DEPS=(
     ["brevitas"]="https://github.com/Xilinx/brevitas.git@95edaa0bdc8e639e39b1164466278c59df4877be"
     ["qonnx"]="https://github.com/fastmachinelearning/qonnx.git@f2c4ccd3e71795c9f116ee5a0c87a7dfd590c6d0"
-    ["finn"]="https://github.com/tafk7/finn.git@custom/transformer"
+    ["finn"]="https://github.com/Xilinx/finn.git@custom/transformer"
     ["onnxscript"]="https://github.com/jsmonson/onnxscript.git@62c7110aba46554432ce8e82ba2d8a086bd6227c"
     ["finn-experimental"]="https://github.com/Xilinx/finn-experimental.git@0724be21111a21f0d81a072fccc1c446e053f851"
     ["dataset-loading"]="https://github.com/fbcotter/dataset_loading.git@0.0.4"
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_fpgadataflow_layernorm.py b/tests/unit/test_fpgadataflow_layernorm.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b2ce93e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_fpgadataflow_layernorm.py
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+############################################################################
+# Copyright (C) 2025, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT 
+#
+############################################################################
+
+from typing import Tuple
+import pytest
+import torch
+import onnx
+import torch.nn as nn
+import brevitas.nn as qnn
+import finn.core.onnx_exec as oxe
+from qonnx.util.cleanup import cleanup as qonnx_cleanup
+from onnx import TensorProto, helper
+from qonnx.core.datatype import DataType
+from qonnx.core.modelwrapper import ModelWrapper
+from qonnx.custom_op.registry import getCustomOp
+from qonnx.transformation.infer_shapes import InferShapes 
+from qonnx.util.basic import gen_finn_dt_tensor, qonnx_make_model
+from qonnx.transformation.infer_datatypes import InferDataTypes
+import finn.transformation.fpgadataflow.convert_to_hw_layers as to_hw
+from brainsmith.kernels.layernorm.infer_layernorm import InferLayerNorm
+from finn.transformation.fpgadataflow.compile_cppsim import CompileCppSim
+from finn.transformation.fpgadataflow.hlssynth_ip import HLSSynthIP
+from finn.transformation.fpgadataflow.prepare_cppsim import PrepareCppSim
+from finn.transformation.fpgadataflow.prepare_ip import PrepareIP
+from finn.transformation.fpgadataflow.prepare_rtlsim import PrepareRTLSim
+from finn.transformation.fpgadataflow.set_exec_mode import SetExecMode
+from finn.transformation.fpgadataflow.specialize_layers import SpecializeLayers
+from finn.transformation.qonnx.convert_qonnx_to_finn import ConvertQONNXtoFINN
+from finn.transformation.fpgadataflow.create_stitched_ip import CreateStitchedIP
+from finn.transformation.fpgadataflow.create_dataflow_partition import (
+    CreateDataflowPartition,
+)
+from brainsmith.primitives.transforms.expand_norms import ExpandNorms
+
+# Debugging dependencies, to remove
+import os
+
+from qonnx.transformation.fold_constants import FoldConstants
+
+from qonnx.transformation.general import (
+    ApplyConfig,
+    GiveUniqueNodeNames,
+)
+
+import numpy as np
+
+test_fpga_part = "xcv80-lsva4737-2MHP-e-s"
+target_clk_ns = 5
+
+def create_layernorm_model(epsilon):
+
+    tshape = [1, 128, 384]
+    scale_bias_shape = tshape[-1]
+    inp = helper.make_tensor_value_info("inp", TensorProto.FLOAT, tshape)
+    outp = helper.make_tensor_value_info("outp", TensorProto.FLOAT, tshape)
+    LayerNorm_scale = helper.make_tensor_value_info("LayerNorm_Scale", TensorProto.FLOAT, [scale_bias_shape])
+    LayerNorm_bias = helper.make_tensor_value_info("LayerNorm_Bias", TensorProto.FLOAT, [scale_bias_shape])
+
+    ln_node = helper.make_node(
+        'LayerNormalization',
+        inputs=["inp", "LayerNorm_Scale", "LayerNorm_Bias"],
+        outputs=["outp"],
+        name='Layernorm_0',
+        epsilon=epsilon,
+        axis=-1,
+        stash_type=1,
+    )
+
+    # Create model
+    graph = helper.make_graph(
+        nodes=[ln_node], name="LayerNorm_graph", inputs=[inp], outputs=[outp]
+    )
+    model = qonnx_make_model(graph, producer_name="LayerNorm_graph")
+    model = ModelWrapper(model)
+
+    # Tensor initializers
+    max_scale = 2**(8/2)
+    max_bias = 2**(8/2)
+    model.set_initializer("LayerNorm_Scale", (max_scale*np.random.rand(scale_bias_shape)).astype(np.float32))
+    model.set_initializer("LayerNorm_Bias", (max_bias*np.random.rand(scale_bias_shape)).astype(np.float32))
+
+    return model
+
+def test_fpgadataflow_layernorm():
+    model = create_layernorm_model(epsilon=9.999999960041972e-13)
+
+    # reference calculation
+    input = gen_finn_dt_tensor(DataType["FLOAT32"], [1, 128, 384])
+    input_t = {model.graph.input[0].name: input}
+
+    y_ref = oxe.execute_onnx(model, input_t)[model.graph.output[0].name]
+
+    model = model.transform(ExpandNorms())
+    model = model.transform(InferShapes())
+    model = model.transform(InferDataTypes())
+    model = model.transform(InferLayerNorm())
+    model = model.transform(to_hw.InferElementwiseBinaryOperation())
+    model = model.transform(SpecializeLayers(test_fpga_part))
+    model = model.transform(GiveUniqueNodeNames())
+    getCustomOp(model.graph.node[0]).set_nodeattr("SIMD", 8)
+
+    # Execute
+    model = model.transform(SetExecMode("rtlsim"))
+    model = model.transform(PrepareIP(test_fpga_part, target_clk_ns))
+    model = model.transform(HLSSynthIP())
+    model = model.transform(PrepareRTLSim())
+
+    input_t = {model.graph.input[0].name: input}
+
+    y_hw = oxe.execute_onnx(model, input_t)[model.graph.output[0].name]
+
+    assert np.allclose(y_ref, y_hw, rtol=1e-3, atol=2**-4)