diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py
index 12814651..44eb9f0e 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ class K8sDeployer(Deployer):
         if self.is_kind():
             # Create the kind cluster
             create_cluster(self.kind_cluster_name, self.deployment_dir.joinpath(constants.kind_config_filename))
+            # Ensure the referenced containers are copied into kind
+            load_images_into_kind(self.kind_cluster_name, self.cluster_info.image_set)
         self.connect_api()
-        # Ensure the referenced containers are copied into kind
-        load_images_into_kind(self.kind_cluster_name, self.cluster_info.image_set)
 
         # Create the host-path-mounted PVs for this deployment
         pvs = self.cluster_info.get_pvs()