diff --git a/internal/command/deploy/deploy_build.go b/internal/command/deploy/deploy_build.go
index a8a8192249..297300b4cf 100644
--- a/internal/command/deploy/deploy_build.go
+++ b/internal/command/deploy/deploy_build.go
@@ -143,7 +143,11 @@ func determineImage(ctx context.Context, appConfig *appconfig.Config, useWG, rec
 		img, err = resolver.ResolveReference(ctx, io, opts)
 		if err != nil {
 			tracing.RecordError(span, err, "failed to resolve reference for prebuilt docker image")
-			return
+			img = &imgsrc.DeploymentImage{
+				ID:  imageRef,
+				Tag: imageRef,
+			}
+			err = nil
 		}
 
 		span.AddEvent("using pre-built docker image")