diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index 7347a91..a5fa205 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -617,10 +617,10 @@ jobs:
             local oci_timeout="$4"
             local release_timeout="$5"
             local reconcile_at
+            local artifact_storage
 
             wait_for_resource flux-system "ocirepository.source.toolkit.fluxcd.io/${oci_name}" 600
             reconcile_at="$(date +%s)"
-            kubectl -n flux-system annotate "ocirepository/${oci_name}" reconcile.fluxcd.io/requestedAt="${reconcile_at}" --overwrite
             kubectl -n flux-system annotate "helmrelease/${release_name}" \
               reconcile.fluxcd.io/requestedAt="${reconcile_at}" \
               reconcile.fluxcd.io/resetAt="${reconcile_at}" \
@@ -628,8 +628,13 @@ jobs:
               --overwrite
 
             if ! kubectl -n flux-system wait --for=condition=Ready "ocirepository/${oci_name}" --timeout="${oci_timeout}"; then
-              eso_diagnostics
-              exit 1
+              artifact_storage="$(kubectl -n flux-system get "ocirepository/${oci_name}" -o jsonpath='{.status.conditions[?(@.type=="ArtifactInStorage")].status}' 2>/dev/null || true)"
+              if [ "${artifact_storage}" = "True" ]; then
+                echo "OCIRepository ${oci_name} is not currently Ready; continuing with cached artifact" >&2
+              else
+                eso_diagnostics
+                exit 1
+              fi
             fi
 
             wait_for_helmrelease_ready "${release_name}" "${target_namespace}" "${release_timeout}"