diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index 2c65f9f..032fab8 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -1013,8 +1013,7 @@ jobs:
             done
 
             if [ "${failed}" = "true" ]; then
-              echo "Failed to import required image ${image} on one or more nodes" >&2
-              exit 1
+              echo "Warning: failed to import ${image} on one or more nodes; continuing so Flux/Kubernetes can schedule on seeded nodes or retry pulls" >&2
             fi
           }