diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 52b0ad2be5..5dc527ba7b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ build: ## Build the Karpenter KWOK controller images using ko build
 	$(eval CONTROLLER_IMG=$(shell $(WITH_GOFLAGS) KO_DOCKER_REPO="$(KWOK_REPO)" ko build -B sigs.k8s.io/karpenter/kwok))
 	$(eval IMG_REPOSITORY=$(shell echo $(CONTROLLER_IMG) | cut -d "@" -f 1 | cut -d ":" -f 1))
 	$(eval IMG_TAG=$(shell echo $(CONTROLLER_IMG) | cut -d "@" -f 1 | cut -d ":" -f 2 -s))
-	$(eval IMG_DIGEST=$(shell echo $(CONTROLLER_IMG) | cut -d "@" -f 2))
+	$(eval IMG_DIGEST=$(shell echo $(CONTROLLER_IMG) | grep -q "@" && echo $(CONTROLLER_IMG) | cut -d "@" -f 2 || echo ""))
 	
 apply-with-kind: verify build-with-kind ## Deploy the kwok controller from the current state of your git repository into your ~/.kube/config cluster
 	kubectl apply -f kwok/charts/crds