diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-claude-dev-dev.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-claude-dev-dev.yml
index f1e792d..f083fe8 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-claude-dev-dev.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-claude-dev-dev.yml
@@ -56,7 +56,11 @@ jobs:
         if: env.ROLLBACK_ONLY == '0'
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
-          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new jimmyg@158.101.140.85 "podman pull docker.io/library/node:20-bookworm-slim >/dev/null && podman save docker.io/library/node:20-bookworm-slim" | docker load
+          if ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new jimmyg@158.101.140.85 "podman pull docker.io/library/node:20-bookworm-slim >/dev/null && podman save docker.io/library/node:20-bookworm-slim" | docker load; then
+            echo "Preloaded node:20-bookworm-slim from server2"
+          else
+            echo "Preload from server2 failed; continuing with registry pull during docker build"
+          fi
 
       - name: Build claude-dev image
         if: env.ROLLBACK_ONLY == '0'