diff --git a/etc/kayobe/containers/pulp/post.yml b/etc/kayobe/containers/pulp/post.yml
index fec1abb94..967c4e37d 100644
--- a/etc/kayobe/containers/pulp/post.yml
+++ b/etc/kayobe/containers/pulp/post.yml
@@ -27,3 +27,10 @@
   when:
     - stackhpc_pulp_sync_for_local_container_build | bool
     - pulp_settings.changed
+
+- name: Login to docker registry
+  docker_login:
+    registry_url: "{{ kolla_docker_registry or omit }}"
+    username: "{{ kolla_docker_registry_username }}"
+    password: "{{ kolla_docker_registry_password }}"
+    reauthorize: yes
diff --git a/etc/kayobe/environments/aufn-ceph/a-universe-from-nothing.sh b/etc/kayobe/environments/aufn-ceph/a-universe-from-nothing.sh
index 1464e6127..e594ea388 100755
--- a/etc/kayobe/environments/aufn-ceph/a-universe-from-nothing.sh
+++ b/etc/kayobe/environments/aufn-ceph/a-universe-from-nothing.sh
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ kayobe seed vm provision
 kayobe seed host configure
 
 # Deploy local pulp server as a container on the seed VM
-kayobe seed service deploy --tags seed-deploy-containers --kolla-tags none -e deploy_containers_registry_attempt_login=False
+kayobe seed service deploy --tags seed-deploy-containers --kolla-tags none
 
 # Deploying the seed restarts networking interface, run configure-local-networking.sh again to re-add routes.
 $KAYOBE_CONFIG_PATH/environments/$KAYOBE_ENVIRONMENT/configure-local-networking.sh
diff --git a/etc/kayobe/seed.yml b/etc/kayobe/seed.yml
index 96fa86ac0..524f6cff4 100644
--- a/etc/kayobe/seed.yml
+++ b/etc/kayobe/seed.yml
@@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ seed_containers: >-
 
 seed_extra_containers: {}
 
+# Whether to attempt a basic authentication login to a registry when
+# deploying seed containers
+seed_deploy_containers_registry_attempt_login: "{{ not seed_pulp_container_enabled | bool }}"
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Seed node firewalld configuration.