diff --git a/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py b/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py
index cd99cdef42..94bcabb2a1 100644
--- a/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py
+++ b/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ class AnsibleInventoryLoader(object):
         for key, value in STANDARD_INVENTORY_UPDATE_ENV.items():
             bargs.extend(['-e', '{0}={1}'.format(key, value)])
         ee = get_default_execution_environment()
-        bargs.extend([ee.image])
 
         if ee.credential:
             if not ee.credential.has_inputs(field_names=('host', 'username', 'password')):
@@ -97,6 +96,8 @@ class AnsibleInventoryLoader(object):
         if ee.pull:
             bargs.append(f'--pull={ee.pull}')
 
+        bargs.extend([ee.image])
+
         bargs.extend(['ansible-inventory', '-i', self.source])
         bargs.extend(['--playbook-dir', functioning_dir(self.source)])
         if self.verbosity: