diff --git a/controllers/imagerepository_controller.go b/controllers/imagerepository_controller.go
index ea8c418e..368dfd60 100644
--- a/controllers/imagerepository_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/imagerepository_controller.go
@@ -280,7 +280,9 @@ func getGCRLoginAuth(ctx context.Context) (authn.AuthConfig, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return authConfig, err
 	}
-
+	defer io.Copy(io.Discard, response.Body)
+	defer response.Body.Close()
+	
 	if response.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 		return authConfig, fmt.Errorf("unexpected status from metadata service: %s", response.Status)
 	}
@@ -291,14 +293,6 @@ func getGCRLoginAuth(ctx context.Context) (authn.AuthConfig, error) {
 		return authConfig, err
 	}
 
-	if _, err := io.Copy(io.Discard, response.Body); err != nil {
-		return authConfig, err
-	}
-
-	if err := response.Body.Close(); err != nil {
-		return authConfig, err
-	}
-
 	authConfig = authn.AuthConfig{
 		Username: "oauth2accesstoken",
 		Password: accessToken.AccessToken,