diff --git a/src/pkg/oci/common.go b/src/pkg/oci/common.go
index 7a60e98642..33d0618f4d 100644
--- a/src/pkg/oci/common.go
+++ b/src/pkg/oci/common.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ package oci
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
@@ -113,7 +112,8 @@ func (o *OrasRemote) withAuthClient(ref registry.Reference) (*auth.Client, error
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if !cfg.ContainsAuth() {
-		return nil, errors.New("no docker config file found, run 'zarf tools registry login --help'")
+		message.Debug("no docker config file found, run 'zarf tools registry login --help'")
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 
 	configs := []*configfile.ConfigFile{cfg}
diff --git a/src/test/common.go b/src/test/common.go
index e538fadf52..9b0af1d26d 100644
--- a/src/test/common.go
+++ b/src/test/common.go
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/defenseunicorns/zarf/src/pkg/utils/exec"
 	"github.com/defenseunicorns/zarf/src/pkg/utils/helpers"
-	dconfig "github.com/docker/cli/cli/config"
-	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/config/configfile"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
@@ -101,22 +99,11 @@ func (e2e *ZarfE2ETest) GetLogFileContents(t *testing.T, stdErr string) string {
 }
 
 // SetupDockerRegistry uses the host machine's docker daemon to spin up a local registry for testing purposes.
-func (e2e *ZarfE2ETest) SetupDockerRegistry(t *testing.T, port int) *configfile.ConfigFile {
+func (e2e *ZarfE2ETest) SetupDockerRegistry(t *testing.T, port int) {
 	// spin up a local registry
 	registryImage := "registry:2.8.2"
 	err := exec.CmdWithPrint("docker", "run", "-d", "--restart=always", "-p", fmt.Sprintf("%d:5000", port), "--name", "registry", registryImage)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	// docker config folder
-	cfg, err := dconfig.Load(dconfig.Dir())
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	if !cfg.ContainsAuth() {
-		// make a docker config file w/ some blank creds
-		_, _, err := e2e.Zarf("tools", "registry", "login", "--username", "zarf", "-p", "zarf", "localhost:6000")
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-	}
-
-	return cfg
 }
 
 // GetZarfVersion returns the current build/zarf version
diff --git a/src/test/e2e/52_oci_compose_differential_test.go b/src/test/e2e/52_oci_compose_differential_test.go
index 6167221853..78f6c815a8 100644
--- a/src/test/e2e/52_oci_compose_differential_test.go
+++ b/src/test/e2e/52_oci_compose_differential_test.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func (suite *OCIDifferentialSuite) SetupSuite() {
 	differentialPackageName = fmt.Sprintf("zarf-package-podinfo-with-oci-flux-%s-v0.24.0-differential-v0.25.0.tar.zst", e2e.Arch)
 	normalPackageName = fmt.Sprintf("zarf-package-podinfo-with-oci-flux-%s-v0.24.0.tar.zst", e2e.Arch)
 
-	_ = e2e.SetupDockerRegistry(suite.T(), 555)
+	e2e.SetupDockerRegistry(suite.T(), 555)
 	suite.Reference.Registry = "localhost:555"
 }