diff --git a/.github/workflows/aws_deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/aws_deploy.yml
index 507ea9d7f..fb3e06f3d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/aws_deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/aws_deploy.yml
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build, tag, and push docker image to ECR
         id: build-image
-        if: ${{ 'true' == 'false' }}
+        if: ${{ env.image-exists == 'false' }}
         env:
           registry: ${{ steps.ecr-login.outputs.registry }}
           commit_tag: ${{ github.sha }}