diff --git a/pkg/cmd/attestation/artifact/oci/client.go b/pkg/cmd/attestation/artifact/oci/client.go
index 45c28cf7f..046601637 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/attestation/artifact/oci/client.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/attestation/artifact/oci/client.go
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ type noncompliantRegistryTransport struct{}
 // See the related go-containerregistry issue: https://github.com/google/go-containerregistry/issues/1962
 func (a *noncompliantRegistryTransport) RoundTrip(req *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
 	resp, err := http.DefaultTransport.RoundTrip(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return resp, err
+	}
 	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNotAcceptable && strings.Contains(req.URL.Path, "/referrers/") {
 		resp.StatusCode = http.StatusNotFound
 	}