diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/runner/runner.go b/pkg/skaffold/runner/runner.go
index b55cca76bba..87a0c955a03 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/runner/runner.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/runner/runner.go
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ func NewForConfig(opts *config.SkaffoldOptions, cfg *latest.SkaffoldConfig) (*Sk
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "retrieving global config")
 	}
 
+	defaultRepo := ""
+	if globalConfig != nil {
+		defaultRepo = globalConfig.DefaultRepo
+	}
+
 	tagger, err := getTagger(cfg.Build.TagPolicy, opts.CustomTag)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "parsing skaffold tag config")
@@ -82,7 +87,7 @@ func NewForConfig(opts *config.SkaffoldOptions, cfg *latest.SkaffoldConfig) (*Sk
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "parsing skaffold build config")
 	}
 
-	deployer, err := getDeployer(&cfg.Deploy, kubeContext, opts.Namespace, globalConfig.DefaultRepo)
+	deployer, err := getDeployer(&cfg.Deploy, kubeContext, opts.Namespace, defaultRepo)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "parsing skaffold deploy config")
 	}