diff --git a/pkg/domain/infra/abi/play.go b/pkg/domain/infra/abi/play.go
index c977704554..3e71c7fe60 100644
--- a/pkg/domain/infra/abi/play.go
+++ b/pkg/domain/infra/abi/play.go
@@ -1050,7 +1050,7 @@ func (ic *ContainerEngine) getImageAndLabelInfo(ctx context.Context, cwd string,
 		} else {
 			if named, err := reference.ParseNamed(container.Image); err == nil {
 				tagged, isTagged := named.(reference.NamedTagged)
-				if isTagged && tagged.Tag() == "latest" {
+				if !isTagged || tagged.Tag() == "latest" {
 					// Make sure to always pull the latest image in case it got updated.
 					pullPolicy = config.PullPolicyNewer
 				}
diff --git a/test/e2e/play_kube_test.go b/test/e2e/play_kube_test.go
index 359bd4dc6a..9bd1259bbb 100644
--- a/test/e2e/play_kube_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/play_kube_test.go
@@ -3163,6 +3163,46 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman kube play", func() {
 		Expect(oldBBinspect[0].Digest).To(Not(Equal(newBBinspect[0].Digest)))
 	})
 
+	It("with no tag and no pull policy should always pull", func() {
+		oldBB := "quay.io/libpod/busybox:1.30.1"
+		pull := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"pull", oldBB})
+		pull.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
+		Expect(pull).Should(Exit(0))
+
+		tag := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"tag", oldBB, BB})
+		tag.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
+		Expect(tag).Should(ExitCleanly())
+
+		rmi := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"rmi", oldBB})
+		rmi.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
+		Expect(rmi).Should(ExitCleanly())
+
+		inspect := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"inspect", BB})
+		inspect.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
+		Expect(inspect).Should(ExitCleanly())
+		oldBBinspect := inspect.InspectImageJSON()
+
+		noTagBB := "quay.io/libpod/busybox"
+		ctr := getCtr(withImage(noTagBB), withPullPolicy(""))
+		err := generateKubeYaml("pod", getPod(withCtr(ctr)), kubeYaml)
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+		kube := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"kube", "play", kubeYaml})
+		kube.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
+		Expect(kube).Should(Exit(0))
+		if IsRemote() {
+			Expect(kube.ErrorToString()).To(BeEmpty())
+		} else {
+			Expect(kube.ErrorToString()).To(ContainSubstring("Copying blob "))
+		}
+
+		inspect = podmanTest.Podman([]string{"inspect", noTagBB})
+		inspect.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
+		Expect(inspect).Should(ExitCleanly())
+		newBBinspect := inspect.InspectImageJSON()
+		Expect(oldBBinspect[0].Digest).To(Not(Equal(newBBinspect[0].Digest)))
+	})
+
 	It("with image data", func() {
 		testyaml := `
 apiVersion: v1