diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 948e8c1e8..3be21f8c3 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ build_bundle_image:
     TARGET_IMAGE: $BUILD_DOCKER_REGISTRY/$PROJECTNAME:v${CI_PIPELINE_ID}-${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}-bundle
     RELEASE_IMAGE: $BUILD_DOCKER_REGISTRY/$PROJECTNAME:$CI_COMMIT_TAG-bundle
   script:
-    - BUNDLE_IMG=$TARGET_IMAGE make bundle-build
+    - BUNDLE_IMG=$TARGET_IMAGE make bundle-build-load
     - if [ -n "$CI_COMMIT_TAG" ]; then docker buildx imagetools create $TARGET_IMAGE --tag $RELEASE_IMAGE; fi
 
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3e5f4f628..903ca65ed 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -224,9 +224,9 @@ bundle: bin/$(PLATFORM)/operator-sdk bin/$(PLATFORM)/yq $(KUSTOMIZE) manifests #
 bundle-redhat: bin/$(PLATFORM)/operator-manifest-tools
 	hack/redhat-bundle.sh
 
-.PHONY: bundle-build
-bundle-build: ## Build the bundle image.
-	docker buildx build -f bundle.Dockerfile -t $(BUNDLE_IMG) .
+.PHONY: bundle-build-load
+bundle-build: ## Build and load the bundle image.
+	docker buildx build --load -f bundle.Dockerfile -t $(BUNDLE_IMG) .
 
 .PHONY: bundle-push
 bundle-push: