diff --git a/pkg/k3d/k3d.go b/pkg/k3d/k3d.go
index 84abc8063..571114e7f 100644
--- a/pkg/k3d/k3d.go
+++ b/pkg/k3d/k3d.go
@@ -551,6 +551,17 @@ func (c *Cluster) importImages(images ...string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	// localhost/ images only exist via local builds; nothing can pull them.
+	var pullable []string
+	for _, img := range needed {
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(normalizeImageRef(img), "localhost/") {
+			pullable = append(pullable, img)
+		}
+	}
+	if err := pullMissingFromHost(pullable); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	args := append([]string{"image", "import", fmt.Sprintf("--cluster=%s", c.Name)}, needed...)
 	if out, err := exec.Command("k3d", args...).CombinedOutput(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", err, out)
@@ -563,6 +574,47 @@ func (c *Cluster) importImages(images ...string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// pullMissingFromHost pulls any of the given images that the host Docker
+// daemon doesn't list. k3d only imports images the daemon lists, and an image
+// pre-pulled by CI isn't guaranteed to still be there when a test imports it.
+func pullMissingFromHost(images []string) error {
+	out, err := exec.Command("docker", "image", "ls", "--format", "{{.Repository}}:{{.Tag}}").Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "listing host images")
+	}
+	present := make(map[string]bool)
+	for _, ref := range strings.Fields(string(out)) {
+		present[normalizeImageRef(ref)] = true
+	}
+	for _, img := range images {
+		if present[normalizeImageRef(img)] {
+			continue
+		}
+		if out, err := exec.Command("docker", "pull", "-q", img).CombinedOutput(); err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "pulling %q: %s", img, out)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// normalizeImageRef mirrors containerd's docker-reference normalization so
+// differently spelled refs to the same image compare equal: bare names gain
+// docker.io/library/, hub-style names gain docker.io/, and refs without a
+// tag get :latest. localhost/ and dotted-registry refs stay as given.
+func normalizeImageRef(image string) string {
+	if strings.LastIndex(image, ":") < strings.LastIndex(image, "/") || !strings.Contains(image, ":") {
+		image += ":latest"
+	}
+	first, _, found := strings.Cut(image, "/")
+	switch {
+	case !found:
+		return "docker.io/library/" + image
+	case first != "localhost" && !strings.ContainsAny(first, ".:"):
+		return "docker.io/" + image
+	}
+	return image
+}
+
 func (c *Cluster) DeleteNode(name string) error {
 	c.mu.Lock()
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
diff --git a/pkg/k3d/k3d_test.go b/pkg/k3d/k3d_test.go
index 97cff15c0..9a5e0a006 100644
--- a/pkg/k3d/k3d_test.go
+++ b/pkg/k3d/k3d_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ package k3d
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os/exec"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -59,6 +60,23 @@ func TestIntegrationMultiInstance(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, errors.Join(errs...))
 }
 
+func TestIntegrationImportRepullsMissingImage(t *testing.T) {
+	testutil.SkipIfNotIntegration(t)
+
+	// Unused by any other test, so removing it from the host can't break a
+	// concurrent import.
+	const image = "busybox:1.37.0"
+
+	name := "import-repull"
+	cluster, err := GetOrCreate(name, WithAgents(0))
+	t.Cleanup(func() { forceCleanup(name) })
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// k3d alone fails this with "no valid images specified".
+	_ = exec.Command("docker", "image", "rm", "--force", image).Run()
+	require.NoError(t, cluster.ImportImage(image))
+}
+
 func TestClusterCreateArgs(t *testing.T) {
 	fastDetectionArgs := []string{
 		`--kube-controller-manager-arg=node-monitor-grace-period=10s@server:*`,
@@ -82,3 +100,19 @@ func TestClusterCreateArgs(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 }
+
+func TestNormalizeImageRef(t *testing.T) {
+	for given, want := range map[string]string{
+		"localhost/redpanda-operator:dev":                "localhost/redpanda-operator:dev",
+		"redpandadata/redpanda:v25.2.1":                  "docker.io/redpandadata/redpanda:v25.2.1",
+		"rancher/mirrored-library-busybox:1.36.1":        "docker.io/rancher/mirrored-library-busybox:1.36.1",
+		"busybox:1.36.1":                                 "docker.io/library/busybox:1.36.1",
+		"busybox":                                        "docker.io/library/busybox:latest",
+		"redpandadata/redpanda":                          "docker.io/redpandadata/redpanda:latest",
+		"quay.io/jetstack/cert-manager-controller:v1.17": "quay.io/jetstack/cert-manager-controller:v1.17",
+		"ghcr.io/loft-sh/vcluster-pro:4.4.0":             "ghcr.io/loft-sh/vcluster-pro:4.4.0",
+		"registry:5000/img":                              "registry:5000/img:latest",
+	} {
+		require.Equal(t, want, normalizeImageRef(given), "input %q", given)
+	}
+}