diff --git a/llama_stack/distribution/build_container.sh b/llama_stack/distribution/build_container.sh
index c128729e1..0604d084e 100755
--- a/llama_stack/distribution/build_container.sh
+++ b/llama_stack/distribution/build_container.sh
@@ -163,9 +163,6 @@ EOF
 if [ -n "$run_config" ]; then
   # Copy the run config to the build context since it's an absolute path
   cp "$run_config" "$BUILD_CONTEXT_DIR/run.yaml"
-  add_to_container << EOF
-COPY run.yaml $RUN_CONFIG_PATH
-EOF
 
   # Parse the run.yaml configuration to identify external provider directories
   # If external providers are specified, copy their directory to the container
@@ -173,12 +170,15 @@ EOF
   python_cmd=$(get_python_cmd)
   external_providers_dir=$($python_cmd -c "import yaml; config = yaml.safe_load(open('$run_config')); print(config.get('external_providers_dir') or '')")
   external_providers_dir=$(eval echo "$external_providers_dir")
-  if [ -n "$external_providers_dir" ] && [ -d "$external_providers_dir" ]; then
+  if [ -n "$external_providers_dir" ]; then
+    if [ -d "$external_providers_dir" ]; then
     echo "Copying external providers directory: $external_providers_dir"
     cp -r "$external_providers_dir" "$BUILD_CONTEXT_DIR/providers.d"
     add_to_container << EOF
 COPY providers.d /.llama/providers.d
 EOF
+    fi
+
     # Edit the run.yaml file to change the external_providers_dir to /.llama/providers.d
     if [ "$(uname)" = "Darwin" ]; then
       sed -i.bak -e 's|external_providers_dir:.*|external_providers_dir: /.llama/providers.d|' "$BUILD_CONTEXT_DIR/run.yaml"
@@ -187,6 +187,11 @@ EOF
       sed -i 's|external_providers_dir:.*|external_providers_dir: /.llama/providers.d|' "$BUILD_CONTEXT_DIR/run.yaml"
     fi
   fi
+
+  # Copy run config into docker image
+  add_to_container << EOF
+COPY run.yaml $RUN_CONFIG_PATH
+EOF
 fi
 
 stack_mount="/app/llama-stack-source"