diff --git a/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/kubernetes.go b/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
index 003656896..dadf913c5 100644
--- a/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
+++ b/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ func (e *kube) WaitStep(ctx context.Context, step *types.Step, taskUUID string)
 		}
 
 		if pod.Name == podName {
-			if isImagePullBackOffState(pod) {
+			if isImagePullBackOffState(pod) || isInvalidImageName(pod) {
 				finished <- true
 			}
 
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ func (e *kube) WaitStep(ctx context.Context, step *types.Step, taskUUID string)
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if isImagePullBackOffState(pod) {
+	if isImagePullBackOffState(pod) || isInvalidImageName(pod) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not pull image for pod %s", podName)
 	}
 
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ func (e *kube) TailStep(ctx context.Context, step *types.Step, taskUUID string)
 		}
 
 		if pod.Name == podName {
-			if isImagePullBackOffState(pod) {
+			if isImagePullBackOffState(pod) || isInvalidImageName(pod) {
 				up <- true
 			}
 			switch pod.Status.Phase {
diff --git a/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/utils.go b/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/utils.go
index 1393c423b..ec601bccc 100644
--- a/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/utils.go
+++ b/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/utils.go
@@ -65,6 +65,18 @@ func isImagePullBackOffState(pod *v1.Pod) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+func isInvalidImageName(pod *v1.Pod) bool {
+	for _, containerState := range pod.Status.ContainerStatuses {
+		if containerState.State.Waiting != nil {
+			if containerState.State.Waiting.Reason == "InvalidImageName" {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
 // getClientOutOfCluster returns a k8s client set to the request from outside of cluster.
 func getClientOutOfCluster() (kubernetes.Interface, error) {
 	kubeConfigPath := os.Getenv("KUBECONFIG") // cspell:words KUBECONFIG