diff --git a/cmd/gen-manifests/main.go b/cmd/gen-manifests/main.go
index f2b3adb6b..03de7cd1c 100644
--- a/cmd/gen-manifests/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gen-manifests/main.go
@@ -137,11 +137,15 @@ func makeManifestJob(name string, imgType distro.ImageType, cr composeRequest, d
 		}
 
 		containerSpecs, err := resolveContainers(bp.Containers, archName)
-
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("[%s] container resolution failed: %s", filename, err.Error())
 		}
 
+		if options.OSTree.ImageRef == "" {
+			// use default OSTreeRef for image type
+			options.OSTree.ImageRef = imgType.OSTreeRef()
+		}
+
 		packageSpecs, err := depsolve(cacheDir, imgType, bp, options, repos, distribution, archName)
 		if err != nil {
 			err = fmt.Errorf("[%s] depsolve failed: %s", filename, err.Error())
@@ -151,10 +155,6 @@ func makeManifestJob(name string, imgType distro.ImageType, cr composeRequest, d
 			err = fmt.Errorf("[%s] nil package specs", filename)
 			return
 		}
-		if options.OSTree.ImageRef == "" {
-			// use default OSTreeRef for image type
-			options.OSTree.ImageRef = imgType.OSTreeRef()
-		}
 		manifest, err := imgType.Manifest(cr.Blueprint.Customizations, options, repos, packageSpecs, containerSpecs, seedArg)
 		if err != nil {
 			err = fmt.Errorf("[%s] failed: %s", filename, err)