diff --git a/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_impls/docker/docker_kurtosis_backend/engine_functions/docker_config_storage_creator/docker_config_storage_creator.go b/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_impls/docker/docker_kurtosis_backend/engine_functions/docker_config_storage_creator/docker_config_storage_creator.go
index 47a4ffd962..671ff68a6e 100644
--- a/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_impls/docker/docker_kurtosis_backend/engine_functions/docker_config_storage_creator/docker_config_storage_creator.go
+++ b/container-engine-lib/lib/backend_impls/docker/docker_kurtosis_backend/engine_functions/docker_config_storage_creator/docker_config_storage_creator.go
@@ -116,7 +116,10 @@ func storeConfigInVolume(
 		if err != nil {
 			return stacktrace.NewError("An error occurred getting auth for registry '%v' from Docker config: %v", registry, err)
 		}
-		cfg.Auths[registry] = *creds
+		// creds can be nil if the registry doesn't have auth
+		if creds != nil {
+			cfg.Auths[registry] = *creds
+		}
 	}
 
 	cfgJsonStr, err := json.Marshal(cfg)