diff --git a/cli/Makefile b/cli/Makefile
index e6ea78236963182f9ad905f4358cd41f812279fc..9658f79bd71242fea2c946f8788ed2c568a3fc28 100644
--- a/cli/Makefile
+++ b/cli/Makefile
@@ -14,13 +14,17 @@ preflight:
 	command -v podman > /dev/null
 
 .PHONY: install
-install: preflight ## Install koolbox, the Kubernetes Toolbox for SI-Infrastructure
+install: preflight build-if-not-exists ## Install koolbox, the Kubernetes Toolbox for SI-Infrastructure
 	install -m 755 ./koolbox ~/bin/koolbox
 
 .PHONY: build
 build: preflight ## Build container locally instead of using one from upstream
 	podman build -t $(KOOLBOX_IMAGE) .
 
+.PHONY: build-if-not-exists
+build-if-not-exists: preflight
+	podman image exists $(KOOLBOX_IMAGE) || make build
+
 .PHONY: config
 config: ## Edit your koolbox environment config
 	${EDITOR} "${XDG_CONFIG_HOME}/koolbox/env"