diff --git a/ci/test/02_run_container.py b/ci/test/02_run_container.py
index 79d9581be6f..0865350d092 100755
--- a/ci/test/02_run_container.py
+++ b/ci/test/02_run_container.py
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ def main():
                 os.environ["PREVIOUS_RELEASES_DIR"],
         ]:
             Path(create_dir).mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+        # Modify PATH to prepend the retry script, needed for CI_RETRY_EXE
+        os.environ["PATH"] = f"{os.environ['BASE_ROOT_DIR']}/ci/retry:{os.environ['PATH']}"
     else:
         CI_IMAGE_LABEL = "bitcoin-ci-test"
 
diff --git a/ci/test/02_run_container.sh b/ci/test/02_run_container.sh
index f462db25f9c..77c70f82bfa 100755
--- a/ci/test/02_run_container.sh
+++ b/ci/test/02_run_container.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ if [ -z "$DANGER_RUN_CI_ON_HOST" ]; then
 fi
 
 CI_EXEC () {
-  $CI_EXEC_CMD_PREFIX bash -c "export PATH=\"/path_with space:${BASE_ROOT_DIR}/ci/retry:\$PATH\" && cd \"${BASE_ROOT_DIR}\" && $*"
+  $CI_EXEC_CMD_PREFIX bash -c "export PATH=\"/path_with space:\$PATH\" && cd \"${BASE_ROOT_DIR}\" && $*"
 }
 export -f CI_EXEC
 
diff --git a/ci/test_imagefile b/ci/test_imagefile
index a0e1714ed5f..5c34d8efae0 100644
--- a/ci/test_imagefile
+++ b/ci/test_imagefile
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ ENV FILE_ENV=${FILE_ENV}
 ARG BASE_ROOT_DIR
 ENV BASE_ROOT_DIR=${BASE_ROOT_DIR}
 
+# Make retry available in PATH, needed for CI_RETRY_EXE
 COPY ./ci/retry/retry /usr/bin/retry
 COPY ./ci/test/00_setup_env.sh ./${FILE_ENV} ./ci/test/01_base_install.sh /ci_container_base/ci/test/