diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-iios-service.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-iios-service.yml
index 080eecb..f49b329 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-iios-service.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-iios-service.yml
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Bump k8s-pods image tag (ArgoCD deploys)
         run: |
+          rm -rf /tmp/kp   # dind-builder is a persistent host: clear any stale checkout from a prior run
           git clone --depth 1 -b main \
             "https://mcp-bot:${{ secrets.K8S_PODS_TOKEN }}@git.lynkedup.cloud/platform-engineering/k8s-pods.git" /tmp/kp
           cd /tmp/kp