diff --git a/kind/registry.sh b/kind/registry.sh
index 5752d17b..eb752111 100755
--- a/kind/registry.sh
+++ b/kind/registry.sh
@@ -403,12 +403,16 @@ function define_runtime_commands() {
     case "$OSTYPE" in
         "linux-gnu"*) 
             DOCKER_RESTART_COMMAND="sudo systemctl restart docker" 
-            if [ "${ROOTLESS_CONTAINERS}" == 'y' ]; then
-                CRI_COMMAND="podman"
-                export KIND_EXPERIMENTAL_PROVIDER=podman
-            else
-                CRI_COMMAND="sudo podman"
-                KIND_COMMAND="sudo --preserve-env kind"
+            if [ "${CRI_PROVIDER}" == 'podman' ]; then
+                if [ "${ROOTLESS_CONTAINERS}" == 'y' ]; then
+                    CRI_COMMAND="podman"
+                    export KIND_EXPERIMENTAL_PROVIDER=podman
+                else
+                    CRI_COMMAND="sudo podman"
+                    KIND_COMMAND="sudo --preserve-env kind"
+                fi
+            elif [ "${CRI_PROVIDER}" == 'docker' ]; then
+                CRI_COMMAND="docker"
             fi
         ;;
         "darwin"*)