diff --git a/utils/docker/Dockerfile.jammy b/utils/docker/Dockerfile.jammy
index e66319a80..0f290946f 100644
--- a/utils/docker/Dockerfile.jammy
+++ b/utils/docker/Dockerfile.jammy
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ RUN mkdir /ms-playwright && \
 COPY . /tmp/pw-java
 
 RUN cd /tmp/pw-java && \
-    ./scripts/download_driver.sh && \
     mvn install -D skipTests --no-transfer-progress && \
     DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive mvn exec:java -e -D exec.mainClass=com.microsoft.playwright.CLI \
                      -D exec.args="install-deps" -f playwright/pom.xml --no-transfer-progress && \
diff --git a/utils/docker/Dockerfile.noble b/utils/docker/Dockerfile.noble
index e0173bd6e..6b8b4bac8 100644
--- a/utils/docker/Dockerfile.noble
+++ b/utils/docker/Dockerfile.noble
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ RUN mkdir /ms-playwright && \
 COPY . /tmp/pw-java
 
 RUN cd /tmp/pw-java && \
-    ./scripts/download_driver.sh && \
     mvn install -D skipTests --no-transfer-progress && \
     DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive mvn exec:java -e -D exec.mainClass=com.microsoft.playwright.CLI \
                      -D exec.args="install-deps" -f playwright/pom.xml --no-transfer-progress && \
diff --git a/utils/docker/build.sh b/utils/docker/build.sh
index 074d22b19..ed2653078 100755
--- a/utils/docker/build.sh
+++ b/utils/docker/build.sh
@@ -34,4 +34,8 @@ fi
 
 PW_TARGET_ARCH=$(echo $1 | cut -c3-)
 
+# Assemble the driver on the host where npm is available; the Dockerfile picks
+# it up via `COPY . /tmp/pw-java`.
+../../scripts/download_driver.sh
+
 docker build --platform "${PLATFORM}" --build-arg "PW_TARGET_ARCH=${PW_TARGET_ARCH}" -t "$3" -f "Dockerfile.$2" ../../