diff --git a/contrib/cirrus/runner.sh b/contrib/cirrus/runner.sh
index 3aaa065e75..8816269613 100755
--- a/contrib/cirrus/runner.sh
+++ b/contrib/cirrus/runner.sh
@@ -506,6 +506,9 @@ if [ "$(type -t $handler)" != "function" ]; then
     die "Unknown/Unsupported \$TEST_FLAVOR=$TEST_FLAVOR"
 fi
 
+# Unset NOTIFY_SOCKET based on: https://github.com/containers/podman/pull/27514#issuecomment-3529125596
+unset NOTIFY_SOCKET
+
 showrun $handler
 
 if [[ -n "$TRACER_PID" ]]; then
diff --git a/contrib/cirrus/setup_environment.sh b/contrib/cirrus/setup_environment.sh
index fe2f6edf38..9d67774da8 100755
--- a/contrib/cirrus/setup_environment.sh
+++ b/contrib/cirrus/setup_environment.sh
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ echo -e "\n# Begin single-use VM global variables (${BASH_SOURCE[0]})" \
     done <<<"$(passthrough_envars)"
 ) >> "/etc/ci_environment"
 
-# Unset NOTIFY_SOCKET based on: https://github.com/containers/podman/pull/27514#issuecomment-3529125596
-unset NOTIFY_SOCKET
 # This is a possible manual maintenance gaff, i.e. forgetting to update a
 # *_NAME variable in .cirrus.yml.  check to be sure at least one comparison
 # matches the actual OS being run.  Ignore details, such as debian point-release