diff --git a/e2e/test_helper.bash b/e2e/test_helper.bash
index c84f394..e1d9a2a 100755
--- a/e2e/test_helper.bash
+++ b/e2e/test_helper.bash
@@ -30,7 +30,14 @@ delete_package() {
 init_namespace() {
   $DOCTL auth init --access-token  $DO_API_KEY
   $DOCTL sls install
-  $DOCTL sls connect $TEST_NAMESPACE
+
+  # Check if namespace exists, create if it doesn't
+  if ! $DOCTL sls connect $TEST_NAMESPACE 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "Namespace $TEST_NAMESPACE not found, creating it..."
+    $DOCTL sls namespaces create --label $TEST_NAMESPACE --region nyc1
+    sleep 10  # Wait for namespace to be ready
+    $DOCTL sls connect $TEST_NAMESPACE
+  fi
 
   CREDS=$($DOCTL sls status --credentials)
   export API_HOST=$(echo "$CREDS" | jq -r .APIHost)
diff --git a/src/util.ts b/src/util.ts
index d6f1288..abe796a 100644
--- a/src/util.ts
+++ b/src/util.ts
@@ -224,16 +224,18 @@ function locateBuild(
   remoteRequired: boolean,
   localRequired: boolean
 ) {
+  // Check for explicit remote build requests first (--remote-build flag or remoteBuild: true)
+  if (remoteRequired || (remoteRequested && !localRequired)) {
+    return 'remote';
+  }
   if (!isRealBuild(buildField)) {
     // Not a real build. Check remote-default conditions.
     if (defaultRemote && !localRequired) {
       return 'remote-default';
     } // else does not meet remote-default conditions
     return buildField;
-  } // else it's a real build. Check conditions for remote.
-  if (remoteRequired || (remoteRequested && !localRequired)) {
-    return 'remote';
-  } // else does not meet conditions for remote
+  }
+  // else does not meet conditions for remote
   return buildField;
 }