diff --git a/pkg/cloud/services/ec2/instances.go b/pkg/cloud/services/ec2/instances.go
index d5b510f438..5d5deafa56 100644
--- a/pkg/cloud/services/ec2/instances.go
+++ b/pkg/cloud/services/ec2/instances.go
@@ -132,11 +132,6 @@ func (s *Service) CreateInstance(scope *scope.MachineScope, userData []byte, use
 
 	var err error
 
-	imageArchitecture, err := s.pickArchitectureForInstanceType(input.Type)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	// Pick image from the machine configuration, or use a default one.
 	if scope.AWSMachine.Spec.AMI.ID != nil { //nolint:nestif
 		input.ImageID = *scope.AWSMachine.Spec.AMI.ID
@@ -163,6 +158,11 @@ func (s *Service) CreateInstance(scope *scope.MachineScope, userData []byte, use
 			imageLookupBaseOS = scope.InfraCluster.ImageLookupBaseOS()
 		}
 
+		imageArchitecture, err := s.pickArchitectureForInstanceType(input.Type)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
 		if scope.IsEKSManaged() && imageLookupFormat == "" && imageLookupOrg == "" && imageLookupBaseOS == "" {
 			input.ImageID, err = s.eksAMILookup(*scope.Machine.Spec.Version, imageArchitecture, scope.AWSMachine.Spec.AMI.EKSOptimizedLookupType)
 			if err != nil {