diff --git a/.github/workflows/externalworkloads.yaml b/.github/workflows/externalworkloads.yaml
index 367ee96b1d..5d57598140 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/externalworkloads.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/externalworkloads.yaml
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ !success() }}
         run: |
           echo "=== Retrieve VM state ==="
-          gcloud compute ssh ${{ env.vmName }} --zone ${{ env.zone }} --command "cilium status"
+          gcloud compute ssh ${{ env.vmName }} --zone ${{ env.zone }} --command "sudo cilium status"
           gcloud compute ssh ${{ env.vmName }} --zone ${{ env.zone }} --command "sudo docker logs cilium --timestamps"
 
           echo "=== Install ${{ env.cilium_cli_version }} CLI ==="