diff --git a/lib/crewai/src/crewai/agent/core.py b/lib/crewai/src/crewai/agent/core.py
index ac2a2e29f..0f3d9d46d 100644
--- a/lib/crewai/src/crewai/agent/core.py
+++ b/lib/crewai/src/crewai/agent/core.py
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ class Agent(BaseAgent):
     _times_executed: int = PrivateAttr(default=0)
     _mcp_resolver: MCPToolResolver | None = PrivateAttr(default=None)
     _last_messages: list[LLMMessage] = PrivateAttr(default_factory=list)
+    _from_repository_resolved: bool = PrivateAttr(default=False)
     max_execution_time: int | None = Field(
         default=None,
         description="Maximum execution time for an agent to execute a task",
@@ -346,11 +347,42 @@ class Agent(BaseAgent):
     @model_validator(mode="before")
     @classmethod
     def validate_from_repository(cls, v: Any) -> dict[str, Any] | None | Any:
-        """Merge repository agent config with provided values before validation."""
-        if v is not None and (from_repository := v.get("from_repository")):
-            return load_agent_from_repository(from_repository) | v
+        """Defer repository resolution until the agent first runs.
+
+        Loading an agent from the repository requires an authenticated network
+        call. Performing it here — during construction — forces that call while a
+        crew is being loaded, before the runtime has wired deployment auth, which
+        breaks ``from_repository`` agents in deployed environments. Instead we keep
+        ``from_repository`` and seed the required identity fields with placeholders
+        so the model validates now; the real definition is fetched on first use
+        (see ``_resolve_from_repository``).
+        """
+        if isinstance(v, dict) and v.get("from_repository"):
+            for field in ("role", "goal", "backstory"):
+                v.setdefault(field, "")
         return v
 
+    def _resolve_from_repository(self) -> None:
+        """Fetch and apply the repository agent definition on first use.
+
+        Values supplied explicitly at construction take precedence; the
+        repository fills in everything else (including the placeholder identity
+        fields). Runs at most once and only when ``from_repository`` is set.
+        """
+        if not self.from_repository or self._from_repository_resolved:
+            return
+
+        attributes = load_agent_from_repository(self.from_repository)
+        identity_fields = ("role", "goal", "backstory")
+        for key, value in attributes.items():
+            if key in identity_fields:
+                if not getattr(self, key, None):
+                    setattr(self, key, value)
+            elif key not in self.model_fields_set and hasattr(self, key):
+                setattr(self, key, value)
+
+        self._from_repository_resolved = True
+
     @model_validator(mode="after")
     def post_init_setup(self) -> Self:
         """Initialize LLM, executor, code tools, and skills after model creation."""
@@ -804,6 +836,7 @@ class Agent(BaseAgent):
             ValueError: If the max execution time is not a positive integer.
             RuntimeError: If the agent execution fails for other reasons.
         """
+        self._resolve_from_repository()
         task_prompt = self._prepare_task_execution(task, context)
 
         knowledge_config = get_knowledge_config(self)
@@ -940,6 +973,7 @@ class Agent(BaseAgent):
             ValueError: If the max execution time is not a positive integer.
             RuntimeError: If the agent execution fails for other reasons.
         """
+        self._resolve_from_repository()
         task_prompt = self._prepare_task_execution(task, context)
 
         knowledge_config = get_knowledge_config(self)
@@ -1418,6 +1452,7 @@ class Agent(BaseAgent):
         Returns:
             Tuple of (executor, inputs, agent_info, parsed_tools) ready for execution.
         """
+        self._resolve_from_repository()
         if self.apps:
             platform_tools = self.get_platform_tools(self.apps)
             if platform_tools:
diff --git a/lib/crewai/tests/agents/test_agent.py b/lib/crewai/tests/agents/test_agent.py
index 0435bed94..b2c75fd92 100644
--- a/lib/crewai/tests/agents/test_agent.py
+++ b/lib/crewai/tests/agents/test_agent.py
@@ -2207,6 +2207,11 @@ def test_agent_from_repository(mock_get_agent, mock_get_auth_token):
     mock_get_agent.return_value = mock_get_response
 
     agent = Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
+    # Resolution is deferred: nothing is fetched at construction.
+    assert mock_get_agent.called is False
+
+    # Resolution happens on first execution (triggered here directly).
+    agent._resolve_from_repository()
 
     assert agent.role == "test role"
     assert agent.goal == "test goal"
@@ -2219,6 +2224,32 @@ def test_agent_from_repository(mock_get_agent, mock_get_auth_token):
     assert agent.tools[1].file_path == "test.txt"
 
 
+@patch("crewai.plus_api.PlusAPI.get_agent")
+def test_agent_from_repository_is_deferred_until_execution(
+    mock_get_agent, mock_get_auth_token
+):
+    mock_get_response = MagicMock()
+    mock_get_response.status_code = 200
+    mock_get_response.json.return_value = {
+        "role": "test role",
+        "goal": "test goal",
+        "backstory": "test backstory",
+    }
+    mock_get_agent.return_value = mock_get_response
+
+    # Construction must not touch the network — this is what lets from_repository
+    # agents be built while a crew loads, before deployment auth is wired.
+    agent = Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
+    assert mock_get_agent.called is False
+    assert agent.role == ""
+
+    # Executing the agent resolves the definition; a second run does not refetch.
+    agent._resolve_from_repository()
+    agent._resolve_from_repository()
+    assert agent.role == "test role"
+    assert mock_get_agent.call_count == 1
+
+
 @patch("crewai.plus_api.PlusAPI.get_agent")
 def test_agent_from_repository_override_attributes(mock_get_agent, mock_get_auth_token):
     from crewai_tools import SerperDevTool
@@ -2235,6 +2266,7 @@ def test_agent_from_repository_override_attributes(mock_get_agent, mock_get_auth
     }
     mock_get_agent.return_value = mock_get_response
     agent = Agent(from_repository="test_agent", role="Custom Role")
+    agent._resolve_from_repository()
 
     assert agent.role == "Custom Role"
     assert agent.goal == "test goal"
@@ -2259,11 +2291,12 @@ def test_agent_from_repository_with_invalid_tools(mock_get_agent, mock_get_auth_
         ],
     }
     mock_get_agent.return_value = mock_get_response
+    agent = Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
     with pytest.raises(
         AgentRepositoryError,
         match="Tool DoesNotExist could not be loaded: module 'crewai_tools' has no attribute 'DoesNotExist'",
     ):
-        Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
+        agent._resolve_from_repository()
 
 
 @patch("crewai.plus_api.PlusAPI.get_agent")
@@ -2272,11 +2305,12 @@ def test_agent_from_repository_internal_error(mock_get_agent, mock_get_auth_toke
     mock_get_response.status_code = 500
     mock_get_response.text = "Internal server error"
     mock_get_agent.return_value = mock_get_response
+    agent = Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
     with pytest.raises(
         AgentRepositoryError,
         match="Agent test_agent could not be loaded: Internal server error",
     ):
-        Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
+        agent._resolve_from_repository()
 
 
 @patch("crewai.plus_api.PlusAPI.get_agent")
@@ -2285,11 +2319,12 @@ def test_agent_from_repository_agent_not_found(mock_get_agent, mock_get_auth_tok
     mock_get_response.status_code = 404
     mock_get_response.text = "Agent not found"
     mock_get_agent.return_value = mock_get_response
+    agent = Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
     with pytest.raises(
         AgentRepositoryError,
         match="Agent test_agent does not exist, make sure the name is correct or the agent is available on your organization",
     ):
-        Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
+        agent._resolve_from_repository()
 
 
 @patch("crewai.plus_api.PlusAPI.get_agent")
@@ -2314,6 +2349,7 @@ def test_agent_from_repository_displays_org_info(
     mock_get_agent.return_value = mock_get_response
 
     agent = Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
+    agent._resolve_from_repository()
 
     mock_console.print.assert_any_call(
         "Fetching agent from organization: Test Organization (test-org-uuid)",
@@ -2341,11 +2377,12 @@ def test_agent_from_repository_without_org_set(
     mock_get_response.text = "Unauthorized access"
     mock_get_agent.return_value = mock_get_response
 
+    agent = Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
     with pytest.raises(
         AgentRepositoryError,
         match="Agent test_agent could not be loaded: Unauthorized access",
     ):
-        Agent(from_repository="test_agent")
+        agent._resolve_from_repository()
 
     mock_console.print.assert_any_call(
         "No organization currently set. We recommend setting one before using: `crewai org switch <org_id>` command.",