diff --git a/exam b/exam
index 7ae0513..b7c32a6 100755
--- a/exam
+++ b/exam
@@ -127,6 +127,15 @@ ensure_etcd_tools() {
   nx "$CP" 'command -v etcdctl >/dev/null 2>&1 && command -v etcdutl >/dev/null 2>&1' </dev/null && return 0
   bash "${CKA_ROOT:-.}/etcd-tools.sh" --emit | nx "$CP" 'sh -s'
 }
+# ensure_gateway_crds -> the Gateway API CRDs (standard channel), which kind does not ship. Q56 and
+# Q74 need them at seed time; a cluster rebuilt by ./setup.sh has none until one of them installs it.
+ensure_gateway_crds() {
+  $K get crd gateways.gateway.networking.k8s.io >/dev/null 2>&1 && return 0
+  curl -sfL --max-time 60 https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/gateway-api/releases/download/v1.2.1/standard-install.yaml -o /tmp/gwapi.yaml \
+    && $K apply -f /tmp/gwapi.yaml >/dev/null 2>&1 \
+    && $K wait --for=condition=Established --timeout=60s crd/gatewayclasses.gateway.networking.k8s.io \
+         crd/gateways.gateway.networking.k8s.io crd/httproutes.gateway.networking.k8s.io >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
 """
 
 def _pick_track_arg(argv):
diff --git a/tracks/cka/bank_hard.py b/tracks/cka/bank_hard.py
index 611f325..12a6420 100644
--- a/tracks/cka/bank_hard.py
+++ b/tracks/cka/bank_hard.py
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ Create in `%{ns}`:
  "params_post": None,
  "setup": NS + r"""
 mkns %{ns}
-$K get crd gateways.gateway.networking.k8s.io >/dev/null 2>&1 || { curl -sfL --max-time 60 https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/gateway-api/releases/download/v1.2.1/standard-install.yaml -o /tmp/gwapi.yaml && $K apply -f /tmp/gwapi.yaml >/dev/null 2>&1; } || echo "warn: could not install Gateway API CRDs"
+ensure_gateway_crds || echo "warn: could not install the Gateway API CRDs (no network?) - the task needs them"
 for v in v1 v2; do $K -n %{ns} create deploy $v --image=nginx:1.25 --port=80 --dry-run=client -o yaml | $K apply -f - >/dev/null; $K -n %{ns} expose deploy $v --port=80 --dry-run=client -o yaml | $K apply -f - >/dev/null; done
 $K delete gatewayclass %{host}-gc --ignore-not-found >/dev/null 2>&1; $K -n %{ns} delete gateway %{host}-gw --ignore-not-found >/dev/null 2>&1; $K -n %{ns} delete httproute %{host}-route --ignore-not-found >/dev/null 2>&1
 """,
diff --git a/tracks/cka/bank_sim_c.py b/tracks/cka/bank_sim_c.py
index 221e2bc..2e62cfc 100644
--- a/tracks/cka/bank_sim_c.py
+++ b/tracks/cka/bank_sim_c.py
@@ -480,6 +480,7 @@ for v in v1 v2; do
   $K -n fleet-ops create deploy fleet-dashboard-$v --image=nginx:1.27 --port=80 --dry-run=client -o yaml | $K apply -f - >/dev/null
   $K -n fleet-ops expose deploy fleet-dashboard-$v --port=80 --target-port=80 --dry-run=client -o yaml | $K apply -f - >/dev/null
 done
+ensure_gateway_crds || { echo "no Gateway API CRDs and could not download them (no network?) - install them, then re-seed"; exit 1; }
 $K apply -f - >/dev/null <<'EOF'
 apiVersion: gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1
 kind: GatewayClass