diff --git a/podman_compose.py b/podman_compose.py
index d4cc1d4..fe3e200 100755
--- a/podman_compose.py
+++ b/podman_compose.py
@@ -1627,7 +1627,7 @@ def _parse_compose_file(self):
             compose.get("services", {}), set(args.profile)
         )
         compose["services"] = resolved_services
-        if not args.no_normalize:
+        if not getattr(args, "no_normalize", None):
             compose = normalize_final(compose, self.dirname)
         self.merged_yaml = yaml.safe_dump(compose)
         merged_json_b = json.dumps(compose, separators=(",", ":")).encode("utf-8")
diff --git a/pytests/test_normalize_final_build.py b/pytests/test_normalize_final_build.py
index 49ff3cd..e281174 100644
--- a/pytests/test_normalize_final_build.py
+++ b/pytests/test_normalize_final_build.py
@@ -99,25 +99,6 @@
 ]
 
 
-#
-# [service.build] is not normalised before coompose files are merged
-#
-def test_pre_merge_normalize_service_does_not_affect_build_section() -> None:
-    for test_input, _ in copy.deepcopy(test_cases_simple_normalization):
-        expected_service = copy.deepcopy(test_input)
-        actual_service = normalize_service(test_input)
-        assert expected_service == actual_service
-
-
-def test_pre_merge_normalize_does_not_affect_build_section() -> None:
-    for test_input, _ in copy.deepcopy(test_cases_simple_normalization):
-        expected_result = copy.deepcopy(test_input)
-        compose_test = {"services": {"test-service": test_input}}
-        compose_expected = {"services": {"test-service": expected_result}}
-        actual_compose = normalize(compose_test)
-        assert compose_expected == actual_compose
-
-
 #
 # [service.build] is normalised after merges
 #