diff --git a/contracts/scripts/validator-registry/DeployForMockL1.s.sol b/contracts/scripts/validator-registry/DeployForMockL1.s.sol
index b5c6a673d..d997031ec 100644
--- a/contracts/scripts/validator-registry/DeployForMockL1.s.sol
+++ b/contracts/scripts/validator-registry/DeployForMockL1.s.sol
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ contract DeployForMockL1 is Script {
         console.log("VanillaRegistry deployed at:", vanillaRegistryProxy);
         VanillaRegistry vanillaRegistry = VanillaRegistry(payable(vanillaRegistryProxy));
 
+        address[] memory stakers = new address[](1);
+        stakers[0] = owner;
+        vanillaRegistry.whitelistStakers(stakers);
+
         console.log("Deploying mock AVS and Middleware contracts...");
         AlwaysFalseAVS mockAVS = new AlwaysFalseAVS();
         AlwaysFalseMiddleware mockMiddleware = new AlwaysFalseMiddleware();