diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-test.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-test.yml
index 890cf4c9..43278b6e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-test.yml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         image:
           - registry.opensuse.org/opensuse/tumbleweed:latest
-          - registry.opensuse.org/opensuse/leap:15.5
+          - registry.opensuse.org/opensuse/leap:15.6
 
     container: ${{ matrix.image }}
     steps:
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ jobs:
         run: zypper -n ar https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/openSUSE:/Tools/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/openSUSE:Tools.repo
 
       - name: add the openSUSE:Tools repository for Leap
-        if: ${{ contains(matrix.image, '15.5') }}
-        run: zypper -n ar https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/openSUSE:/Tools/15.5/openSUSE:Tools.repo
+        if: ${{ contains(matrix.image, '15.6') }}
+        run: zypper -n ar https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/openSUSE:/Tools/15.6/openSUSE:Tools.repo
 
       - name: install the build & runtime dependencies of openSUSE-release-tool
         run: |
diff --git a/gocd/slfo-stagings.gocd.yaml b/gocd/slfo-stagings.gocd.yaml
index 5eac64bf..bbea109c 100644
--- a/gocd/slfo-stagings.gocd.yaml
+++ b/gocd/slfo-stagings.gocd.yaml
@@ -59,13 +59,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
@@ -138,13 +143,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
@@ -217,13 +227,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
@@ -296,13 +311,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
@@ -375,13 +395,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
@@ -454,13 +479,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
@@ -533,13 +563,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
@@ -612,13 +647,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
@@ -691,13 +731,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
@@ -770,13 +815,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
@@ -849,13 +899,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
diff --git a/gocd/slfo-stagings.gocd.yaml.erb b/gocd/slfo-stagings.gocd.yaml.erb
index 74b685e2..d4395e12 100644
--- a/gocd/slfo-stagings.gocd.yaml.erb
+++ b/gocd/slfo-stagings.gocd.yaml.erb
@@ -60,13 +60,18 @@ pipelines:
               fi
 
     - Build.product:
+        timeout: 180
         resources:
           - staging-bot
         tasks:
           - script: |-
               osc -A $STAGING_API api -X POST "/source/$STAGING_PROJECT?cmd=remove_flag&repository=product&flag=build"
               export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/scripts
-              while ! ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; do
+              while ./scripts/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py -A $STAGING_API -p $STAGING_PROJECT -r product; ret=$?; [ ${ret} -ne 0 ]; do
+                if [ ${ret} -eq 2 ]; then
+                    echo "product repository not found. Project configuration issue?" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 sleep 60
               done
 
diff --git a/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py b/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py
index b00e9483..23fe92b7 100755
--- a/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py
+++ b/gocd/verify-repo-built-successful.py
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ from lxml import etree as ET
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Check if all packages built fine')
     parser.add_argument('--apiurl', '-A', type=str, help='API URL of OBS')
-    parser.add_argument('-p', '--project', type=str, help='Project to check')
+    parser.add_argument('-p', '--project', type=str, help='Project to check',
+                        required=True)
     parser.add_argument('-r', '--repository', type=str,
-                        help='Repository to check')
+                        help='Repository to check', required=True)
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
@@ -26,7 +27,14 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
     logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-    # first check if repo is finished
+    # first check if repo is available
+    url = makeurl(apiurl, ['source', args.project, "_meta"])
+    root = ET.parse(http_GET(url)).getroot()
+    if not root.xpath(f'repository[@name="{args.repository}"]'):
+        logger.error(f'Repository {args.repository} is not available in {args.project}')
+        sys.exit(2)
+
+    # then check if repo is finished
     archs = target_archs(apiurl, args.project, args.repository)
     for arch in archs:
         url = makeurl(apiurl, ['build', args.project, args.repository, arch], {'view': 'status'})