diff --git a/tools/pkg/repo/publish.py b/tools/pkg/repo/publish.py
index 56155b94a59..3ad0ec9e428 100644
--- a/tools/pkg/repo/publish.py
+++ b/tools/pkg/repo/publish.py
@@ -467,7 +467,12 @@ def github(
     with open(github_output, "a", encoding="utf-8") as wfh:
         wfh.write(f"release-messsage-file={release_message_path.resolve()}\n")
 
-    releases = get_salt_releases(ctx, repository)
+    try:
+        releases = get_salt_releases(ctx, repository)
+    except SystemExit:
+        ctx.warn(f"Failed to get salt releases from repository '{repository}'")
+        releases = get_salt_releases(ctx, "saltstack/salt")
+
     if Version(salt_version) >= releases[-1]:
         make_latest = True
     else:
diff --git a/tools/utils/__init__.py b/tools/utils/__init__.py
index 7ecca29992c..b5dda0ddcb3 100644
--- a/tools/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/tools/utils/__init__.py
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ def get_salt_releases(ctx: Context, repository: str) -> list[Version]:
     # Deferred import
     import tools.utils.gh
 
+    ctx.info(f"Collecting salt releases from repository '{repository}'")
+
     versions = set()
     with ctx.web as web:
         headers = {