diff --git a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/Forge.java b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/Forge.java
index b2e60d9bd..62832fb36 100644
--- a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/Forge.java
+++ b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/Forge.java
@@ -32,6 +32,14 @@
 
 public interface Forge extends Host {
     String name();
+
+    /**
+     * Gets a HostedRepository on this Forge. This method should verify that the
+     * repository exists.
+     * @param name Name of repository to get
+     * @return Optional containing the repository, or empty if the repository
+     *         does not exist on the Forge.
+     */
     Optional<HostedRepository> repository(String name);
     boolean supportsReviewBody();
     Optional<HostedCommit> search(Hash hash);
diff --git a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubHost.java b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubHost.java
index c2c5adad5..792fea216 100644
--- a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubHost.java
+++ b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubHost.java
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.*;
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
-import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.time.*;
 import java.util.*;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
@@ -239,10 +238,14 @@ public boolean isValid() {
         }
     }
 
-    JSONObject getProjectInfo(String name) {
+    Optional<JSONObject> getProjectInfo(String name) {
         var project = request.get("repos/" + name)
-                             .execute();
-        return project.asObject();
+                .onError(r -> r.statusCode() == 404 ? Optional.of(JSON.object().put("NOT_FOUND", true)) : Optional.empty())
+                .execute();
+        if (project.contains("NOT_FOUND")) {
+            return Optional.empty();
+        }
+        return Optional.of(project.asObject());
     }
 
     JSONObject runSearch(String category, String query) {
@@ -268,11 +271,8 @@ JSONObject runSearch(String category, String query) {
 
     @Override
     public Optional<HostedRepository> repository(String name) {
-        try {
-            return Optional.of(new GitHubRepository(this, name));
-        } catch (Throwable t) {
-            return Optional.empty();
-        }
+        return getProjectInfo(name)
+                .map(jsonObject -> new GitHubRepository(this, name, jsonObject));
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubRepository.java b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubRepository.java
index e7b02481e..f892ee1d0 100644
--- a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubRepository.java
+++ b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubRepository.java
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ public class GitHubRepository implements HostedRepository {
     private JSONValue cachedJSON;
     private List<HostedBranch> branches;
 
+    GitHubRepository(GitHubHost gitHubHost, String repository, JSONValue json) {
+        this(gitHubHost, repository);
+        cachedJSON = json;
+    }
+
     GitHubRepository(GitHubHost gitHubHost, String repository) {
         this.gitHubHost = gitHubHost;
         this.repository = repository;
@@ -69,14 +74,14 @@ public class GitHubRepository implements HostedRepository {
             }
             return headers;
         });
-        this.cachedJSON = null;
         var urlPattern = gitHubHost.getWebURI("/" + repository + "/pull/").toString();
         pullRequestPattern = Pattern.compile(urlPattern + "(\\d+)");
     }
 
     private JSONValue json() {
         if (cachedJSON == null) {
-            cachedJSON = gitHubHost.getProjectInfo(repository);
+            cachedJSON = gitHubHost.getProjectInfo(repository)
+                    .orElseThrow(() -> new RuntimeException("Repository not found: " + repository));
         }
         return cachedJSON;
     }
diff --git a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabHost.java b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabHost.java
index 00d6c5239..947671371 100644
--- a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabHost.java
+++ b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabHost.java
@@ -138,11 +138,8 @@ Optional<JSONObject> getProjectInfo(int id) {
 
     @Override
     public Optional<HostedRepository> repository(String name) {
-        try {
-            return Optional.of(new GitLabRepository(this, name));
-        } catch (Throwable t) {
-            return Optional.empty();
-        }
+        return getProjectInfo(name)
+                .map(jsonObject -> new GitLabRepository(this, jsonObject));
     }
 
     HostUser parseAuthorField(JSONValue json) {