diff --git a/build-community.sh b/build-community.sh
index 6060acea04242e846e7208ff35d9f45099792521..1b4ac01ee6337bf5d72dbe176f7ef7f584e4e7d6 100755
--- a/build-community.sh
+++ b/build-community.sh
@@ -144,18 +144,26 @@ for branch in ${BRANCH_NAME//,/ }; do
     done
 
     echo ">> [$(date)] (Re)initializing branch repository" | tee -a "$repo_log"
+
     if [ "$LOCAL_MIRROR" = true ]; then
-      yes | repo init -u "$REPO" --reference "$MIRROR_DIR" -b "$branch" &>>"$repo_log"
+        repo_cmd="yes | repo init -u \"$REPO\" --reference \"$MIRROR_DIR\" -b \"$branch\""
     else
-      TAG_PREFIX=""
-      if curl -s https://gitlab.e.foundation/api/v4/projects/659/repository/tags?search=${BRANCH_NAME} | jq -r ".[].name" | grep -q "${BRANCH_NAME}"; then
-        echo ">> [$(date)] Branch name $branch is a tag on e/os/releases, prefix with refs/tags/ for 'repo init'"
-        TAG_PREFIX="refs/tags/"
-      fi
+        TAG_PREFIX=""
+
+        # Fetch all tags and check for an exact match
+        TAG_MATCH=$(curl -s --fail https://gitlab.e.foundation/api/v4/projects/659/repository/tags?search=${BRANCH_NAME} | jq -r ".[].name" | grep -Fx "${BRANCH_NAME}")
 
-      yes | repo init -u "$REPO" -b "${TAG_PREFIX}$branch" &>>"$repo_log"
+        if [ -n "$TAG_MATCH" ]; then
+            echo ">> [$(date)] Branch name $branch is a tag on e/os/releases, prefixing with refs/tags/ for 'repo init'" | tee -a "$repo_log"
+            TAG_PREFIX="refs/tags/"
+        fi
+
+        repo_cmd="yes | repo init -u \"$REPO\" -b \"${TAG_PREFIX}$branch\""
     fi
 
+    echo ">> [$(date)] Running: $repo_cmd" | tee -a "$repo_log"
+    eval "$repo_cmd" &>>"$repo_log" || { echo ">> [$(date)] ERROR: Failed to initialize repository" | tee -a "$repo_log"; exit 1; }
+
     # Copy local manifests to the appropriate folder in order take them into consideration
     echo ">> [$(date)] Copying '$LMANIFEST_DIR/*.xml' to '.repo/local_manifests/'"
     mkdir -p .repo/local_manifests