diff --git a/playbooks/roles/gitea-git-repos/library/gitea_create_repos.py b/playbooks/roles/gitea-git-repos/library/gitea_create_repos.py
index 2681985716..06299b43ba 100755
--- a/playbooks/roles/gitea-git-repos/library/gitea_create_repos.py
+++ b/playbooks/roles/gitea-git-repos/library/gitea_create_repos.py
@@ -86,22 +86,24 @@ class Gitea(object):
             self.log("Added gerrit to team:", org)
 
     def get_org_repo_list(self, org):
-        return self.get('/api/v1/orgs/{org}/repos'.format(org=org)).json()
+        return [x['full_name'] for x in
+                self.get('/api/v1/orgs/{org}/repos'.format(org=org)).json()]
 
     def get_csrf_token(self):
         resp = self.get('/')
         return urllib.parse.unquote(resp.cookies.get('_csrf'))
 
-    def make_gitea_project(self, project, csrf_token):
+    def make_gitea_project(self, project, csrf_token, create_project=True):
         org, repo = project['project'].split('/', 1)
-        resp = self.post(
-            '/api/v1/org/{org}/repos'.format(org=org),
-            json=dict(
-                auto_init=True,
-                description=project.get('description', '')[:255],
-                name=repo,
-                private=False,
-                readme='Default'))
+        if create_project:
+            resp = self.post(
+                '/api/v1/org/{org}/repos'.format(org=org),
+                json=dict(
+                    auto_init=True,
+                    description=project.get('description', '')[:255],
+                    name=repo,
+                    private=False,
+                    readme='Default'))
         self.log("Created repo:", project['project'])
         if project.get('use-storyboard'):
             external_tracker_url = SB_REPO.format(org=org, repo=repo)
@@ -158,8 +160,12 @@ class Gitea(object):
         csrf_token = self.get_csrf_token()
 
         for project in self.projects:
-            if project['project'] not in gitea_repos or self.always_update:
-                self.make_gitea_project(project, csrf_token)
+            if project['project'] in gitea_repos:
+                create = False
+            else:
+                create = True
+            if create or self.always_update:
+                self.make_gitea_project(project, csrf_token, create)
 
 
 def ansible_main():