diff --git a/builder/kojid b/builder/kojid
index 3e6106af..1b192b51 100755
--- a/builder/kojid
+++ b/builder/kojid
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ from koji.tasks import (
     BaseTaskHandler,
     MultiPlatformTask,
     ServerExit,
-    ServerRestart
+    ServerRestart,
+    RefuseTask,
 )
 from koji.util import (
     dslice,
@@ -5731,7 +5732,7 @@ class NewRepoTask(BaseTaskHandler):
         if not os.path.isdir(top_repos_dir):
             # missing or incorrect mount?
             # refuse and let another host try
-            self.session.host.refuseTask(self.id, msg="No access to repos dir %s" % top_repos_dir)
+            raise RefuseTask("No access to repos dir %s" % top_repos_dir)
 
         # call repoInit
         kwargs = {}
@@ -5841,7 +5842,7 @@ class CreaterepoTask(BaseTaskHandler):
             if not os.path.isdir(top_repos_dir):
                 # missing or incorrect mount?
                 # refuse and let another host try
-                self.session.host.refuseTask(self.id, msg="No access to repos dir %s" % top_repos_dir)
+                raise RefuseTask("No access to repos dir %s" % top_repos_dir)
             else:
                 # we seem to have fs access, but dir is missing, perhaps a repo_init bug?
                 raise koji.GenericError("Repo directory missing: %s" % self.repodir)
diff --git a/koji/daemon.py b/koji/daemon.py
index a7a9561f..2b8e7004 100644
--- a/koji/daemon.py
+++ b/koji/daemon.py
@@ -1504,6 +1504,9 @@ class TaskManager(object):
         except (SystemExit, koji.tasks.ServerExit, KeyboardInterrupt):
             # we do not trap these
             raise
+        except koji.tasks.RefuseTask as refuse:
+            self.session.host.refuseTask(handler.id, msg=str(refuse))
+            return
         except koji.tasks.ServerRestart:
             # freeing this task will allow the pending restart to take effect
             self.session.host.freeTasks([handler.id])
diff --git a/koji/tasks.py b/koji/tasks.py
index ea45a167..cbb279f5 100644
--- a/koji/tasks.py
+++ b/koji/tasks.py
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ class ServerRestart(Exception):
     pass
 
 
+class RefuseTask(Exception):
+    """Raise to task handler to refuse a task"""
+    pass
+
+
 def parse_task_params(method, params):
     """Parse task params into a dictionary