diff --git a/kojihub/kojihub.py b/kojihub/kojihub.py
index 24f8eda7..88c6ee4d 100644
--- a/kojihub/kojihub.py
+++ b/kojihub/kojihub.py
@@ -13605,8 +13605,14 @@ class RootExports(object):
             pass
         else:
             context.session.assertPerm('regen-repo')
+
         # raise error when tag does not exist
         get_tag(tag, strict=True, event=event)
+
+        # make sure repos dir exists, otherwise hosts will reject task
+        repos_dir = joinpath(koji.pathinfo.topdir, 'repos')
+        koji.ensuredir(repos_dir)
+
         opts = {}
         if event is not None:
             opts['event'] = event
diff --git a/kojihub/repos.py b/kojihub/repos.py
index a9ab40a8..ba92d118 100644
--- a/kojihub/repos.py
+++ b/kojihub/repos.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import koji
 from . import kojihub
 
 from koji.context import context
+from koji.util import joinpath
 from kojihub.db import (QueryView, UpdateProcessor, BulkUpdateProcessor, InsertProcessor, nextval,
                         Savepoint, QueryProcessor, db_lock, DeleteProcessor)
 
@@ -376,6 +377,11 @@ def repo_queue_task(req):
     # TODO should we error if user doesn't exist
     if user_id:
         taskopts['owner'] = user_id
+
+    # make sure repos dir exists, otherwise hosts will reject task
+    repos_dir = joinpath(koji.pathinfo.topdir, 'repos')
+    koji.ensuredir(repos_dir)
+
     task_id = kojihub.make_task('newRepo', args, **taskopts)
     return task_id
     # caller should update request entry if needed