diff --git a/builder/kojid b/builder/kojid
index b52619ff..76001fad 100755
--- a/builder/kojid
+++ b/builder/kojid
@@ -5725,6 +5725,15 @@ class NewRepoTask(BaseTaskHandler):
 
     def handler(self, tag, event=None, src=False, debuginfo=False, separate_src=False):
         tinfo = self.session.getTag(tag, strict=True, event=event)
+
+        # check for fs access before we try calling repoInit
+        top_repos_dir = joinpath(self.options.topdir, "repos")
+        if not os.path.isdir(top_repos_dir):
+            # missing or incorrect mount?
+            # refuse and let another host try
+            self.session.refuseTask(self.id, msg="No access to repos dir %s" % top_repos_dir)
+
+        # call repoInit
         kwargs = {}
         if event is not None:
             kwargs['event'] = event
@@ -5736,6 +5745,7 @@ class NewRepoTask(BaseTaskHandler):
         if debuginfo or tinfo['extra'].get('with_debuginfo'):
             kwargs['with_debuginfo'] = True
         repo_id, event_id = self.session.host.repoInit(tinfo['id'], task_id=self.id, **kwargs)
+
         path = koji.pathinfo.repo(repo_id, tinfo['name'])
         if not os.path.isdir(path):
             raise koji.GenericError("Repo directory missing: %s" % path)