diff --git a/src/python/delete_cache_placeholders.py b/src/python/delete_cache_placeholders.py
index 22acd35c11..757a089e75 100755
--- a/src/python/delete_cache_placeholders.py
+++ b/src/python/delete_cache_placeholders.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 from pathlib import Path
 import json
+import shutil
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     parser = ArgumentParser()
@@ -27,8 +28,12 @@
 
     n_deleted = 0
     for file in cache_directory.glob("**/*.json"):
-        with open(file, "r") as f:
-            data = json.load(f)
+        try:
+            with open(file, "r") as f:
+                data = json.load(f)
+        except json.JSONDecodeError:
+            print(f"Could not read {file}")
+            file.unlink()
 
         for key in list(data.keys()):
             if data[key] is None:
diff --git a/src/python/repo.py b/src/python/repo.py
index fddbfaa952..0d67f756fa 100755
--- a/src/python/repo.py
+++ b/src/python/repo.py
@@ -572,9 +572,7 @@ def compute_test_coverage(self) -> float:
         """
         jacoco_file = self.repo_path / Path("target/site/jacoco/jacoco.xml")
         if not jacoco_file.exists():
-            print("Jacoco file does not exist", jacoco_file, self.repo_path)
             return 0
-        print("Jacoco file exists", jacoco_file)
         tree = ET.parse(jacoco_file)
         root = tree.getroot()
 
diff --git a/src/python/test_repo_heads.py b/src/python/test_repo_heads.py
index 1fa8bca13b..093ab3a9d7 100755
--- a/src/python/test_repo_heads.py
+++ b/src/python/test_repo_heads.py
@@ -42,7 +42,11 @@ def head_passes_tests(args: Tuple[pd.Series, Path]) -> TEST_STATE:
     repo_slug = repo_info["repository"]
     print("test_repo_heads:", repo_slug, ": head_passes_tests : started")
 
-    repo = Repository(repo_slug, cache_directory=cache)
+    try:
+        repo = Repository(repo_slug, cache_directory=cache)
+    except FileNotFoundError as e:
+        print("test_repo_heads:", repo_slug, ": head_passes_tests :", e)
+        return TEST_STATE.Git_checkout_failed
     test_state, _, _ = repo.checkout_and_test(
         repo_info["head hash"], timeout=TIMEOUT_TESTING, n_tests=3
     )