diff --git a/modules/coactd.py b/modules/coactd.py
index 53aedad..5fb5dcd 100644
--- a/modules/coactd.py
+++ b/modules/coactd.py
@@ -601,14 +601,21 @@ def do_new_repo(
                     if principal not in repo_leaders:
                         repo_leaders.append(principal)
         except Exception as e:
-            # Query failed due to other error - do not proceed
-            error_msg = f"Failed to query existing repo data for {facility}:{repo}: {e}"
-            self.logger.error(error_msg)
-            raise RuntimeError(
-                f"Cannot safely proceed with NewRepo: database query failed. "
-                f"Proceeding with defaults could overwrite existing users/leaders. "
-                f"Original error: {e}"
-            ) from e
+            # Check if this is the specific "repo does not exist" message from API
+            error_str = str(e)
+            if "does not exist" in error_str:
+                # This is the repo-not-found case - treat as normal
+                self.logger.info(f"Repo {facility}:{repo} not found in database, creating new with principal only")
+                # Fall through with defaults: repo_users = [principal], repo_leaders = [principal]
+            else:
+                # Query failed due to other error - do not proceed
+                error_msg = f"Failed to query existing repo data for {facility}:{repo}: {e}"
+                self.logger.error(error_msg)
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    f"Cannot safely proceed with NewRepo: database query failed. "
+                    f"Proceeding with defaults could overwrite existing users/leaders. "
+                    f"Original error: {e}"
+                ) from e
 
         # run the facility tasks for this repo
         self.run_playbook(
diff --git a/tests/test_slurm_node_memory.py b/tests/test_slurm_node_memory.py
index 1946f22..947be56 100644
--- a/tests/test_slurm_node_memory.py
+++ b/tests/test_slurm_node_memory.py
@@ -28,29 +28,29 @@ def test_parse_slurm_nodelist_single(self):
     def test_parse_slurm_nodelist_range(self):
         """Test parsing a SLURM node range."""
         result = self.importer.parse_slurm_nodelist("sdfmilan[269-272]")
-        expected = ["sdfmilan0269", "sdfmilan0270", "sdfmilan0271", "sdfmilan0272"]
+        expected = ["sdfmilan269", "sdfmilan270", "sdfmilan271", "sdfmilan272"]
         assert result == expected
 
     def test_parse_slurm_nodelist_list(self):
         """Test parsing a comma-separated list of nodes."""
         result = self.importer.parse_slurm_nodelist("sdfmilan[006,011,027]")
-        expected = ["sdfmilan0006", "sdfmilan0011", "sdfmilan0027"]
+        expected = ["sdfmilan006", "sdfmilan011", "sdfmilan027"]
         assert result == expected
 
     def test_parse_slurm_nodelist_mixed(self):
         """Test parsing a mixed range and list."""
         result = self.importer.parse_slurm_nodelist("sdfmilan[001-003,010,020-022]")
         expected = [
-            "sdfmilan0001", "sdfmilan0002", "sdfmilan0003",
-            "sdfmilan0010",
-            "sdfmilan0020", "sdfmilan0021", "sdfmilan0022"
+            "sdfmilan001", "sdfmilan002", "sdfmilan003",
+            "sdfmilan010",
+            "sdfmilan020", "sdfmilan021", "sdfmilan022"
         ]
         assert result == expected
 
     def test_parse_slurm_nodelist_different_prefix(self):
         """Test parsing with different node prefix."""
         result = self.importer.parse_slurm_nodelist("sdfrome[001-003]")
-        expected = ["sdfrome0001", "sdfrome0002", "sdfrome0003"]
+        expected = ["sdfrome001", "sdfrome002", "sdfrome003"]
         assert result == expected
 
     def test_parse_slurm_nodelist_unparseable(self):