diff --git a/modules/jenkins/files/slave_scripts/gerrit-git-prep.sh b/modules/jenkins/files/slave_scripts/gerrit-git-prep.sh
index 818edfcaa5..098396a09c 100755
--- a/modules/jenkins/files/slave_scripts/gerrit-git-prep.sh
+++ b/modules/jenkins/files/slave_scripts/gerrit-git-prep.sh
@@ -52,16 +52,25 @@ then
 fi
 
 git reset --hard
-git clean -x -f -d -q
+if ! git clean -x -f -d -q ; then
+    sleep 1
+    git clean -x -f -d -q
+fi
 
 if [ -z "$ZUUL_NEWREV" ]
 then
     git fetch $ZUUL_SITE/p/$ZUUL_PROJECT $ZUUL_REF
     git checkout FETCH_HEAD
     git reset --hard FETCH_HEAD
-    git clean -x -f -d -q
+    if ! git clean -x -f -d -q ; then
+        sleep 1
+        git clean -x -f -d -q
+    fi
 else
     git checkout $ZUUL_NEWREV
     git reset --hard $ZUUL_NEWREV
-    git clean -x -f -d -q
+    if ! git clean -x -f -d -q ; then
+        sleep 1
+        git clean -x -f -d -q
+    fi
 fi
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/files/jenkins_job_builder/config/infra-publications.yaml b/modules/openstack_project/files/jenkins_job_builder/config/infra-publications.yaml
index b32d162432..b1b0f08396 100644
--- a/modules/openstack_project/files/jenkins_job_builder/config/infra-publications.yaml
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/files/jenkins_job_builder/config/infra-publications.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@
       - shell: |
           #!/bin/bash -xe
           git reset --hard remotes/origin/master
-          git clean -x -f -d -q
+          if ! git clean -x -f -d -q ; then
+              sleep 1
+              git clean -x -f -d -q
+          fi
           ./make-index
 
     publishers:
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/files/jenkins_job_builder/config/macros.yaml b/modules/openstack_project/files/jenkins_job_builder/config/macros.yaml
index 1a783651bc..a7022e3711 100644
--- a/modules/openstack_project/files/jenkins_job_builder/config/macros.yaml
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/files/jenkins_job_builder/config/macros.yaml
@@ -188,10 +188,16 @@
               git remote set-url origin https://review.openstack.org/p/openstack-infra/devstack-gate
               git remote update
               git reset --hard
-              git clean -x -f
+              if ! git clean -x -f ; then
+                  sleep 1
+                  git clean -x -f
+              fi
               git checkout master
               git reset --hard remotes/origin/master
-              git clean -x -f
+              if ! git clean -x -f ; then
+                  sleep 1
+                  git clean -x -f
+              fi
               cd ..
           fi