diff --git a/buildtrigger/gitlabhandler.py b/buildtrigger/gitlabhandler.py
index 0d45ea2ba..945e88257 100644
--- a/buildtrigger/gitlabhandler.py
+++ b/buildtrigger/gitlabhandler.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 import logging
 
 from functools import wraps
-from urlparse import urljoin
-
 from app import app, gitlab_trigger
 
 from jsonschema import validate
@@ -414,17 +412,18 @@ class GitLabBuildTrigger(BuildTriggerHandler):
     if not payload:
       raise SkipRequestException()
 
+    logger.debug('GitLab trigger payload %s', payload)
+
     # Lookup the default branch.
-    default_branch = None
     gl_client = self._get_authorized_client()
     repo = gl_client.getproject(self.config['build_source'])
-    if repo is not False:
-      default_branch = repo['default_branch']
-      lookup_user = self.lookup_user
+    if repo is False:
+      logger.debug('Skipping GitLab build; project %s not found', self.config['build_source'])
+      raise SkipRequestException()
 
-    logger.debug('GitLab trigger payload %s', payload)
+    default_branch = repo['default_branch']
     metadata = get_transformed_webhook_payload(payload, default_branch=default_branch,
-                                               lookup_user=lookup_user)
+                                               lookup_user=self.lookup_user)
     prepared = self.prepare_build(metadata)
 
     # Check if we should skip this build.