diff --git a/jenkins-scripts/docker/sdformat-abichecker.bash b/jenkins-scripts/docker/sdformat-abichecker.bash
index 7f56ed7b2..1bcd61f83 100644
--- a/jenkins-scripts/docker/sdformat-abichecker.bash
+++ b/jenkins-scripts/docker/sdformat-abichecker.bash
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@ export ABI_JOB_PKG_DEPENDENCIES_VAR_NAME="SDFORMAT_BASE_DEPENDENCIES"
 if [[ ${SDFORMAT_MAJOR_VERSION} -ge 8 ]]; then
   export NEED_C17_COMPILER=true
 fi
-  
+
+# default to use stable repos
 export ABI_JOB_REPOS="stable"
 
+# set GZDEV_PROJECT_NAME so it can override repos if necessary
+export GZDEV_PROJECT_NAME=${ABI_JOB_SOFTWARE_NAME}${SDFORMAT_MAJOR_VERSION}
+
 . ${SCRIPT_DIR}/lib/generic-abi-base.bash
diff --git a/jenkins-scripts/tools/detect_ci_matching_branch.py b/jenkins-scripts/tools/detect_ci_matching_branch.py
index 95e9d06a0..3ee892f1e 100644
--- a/jenkins-scripts/tools/detect_ci_matching_branch.py
+++ b/jenkins-scripts/tools/detect_ci_matching_branch.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import sys
 
 if len(sys.argv) != 2:
-    print('need to branch name', file=sys.stderr)
+    print('need to specify branch name', file=sys.stderr)
     exit()
 branchName = sys.argv[1]
 
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@
 if match:
     print(f"{branchName} matches {pattern}")
 else:
-    sys.exit(f"{branchName} does not match {pattern}")
+    sys.exit("{} does not match {}".format(branchName, pattern))