diff --git a/src/aap_eda/services/project/imports.py b/src/aap_eda/services/project/imports.py
index d116b0b6b..4a0a0b1ec 100644
--- a/src/aap_eda/services/project/imports.py
+++ b/src/aap_eda/services/project/imports.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 from aap_eda.core import models
 from aap_eda.core.types import StrPath
-from aap_eda.services.project.scm import ScmEmptyError, ScmRepository
+from aap_eda.services.project.scm import ScmRepository
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ class ProjectImportError(Exception):
     pass
 
 
+class ProjectImportWarning(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
 class MalformedError(Exception):
     pass
 
@@ -61,8 +65,8 @@ def wrapper(self: ProjectImportService, project: models.Project):
         try:
             func(self, project)
             project.import_state = models.Project.ImportState.COMPLETED
-        except ScmEmptyError as e:
-            # if a project is empty, sync status should show completed
+        except ProjectImportWarning as e:
+            # import status should show completed but with an error message
             project.import_state = models.Project.ImportState.COMPLETED
             project.import_error = str(e)
         except Exception as e:
@@ -142,7 +146,9 @@ def _clone_and_process(self, project: models.Project):
             )
             yield repo_dir, repo.rev_parse("HEAD")
             if project.rulebook_set.count() == 0:
-                raise ScmEmptyError("This project contains no rulebooks.")
+                raise ProjectImportWarning(
+                    "This project contains no rulebooks."
+                )
 
     def _temporary_directory(self) -> tempfile.TemporaryDirectory:
         return tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix=TMP_PREFIX)
@@ -207,7 +213,7 @@ def _find_rulebooks(self, repo: StrPath) -> Iterator[RulebookInfo]:
                 break
 
         if not rulebooks_dir:
-            raise ProjectImportError(
+            raise ProjectImportWarning(
                 "The 'extensions/eda/rulebooks' or 'rulebooks' directory"
                 " doesn't exist within the project root."
             )
diff --git a/src/aap_eda/services/project/scm.py b/src/aap_eda/services/project/scm.py
index ab3a77bc1..1f284d3ad 100644
--- a/src/aap_eda/services/project/scm.py
+++ b/src/aap_eda/services/project/scm.py
@@ -40,12 +40,6 @@ class ScmError(Exception):
     pass
 
 
-class ScmEmptyError(ScmError):
-    """The checkout repository is empty which is treated as an error."""
-
-    pass
-
-
 class ScmAuthenticationError(Exception):
     """SCM Authentication error."""
 
@@ -289,10 +283,6 @@ def add_gpg_key(cls, key_file: str, home_dir: str) -> None:
 
 class GitAnsibleRunnerExecutor:
     ERROR_PREFIX = "Project Import Error:"
-    PROJECT_EMPTY_ERROR_MSG = (
-        "Project folder is empty. Please add "
-        "content to your project and try syncing it again."
-    )
 
     def __call__(
         self,
@@ -330,9 +320,5 @@ def __call__(
                 ):
                     err_msg = "Credentials not provided or incorrect"
                     raise ScmAuthenticationError(err_msg)
-                if "did not match any file" in err_msg and err_msg.startswith(
-                    '"Failed to checkout branch'
-                ):
-                    raise ScmEmptyError(self.PROJECT_EMPTY_ERROR_MSG)
                 raise ScmError(f"{self.ERROR_PREFIX} {err_msg}")
             raise ScmError(f"{self.ERROR_PREFIX} {outputs.getvalue().strip()}")
diff --git a/tests/integration/services/test_project_import.py b/tests/integration/services/test_project_import.py
index 5f2a7661d..3070af291 100644
--- a/tests/integration/services/test_project_import.py
+++ b/tests/integration/services/test_project_import.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 #  limitations under the License.
 import logging
 import os
-import re
 import shutil
 import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -23,7 +22,6 @@
 
 from aap_eda.core import models
 from aap_eda.services.project import ProjectImportService
-from aap_eda.services.project.imports import ProjectImportError
 from aap_eda.services.project.scm import ScmRepository
 
 DATA_DIR = Path(__file__).parent / "data"
@@ -175,25 +173,15 @@ def test_project_import_rulebook_directory_missing(
     )
 
     service = ProjectImportService(scm_cls=git_mock)
-    with pytest.raises(
-        ProjectImportError,
-        match=re.escape(message_expected),
-    ):
-        service.import_project(project)
+    service.import_project(project)
 
     project = models.Project.objects.get(id=project.id)
-    assert project.import_state == models.Project.ImportState.FAILED
+    assert project.import_state == models.Project.ImportState.COMPLETED
     assert project.import_error == message_expected
 
-    # resync the project does not clear the import_state and import_error
-    with pytest.raises(
-        ProjectImportError,
-        match=re.escape(message_expected),
-    ):
-        service.sync_project(project)
-
+    service.sync_project(project)
     project.refresh_from_db()
-    assert project.import_state == models.Project.ImportState.FAILED
+    assert project.import_state == models.Project.ImportState.COMPLETED
     assert project.import_error == message_expected