diff --git a/bin/ci/ci_run_n_monitor.py b/bin/ci/ci_run_n_monitor.py
index 83d437263f6..8940733c41b 100755
--- a/bin/ci/ci_run_n_monitor.py
+++ b/bin/ci/ci_run_n_monitor.py
@@ -240,7 +240,11 @@ def parse_args() -> None:
         "--force-manual", action="store_true", help="Force jobs marked as manual"
     )
     parser.add_argument("--stress", action="store_true", help="Stresstest job(s)")
-    parser.add_argument("--project", default="mesa", help="GitLab project name")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--project",
+        default="mesa",
+        help="GitLab project in the format <user>/<project> or just <project>",
+    )
 
     mutex_group1 = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
     mutex_group1.add_argument(
diff --git a/bin/ci/gitlab_common.py b/bin/ci/gitlab_common.py
index 4b16878e8b0..7d20cc9df5c 100644
--- a/bin/ci/gitlab_common.py
+++ b/bin/ci/gitlab_common.py
@@ -14,9 +14,13 @@ from typing import Optional
 
 def get_gitlab_project(glab, name: str):
     """Finds a specified gitlab project for given user"""
-    glab.auth()
-    username = glab.user.username
-    return glab.projects.get(f"{username}/{name}")
+    if "/" in name:
+        project_path = name
+    else:
+        glab.auth()
+        username = glab.user.username
+        project_path = f"{username}/{name}"
+    return glab.projects.get(project_path)
 
 
 def read_token(token_arg: Optional[str]) -> str: