diff --git a/bin/ci/gitlab_gql.py b/bin/ci/gitlab_gql.py
index 6f69d347e63..eefdf214dd7 100755
--- a/bin/ci/gitlab_gql.py
+++ b/bin/ci/gitlab_gql.py
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ def traverse_dag_needs(jobs_metadata: Dag) -> None:
         partial = True
 
         while partial:
-            next_depth: set[str] = {n for dn in final_needs for n in jobs_metadata[dn]["needs"]}
+            next_depth: set[str] = {n for dn in final_needs if dn in jobs_metadata for n in jobs_metadata[dn]["needs"]}
             partial: bool = not final_needs.issuperset(next_depth)
             final_needs = final_needs.union(next_depth)