diff --git a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
index 141422317f..8fb5ea09b1 100644
--- a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ _TYPE_TO_RELEASE_TYPE = {
 _PYTHON_RELEASE_TYPES = ['python-service', 'python-pypi', 'neutron', 'horizon']
 
 
-def get_release_type(deliverable_info, project, workdir):
+def get_release_type(deliverable_info, repo, workdir):
     """Return tuple with release type and boolean indicating whether it
     was explicitly set.
 
@@ -415,10 +415,10 @@ def get_release_type(deliverable_info, project, workdir):
     if deliverable_info.get('include-pypi-link', False):
         return ('python-pypi', False)
 
-    if puppetutils.looks_like_a_module(workdir, project['repo']):
+    if puppetutils.looks_like_a_module(workdir, repo):
         return ('puppet', False)
 
-    if npmutils.looks_like_a_module(workdir, project['repo']):
+    if npmutils.looks_like_a_module(workdir, repo):
         return ('nodejs', False)
 
     return ('python-service', False)
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ def validate_release_type(deliverable_info,
         print('checking release-type for {}'.format(project['repo']))
 
         release_type, was_explicit = get_release_type(
-            deliverable_info, project, workdir,
+            deliverable_info, project['repo'], workdir,
         )
         if was_explicit:
             print('found explicit release-type {!r}'.format(
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ def validate_releases(deliverable_info, zuul_projects,
                 else:
 
                     release_type, was_explicit = get_release_type(
-                        deliverable_info, project, workdir,
+                        deliverable_info, project['repo'], workdir,
                     )
                     if was_explicit:
                         print('found explicit release-type {!r}'.format(
diff --git a/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py b/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
index 382d08fb5f..a90cb90448 100644
--- a/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ class TestGetReleaseType(base.BaseTestCase):
         }
         release_type, explicit = validate.get_release_type(
             deliverable_info,
-            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0],
+            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0]['repo'],
             self.tmpdir,
         )
         self.assertEqual(('explicitly-set', True), (release_type, explicit))
@@ -819,7 +819,7 @@ class TestGetReleaseType(base.BaseTestCase):
         }
         release_type, explicit = validate.get_release_type(
             deliverable_info,
-            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0],
+            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0]['repo'],
             self.tmpdir,
         )
         self.assertEqual(('python-pypi', False), (release_type, explicit))
@@ -838,7 +838,7 @@ class TestGetReleaseType(base.BaseTestCase):
         }
         release_type, explicit = validate.get_release_type(
             deliverable_info,
-            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0],
+            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0]['repo'],
             self.tmpdir,
         )
         self.assertEqual(('python-service', False), (release_type, explicit))
@@ -857,7 +857,7 @@ class TestGetReleaseType(base.BaseTestCase):
         }
         release_type, explicit = validate.get_release_type(
             deliverable_info,
-            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0],
+            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0]['repo'],
             self.tmpdir,
         )
         self.assertEqual(('python-pypi', False), (release_type, explicit))
@@ -876,7 +876,7 @@ class TestGetReleaseType(base.BaseTestCase):
         }
         release_type, explicit = validate.get_release_type(
             deliverable_info,
-            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0],
+            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0]['repo'],
             self.tmpdir,
         )
         self.assertEqual(('python-service', False), (release_type, explicit))
@@ -896,7 +896,7 @@ class TestGetReleaseType(base.BaseTestCase):
         }
         release_type, explicit = validate.get_release_type(
             deliverable_info,
-            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0],
+            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0]['repo'],
             self.tmpdir,
         )
         self.assertEqual(('puppet', False), (release_type, explicit))
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ class TestGetReleaseType(base.BaseTestCase):
         }
         release_type, explicit = validate.get_release_type(
             deliverable_info,
-            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0],
+            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0]['repo'],
             self.tmpdir,
         )
         self.assertEqual(('nodejs', False), (release_type, explicit))
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ class TestGetReleaseType(base.BaseTestCase):
         }
         release_type, explicit = validate.get_release_type(
             deliverable_info,
-            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0],
+            deliverable_info['releases'][0]['projects'][0]['repo'],
             self.tmpdir,
         )
         self.assertEqual(('python-service', False), (release_type, explicit))