diff --git a/tools/delete_stable_branch.py b/tools/delete_stable_branch.py
index edb795415d..491ea52462 100755
--- a/tools/delete_stable_branch.py
+++ b/tools/delete_stable_branch.py
@@ -18,11 +18,14 @@
 
 import argparse
 import getpass
+import json
+import sys
 
 import requests
 
 
 GERRIT_URL = 'https://review.opendev.org/'
+GITEA_URL = 'https://opendev.org/api/v1'
 
 
 def delete_branch(username, project_name, branch_id):
@@ -37,27 +40,74 @@ def delete_branch(username, project_name, branch_id):
     if response.status_code == 204:
         print(f'Branch stable/{branch_id} successfully deleted '
               f'from {project_name}!')
+        return 0
     elif response.status_code == 401:
         print('401 Unauthorized.')
+        return 1
     else:
         # NOTE(elod.illes): other possible errors from gerrit:
         # 404: In case of project or branch is not found
         # 409: Branch has open changes
         print(f'Delete failed ({response.status_code}): {response.text}')
+        return 2
+
+
+def is_branch_open(project_name, branch_id, quiet):
+    url = (f'{GITEA_URL}/repos/{project_name.replace("/", "%2F")}/'
+           f'branches/stable%2F{branch_id}')
+    response = requests.get(url)
+    try:
+        response_details = response.json()
+    except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError as exc:
+        print(f'ERROR: JSON decode failed ({exc})')
+        print(f'ERROR: ({response.status_code}): {response.text}')
+        print('Is the project name correct, like "openstack/nova"?')
+        return 4
+    if response.status_code == 200:
+        if not quiet:
+            print(f'stable/{branch_id} exists in {project_name}.')
+        return 0
+    elif ((response.status_code == 404) and
+          (response_details['errors'] == [f'branch does not exist [name: stable/{branch_id}]']) and
+          (response_details['message'] == "The target couldn't be found.")):
+        if not quiet:
+            print(f'stable/{branch_id} does not exist in {project_name}.')
+        return 1
+    else:
+        print(f'ERROR: ({response.status_code}): {response.text}')
+        return 2
 
 
 def main():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
         description='Deletes stable/<branch> from <project>.')
-    parser.add_argument('username', help='Gerrit Username')
-    parser.add_argument('project', help='Project to delete from')
-    parser.add_argument('branch', help='Branch to delete')
+    subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(required=True, dest='command',
+                                       metavar='{delete,check}')
+
+    delete_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
+        'delete', help='Delete stable/<branch> from <project>')
+    delete_parser.add_argument('username', help='Gerrit Username')
+    delete_parser.add_argument('project', help='Project to delete from')
+    delete_parser.add_argument('branch', help='Branch to delete')
+
+    check_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
+        'check', help='Check if stable/<branch> exists for <project>')
+    check_parser.add_argument('project', help='Project to check')
+    check_parser.add_argument('branch', help='Branch to check if exists')
+    check_parser.add_argument(
+        '-q', '--quiet', action='store_true',
+        help='Return code only (0 means branch exists)')
+
     args = parser.parse_args()
-    delete_branch(
-        args.username,
-        args.project,
-        args.branch.replace('stable/', ''))
+    if args.command == 'delete':
+        return delete_branch(args.username,
+                             args.project,
+                             args.branch.replace('stable/', ''))
+    elif args.command == 'check':
+        return is_branch_open(args.project,
+                              args.branch.replace('stable/', ''),
+                              args.quiet)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    main()
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/tools/list_eol_stale_branches.sh b/tools/list_eol_stale_branches.sh
index 5df2416e43..e9c3bf8dca 100755
--- a/tools/list_eol_stale_branches.sh
+++ b/tools/list_eol_stale_branches.sh
@@ -86,18 +86,19 @@ function eol_tag_matches_head {
 }
 
 function is_eol {
-    clone_repo ${repo} stable/${em_branch}
-    cd ${repo} && git checkout -f -q stable/${em_branch} 2>/dev/null
+    ${TOOLSDIR}/delete_stable_branch.py check --quiet ${repo} ${em_branch}
     if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
         echo
         echo "${repo} contains eol stale branch (${em_branch})"
+        clone_repo ${repo} stable/${em_branch}
+        cd ${repo}
         if no_open_patches && eol_tag_matches_head; then
             read -p "> Do you want to delete the branch stable/${em_branch} from ${repo} repository? [y/N]: " YN
             if [ "${YN,,}" == "y" ]; then
                 if [ -z "$gerrit_username" ]; then
                     read -p "Gerrit username: " gerrit_username
                 fi
-                ${TOOLSDIR}/delete_stable_branch.py ${gerrit_username} ${repo} ${em_branch}
+                ${TOOLSDIR}/delete_stable_branch.py delete ${gerrit_username} ${repo} ${em_branch}
             fi
         fi
         cd ..