diff --git a/packages/opal-server/opal_server/git_fetcher.py b/packages/opal-server/opal_server/git_fetcher.py
index 67e1016e9..020ec26b8 100644
--- a/packages/opal-server/opal_server/git_fetcher.py
+++ b/packages/opal-server/opal_server/git_fetcher.py
@@ -230,6 +230,10 @@ async def _clone(self):
             )
         except pygit2.GitError:
             logger.exception(f"Could not clone repo at {self._source.url}")
+            # Fix: Cleanup failed clone directly to prevent "directory not empty" or symlink leftovers
+            if self._repo_path.exists():
+                logger.warning(f"Cleaning up failed clone directory: {self._repo_path}")
+                shutil.rmtree(self._repo_path)
         else:
             logger.info(f"Clone completed: {self._source.url}")
             await self._notify_on_changes(repo)
diff --git a/packages/opal-server/requires.txt b/packages/opal-server/requires.txt
index d5adaf2fd..3d3bb35da 100644
--- a/packages/opal-server/requires.txt
+++ b/packages/opal-server/requires.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,6 @@ gitpython>=3.1.32,<4
 pyjwt[crypto]>=2.1.0,<3
 slowapi>=0.1.5,<1
 # slowapi is stuck on and old `redis`, so fix that and switch from aioredis to redis
-pygit2>=1.14.1,<1.15
+pygit2>=1.14.1
 asgiref>=3.5.2,<4
 redis>=4.3.4,<5