diff --git a/Containerfile b/Containerfile
index 8dcbf7b..6f037c0 100644
--- a/Containerfile
+++ b/Containerfile
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 FROM fedora:latest
 
-RUN dnf install -y python3-ogr python3-copr python3-koji python3-pip fedpkg krb5-workstation && dnf clean all
+RUN dnf install -y python3-ogr python3-copr python3-koji python3-pip fedpkg krb5-workstation openssh-clients && dnf clean all
 
 RUN pip3 install --upgrade sentry-sdk && pip3 check
 
+# Configure SSH to not prompt for host key verification
+RUN mkdir -p /root/.ssh && \
+    echo "Host pkgs.fedoraproject.org" >> /root/.ssh/config && \
+    echo "    StrictHostKeyChecking accept-new" >> /root/.ssh/config && \
+    echo "    UserKnownHostsFile /dev/null" >> /root/.ssh/config && \
+    chmod 600 /root/.ssh/config
+
 RUN pip3 install git+https://github.com/packit/validation.git
 
 CMD ["validation"]
diff --git a/src/validation/deployment.py b/src/validation/deployment.py
index fddbfab..f4b398b 100644
--- a/src/validation/deployment.py
+++ b/src/validation/deployment.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class DeploymentInfo:
     name: str
     app_name: str
     pr_comment: str
+    pr_comment_test: str
     pr_comment_vm_image_build: str
     opened_pr_trigger__packit_yaml_fix: Optional[YamlFix]
     copr_user: str
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ class DeploymentInfo:
     name="prod",
     app_name="Packit-as-a-Service",
     pr_comment="/packit build",
+    pr_comment_test="/packit test",
     pr_comment_vm_image_build="/packit vm-image-build",
     opened_pr_trigger__packit_yaml_fix=None,
     copr_user="packit",
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@ class DeploymentInfo:
     name="stg",
     app_name="Packit-as-a-Service-stg",
     pr_comment="/packit-stg build",
+    pr_comment_test="/packit-stg test",
     pr_comment_vm_image_build="/packit-stg vm-image-build",
     opened_pr_trigger__packit_yaml_fix=YamlFix(
         from_str="---",
diff --git a/src/validation/helpers.py b/src/validation/helpers.py
index 4b96e09..254efa9 100644
--- a/src/validation/helpers.py
+++ b/src/validation/helpers.py
@@ -36,7 +36,15 @@ def sentry_sdk():
     if sentry_secret := getenv("SENTRY_SECRET"):
         import sentry_sdk
 
-        sentry_sdk.init(sentry_secret)
+        from validation.deployment import DEPLOYMENT
+
+        # Set environment based on deployment to distinguish in Sentry
+        environment = f"validation-{DEPLOYMENT.name}"
+
+        sentry_sdk.init(
+            sentry_secret,
+            environment=environment,
+        )
         return sentry_sdk
 
     logging.warning("SENTRY_SECRET was not set!")
diff --git a/src/validation/testcase/base.py b/src/validation/testcase/base.py
index 187ebea..c56ecd5 100644
--- a/src/validation/testcase/base.py
+++ b/src/validation/testcase/base.py
@@ -173,7 +173,14 @@ def trigger_build(self):
                 msg = "Cannot post comment: PR is not set"
                 raise ValueError(msg)
 
-            comment = self.comment or self.deployment.pr_comment
+            # For skip_build tests, use test comment instead of build comment
+            if self.comment:
+                comment = self.comment
+            elif self.pr and "skip" in self.pr.title.lower() and "build" in self.pr.title.lower():
+                comment = self.deployment.pr_comment_test
+                logging.info("Using test comment for skip_build test: %s", comment)
+            else:
+                comment = self.deployment.pr_comment
             try:
                 self.pr.comment(comment)
             except GithubAPIException as e:
diff --git a/src/validation/testcase/gitlab.py b/src/validation/testcase/gitlab.py
index e13080d..2602623 100644
--- a/src/validation/testcase/gitlab.py
+++ b/src/validation/testcase/gitlab.py
@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
+import asyncio
 import logging
-from datetime import timedelta
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 
 from gitlab import GitlabGetError
 from ogr.abstract import CommitFlag, CommitStatus
 from ogr.services.gitlab import GitlabProject
 
 from validation.testcase.base import Testcase
+from validation.utils.trigger import Trigger
 
 
 class GitlabTestcase(Testcase):
@@ -134,3 +136,93 @@ def create_empty_commit(self, branch: str, commit_msg: str) -> str:
         }
         commit = self.project.gitlab_repo.commits.create(data)
         return commit.id
+
+    async def check_pending_check_runs(self):
+        """
+        Override to add extended wait time for GitLab opened PR webhook delays.
+        GitLab webhook delivery can be delayed by over an hour during high load.
+        """
+        # First, try the normal check with standard timeouts
+        initial_failure_msg = self.failure_msg
+        await super().check_pending_check_runs()
+
+        # If this is an opened PR trigger and the initial check failed
+        if (
+            self.trigger == Trigger.pr_opened
+            and self.failure_msg != initial_failure_msg
+            and "Commit statuses did not appear in time" in self.failure_msg
+        ):
+            logging.error(
+                "GitLab webhook delivery delayed - statuses did not appear within %d minutes. "
+                "This is a known issue with GitLab webhook queuing during high load. "
+                "Waiting an additional 60 minutes for delayed webhook delivery...",
+                self.CHECK_TIME_FOR_STATUSES_TO_APPEAR,
+            )
+
+            # Clear the failure message and wait longer
+            self.failure_msg = initial_failure_msg
+
+            # Wait up to 60 more minutes for statuses to appear
+            watch_end = datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc) + timedelta(minutes=60)
+            all_statuses = self.get_statuses()
+            status_names = [self.get_status_name(status) for status in all_statuses]
+
+            while len(status_names) == 0:
+                if datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc) > watch_end:
+                    logging.error(
+                        "GitLab webhook still not received after extended 60 minute wait. "
+                        "Total wait time: %d minutes. "
+                        "This indicates a significant GitLab webhook delay.",
+                        self.CHECK_TIME_FOR_STATUSES_TO_APPEAR + 60,
+                    )
+                    self.failure_msg += (
+                        f"Commit statuses did not appear even after extended wait "
+                        f"({self.CHECK_TIME_FOR_STATUSES_TO_APPEAR + 60} minutes total).\n"
+                        "Note: GitLab webhook delivery was significantly delayed.\n"
+                    )
+                    return
+                await asyncio.sleep(30)
+                all_statuses = self.get_statuses()
+                status_names = [self.get_status_name(status) for status in all_statuses]
+
+            logging.error(
+                "GitLab webhook eventually received after extended wait. "
+                "Statuses appeared, continuing with test validation. "
+                "This delay is expected for GitLab during high load periods.",
+            )
+
+            # Continue with phase 2: wait for statuses to be set to pending
+            logging.info(
+                "Watching pending statuses for commit %s",
+                self.head_commit,
+            )
+
+            await asyncio.sleep(5)
+
+            watch_end = datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc) + timedelta(
+                minutes=self.CHECK_TIME_FOR_REACTION,
+            )
+
+            while True:
+                if datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc) > watch_end:
+                    self.failure_msg += (
+                        f"Commit statuses were not set to pending in time "
+                        f"({self.CHECK_TIME_FOR_REACTION} minutes).\n"
+                    )
+                    return
+
+                new_statuses = [
+                    status
+                    for status in self.get_statuses()
+                    if self.get_status_name(status) in status_names
+                ]
+
+                for status in new_statuses:
+                    if not self.is_status_completed(status):
+                        logging.info(
+                            "At least one commit status is now pending/running: %s",
+                            self.get_status_name(status),
+                        )
+                        return
+
+                await asyncio.sleep(30)
diff --git a/src/validation/testcase/pagure.py b/src/validation/testcase/pagure.py
index c571c90..7a906f3 100644
--- a/src/validation/testcase/pagure.py
+++ b/src/validation/testcase/pagure.py
@@ -229,15 +229,34 @@ def _setup_git_repo(self):
                     git_hostname = hostname
 
                 ssh_url = f"ssh://{user}@{git_hostname}/forks/{user}/{self.project.namespace}/{self.project.repo}.git"
-                logging.debug("Changing fork remote to SSH: %s", ssh_url)
+                logging.debug("Configuring fork remote to SSH: %s", ssh_url)
 
-                subprocess.run(  # noqa: S603
-                    ["git", "remote", "set-url", user, ssh_url],  # noqa: S607
+                # Check if remote exists, create if not
+                check_remote = subprocess.run(  # noqa: S603
+                    ["git", "remote", "get-url", user],  # noqa: S607
                     cwd=self._temp_dir,
-                    check=True,
                     capture_output=True,
+                    check=False,
                 )
-                logging.debug("Fork remote configured with SSH URL")
+
+                if check_remote.returncode == 0:
+                    # Remote exists, update URL
+                    subprocess.run(  # noqa: S603
+                        ["git", "remote", "set-url", user, ssh_url],  # noqa: S607
+                        cwd=self._temp_dir,
+                        check=True,
+                        capture_output=True,
+                    )
+                    logging.debug("Updated existing fork remote")
+                else:
+                    # Remote doesn't exist, create it
+                    subprocess.run(  # noqa: S603
+                        ["git", "remote", "add", user, ssh_url],  # noqa: S607
+                        cwd=self._temp_dir,
+                        check=True,
+                        capture_output=True,
+                    )
+                    logging.debug("Created new fork remote")
 
                 # Configure git to use SSH key if provided
                 ssh_key_path = os.getenv("PAGURE_SSH_KEY")
diff --git a/src/validation/tests/github.py b/src/validation/tests/github.py
index ef8b0ec..b8366b2 100644
--- a/src/validation/tests/github.py
+++ b/src/validation/tests/github.py
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ class GithubTests(Tests):
     # We need at least 100 requests per test, and we run multiple comment tests
     # So require at least sufficient quota
     min_required_rate_limit = 1200
-    # Space out tests to avoid hitting rate limits
-    test_stagger_seconds = 60
+    # Space out tests to avoid hitting rate limits and reduce load on packit-service
+    test_stagger_seconds = 180
 
     def __init__(self):
         github_service = GithubService(token=getenv("GITHUB_TOKEN"))
diff --git a/src/validation/tests/gitlab.py b/src/validation/tests/gitlab.py
index 7f39aaa..bc238ab 100644
--- a/src/validation/tests/gitlab.py
+++ b/src/validation/tests/gitlab.py
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ class GitlabTests(Tests):
     # (new PR, push trigger, comment tests)
     # GitLab has more generous limits than GitHub (2000/min vs 5000/hour)
     min_required_rate_limit = 250
-    # Stagger tests by 60 seconds to avoid race conditions in packit-service
+    # Stagger tests to avoid overloading packit-service instances
     # when multiple events arrive simultaneously for the same project
-    test_stagger_seconds = 60
+    test_stagger_seconds = 180
 
     def __init__(
         self,