diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/8271-mcluseau b/changelogs/unreleased/8271-mcluseau
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..189d797bc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/8271-mcluseau
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+fix(pkg/repository/maintenance): don't panic when there's no container statuses
diff --git a/pkg/repository/maintenance.go b/pkg/repository/maintenance.go
index 1a137cba90..5ea63979f0 100644
--- a/pkg/repository/maintenance.go
+++ b/pkg/repository/maintenance.go
@@ -117,7 +117,20 @@ func GetMaintenanceResultFromJob(cli client.Client, job *batchv1.Job) (string, e
 	}
 
 	// we only have one maintenance pod for the job
-	return podList.Items[0].Status.ContainerStatuses[0].State.Terminated.Message, nil
+	pod := podList.Items[0]
+
+	statuses := pod.Status.ContainerStatuses
+	if len(statuses) == 0 {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("no container statuses found for job %s", job.Name)
+	}
+
+	// we only have one maintenance container
+	terminated := statuses[0].State.Terminated
+	if terminated == nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("container for job %s is not terminated", job.Name)
+	}
+
+	return terminated.Message, nil
 }
 
 func GetLatestMaintenanceJob(cli client.Client, ns string) (*batchv1.Job, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/repository/maintenance_test.go b/pkg/repository/maintenance_test.go
index 5077942180..f6344b166a 100644
--- a/pkg/repository/maintenance_test.go
+++ b/pkg/repository/maintenance_test.go
@@ -188,33 +188,54 @@ func TestGetMaintenanceResultFromJob(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	// Set up test pod
+	// Set up test pod with no status
 	pod := &v1.Pod{
 		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 			Name:      "test-pod",
 			Namespace: "default",
 			Labels:    map[string]string{"job-name": job.Name},
 		},
-		Status: v1.PodStatus{
-			ContainerStatuses: []v1.ContainerStatus{
-				{
-					State: v1.ContainerState{
-						Terminated: &v1.ContainerStateTerminated{
-							Message: "test message",
-						},
-					},
-				},
-			},
-		},
 	}
 
 	// Create a fake Kubernetes client
 	cli := fake.NewClientBuilder().WithObjects(job, pod).Build()
 
-	// Call the function
+	// test an error should be returned
 	result, err := GetMaintenanceResultFromJob(cli, job)
+	assert.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "", result)
+
+	// Set a non-terminated container status to the pod
+	pod.Status = v1.PodStatus{
+		ContainerStatuses: []v1.ContainerStatus{
+			{
+				State: v1.ContainerState{},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	// Test an error should be returned
+	cli = fake.NewClientBuilder().WithObjects(job, pod).Build()
+	result, err = GetMaintenanceResultFromJob(cli, job)
+	assert.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "", result)
+
+	// Set a terminated container status to the pod
+	pod.Status = v1.PodStatus{
+		ContainerStatuses: []v1.ContainerStatus{
+			{
+				State: v1.ContainerState{
+					Terminated: &v1.ContainerStateTerminated{
+						Message: "test message",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
 
-	// Check if the result and error match the expectation
+	// This call should return the termination message with no error
+	cli = fake.NewClientBuilder().WithObjects(job, pod).Build()
+	result, err = GetMaintenanceResultFromJob(cli, job)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, "test message", result)
 }