diff --git a/scripts/apply_reviewer_rejections.py b/scripts/apply_reviewer_rejections.py
index 29c36e5..552340d 100644
--- a/scripts/apply_reviewer_rejections.py
+++ b/scripts/apply_reviewer_rejections.py
@@ -205,7 +205,14 @@ def main() -> int:
     pr = prs[0]
     pr_id = int(pr.get("pullRequestId"))
 
-    _run_git(args.repo_root, ["fetch", "--quiet", "origin", baseline_branch, drift_branch])
+    _run_git(args.repo_root, ["fetch", "--quiet", "origin", baseline_branch])
+    try:
+        _run_git(args.repo_root, ["fetch", "--quiet", "origin", drift_branch])
+    except RuntimeError as exc:
+        if "couldn't find remote ref" in str(exc).lower() or "could not find remote ref" in str(exc).lower():
+            print(f"Drift branch '{drift_branch}' not found on origin; nothing to reject.")
+            return 0
+        raise
     diff_paths = _run_diff_name_only(args.repo_root, baseline_branch, drift_branch)
     changed_paths = {
         p.strip()
diff --git a/scripts/ensure_rolling_pr.py b/scripts/ensure_rolling_pr.py
index 4d735d7..0d51d5e 100644
--- a/scripts/ensure_rolling_pr.py
+++ b/scripts/ensure_rolling_pr.py
@@ -512,7 +512,14 @@ def main() -> int:
         print("##vso[task.setvariable variable=DRIFT_PR_SUPPRESSED;isOutput=true]0")
         return 0
 
-    _run_git(args.repo_root, ["fetch", "--quiet", "origin", baseline_branch, drift_branch])
+    _run_git(args.repo_root, ["fetch", "--quiet", "origin", baseline_branch])
+    try:
+        _run_git(args.repo_root, ["fetch", "--quiet", "origin", drift_branch])
+    except RuntimeError as exc:
+        if "couldn't find remote ref" in str(exc).lower() or "could not find remote ref" in str(exc).lower():
+            pass  # Drift branch may not exist yet; fallback to HEAD below.
+        else:
+            raise
     baseline_commitish = f"origin/{baseline_branch}" if _ref_has_commit(args.repo_root, f"origin/{baseline_branch}") else baseline_branch
     drift_commitish = f"origin/{drift_branch}" if _ref_has_commit(args.repo_root, f"origin/{drift_branch}") else "HEAD"
     if not _workload_config_diff_exists(
diff --git a/scripts/update_pr_review_summary.py b/scripts/update_pr_review_summary.py
index 9a1c0aa..34ee0f8 100644
--- a/scripts/update_pr_review_summary.py
+++ b/scripts/update_pr_review_summary.py
@@ -2498,7 +2498,14 @@ def main() -> int:
             return 0
         _debug(f"Active rolling PR detected: pr_id={pr_id}, source={source_ref}, target={target_ref}")
 
-        _run_git(args.repo_root, ["fetch", "--quiet", "origin", baseline_branch, drift_branch])
+        _run_git(args.repo_root, ["fetch", "--quiet", "origin", baseline_branch])
+        try:
+            _run_git(args.repo_root, ["fetch", "--quiet", "origin", drift_branch])
+        except RuntimeError as exc:
+            if "couldn't find remote ref" in str(exc).lower() or "could not find remote ref" in str(exc).lower():
+                print(f"Drift branch '{drift_branch}' not found on origin; skipping summary update.")
+                return 0
+            raise
         diff_output = _run_diff_name_status(args.repo_root, baseline_branch, drift_branch)
         changes = _parse_changes(diff_output, args.backup_folder, args.reports_subdir)
         _debug(f"Parsed non-doc/report changes for summary: count={len(changes)}")