diff --git a/clients/gitlabrepo/branches.go b/clients/gitlabrepo/branches.go
index 724d395f8f7..5230a1f18fe 100644
--- a/clients/gitlabrepo/branches.go
+++ b/clients/gitlabrepo/branches.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ func (handler *branchesHandler) init(repourl *repoURL) {
 	handler.once = new(sync.Once)
 }
 
+// nolint: nestif
 func (handler *branchesHandler) setup() error {
 	handler.once.Do(func() {
 		if !strings.EqualFold(handler.repourl.commitSHA, clients.HeadSHA) {
@@ -225,10 +226,9 @@ func makeBranchRefFrom(branch *gitlab.Branch, protectedBranch *gitlab.ProtectedB
 	projectApprovalRule *gitlab.ProjectApprovals,
 ) *clients.BranchRef {
 	requiresStatusChecks := newFalse()
-	if projectStatusChecks != nil {
-		if len(projectStatusChecks) > 0 {
-			requiresStatusChecks = newTrue()
-		}
+
+	if len(projectStatusChecks) > 0 {
+		requiresStatusChecks = newTrue()
 	}
 
 	statusChecksRule := clients.StatusChecksRule{
diff --git a/clients/gitlabrepo/client.go b/clients/gitlabrepo/client.go
index 20f30afda1b..ce38f5fa7ce 100644
--- a/clients/gitlabrepo/client.go
+++ b/clients/gitlabrepo/client.go
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ func (client *Client) InitRepo(inputRepo clients.Repo, commitSHA string) error {
 
 	// Init tarballHandler.
 	client.tarball.init(client.ctx, client.repourl, client.repo, commitSHA)
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/clients/gitlabrepo/commits.go b/clients/gitlabrepo/commits.go
index a31ea8a5de7..796c003d563 100644
--- a/clients/gitlabrepo/commits.go
+++ b/clients/gitlabrepo/commits.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ func (handler *commitsHandler) init(repourl *repoURL) {
 	handler.once = new(sync.Once)
 }
 
+// nolint: gocognit
 func (handler *commitsHandler) setup() error {
 	handler.once.Do(func() {
 		commits, _, err := handler.glClient.Commits.ListCommits(handler.repourl.projectID, &gitlab.ListCommitsOptions{})