diff --git a/bioconda_utils/artifacts.py b/bioconda_utils/artifacts.py
index 5bc5bee7fe..6a1321cac3 100644
--- a/bioconda_utils/artifacts.py
+++ b/bioconda_utils/artifacts.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 
 
+from enum import Enum
 import glob
 import os
 import re
@@ -20,7 +21,14 @@
 IMAGE_RE = re.compile(r"(.+)(?::|%3A)(.+)\.tar\.gz$")
 
 
-def upload_pr_artifacts(config, repo, git_sha, dryrun=False, mulled_upload_target=None, label=None, artifact_source="azure") -> bool:
+class UploadResult(Enum):
+    SUCCESS = 1
+    FAILURE = 2
+    NO_ARTIFACTS = 3
+    NO_PR = 4
+
+
+def upload_pr_artifacts(config, repo, git_sha, dryrun=False, mulled_upload_target=None, label=None, artifact_source="azure") -> UplaodResult:
     _config = utils.load_config(config)
     repodata = utils.RepoData()
 
@@ -32,13 +40,13 @@ def upload_pr_artifacts(config, repo, git_sha, dryrun=False, mulled_upload_targe
     prs = commit.get_pulls()
     if not prs:
         # no PR found for the commit
-        return True
+        return UploadResult.NO_PR
     pr = prs[0]
     artifacts = set(fetch_artifacts(pr, artifact_source))
     if not artifacts:
         # no artifacts found, fail and rebuild packages
         logger.info("No artifacts found.")
-        return False
+        return UploadResult.NO_ARTIFACTS
     else:
         success = []
         for artifact in artifacts:
@@ -92,7 +100,10 @@ def upload_pr_artifacts(config, repo, git_sha, dryrun=False, mulled_upload_targe
                             # upload the image
                             logger.info(f"Uploading {img} to {target}.")
                             success.append(skopeo_upload(fixed_img_name, target, creds=quay_login))
-        return all(success)
+        if all(success):
+            return UploadResult.SUCCESS
+        else:
+            return UploadResult.FAILURE
 
 
 @backoff.on_exception(
diff --git a/bioconda_utils/cli.py b/bioconda_utils/cli.py
index ccf25bae28..5abcf1f159 100644
--- a/bioconda_utils/cli.py
+++ b/bioconda_utils/cli.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 import warnings
 from bioconda_utils import bulk
 
-from bioconda_utils.artifacts import upload_pr_artifacts
+from bioconda_utils.artifacts import UploadResult, upload_pr_artifacts
 from bioconda_utils.skiplist import Skiplist
 from bioconda_utils.build_failure import BuildFailureRecord, collect_build_failure_dataframe
 warnings.filterwarnings("ignore", message="numpy.dtype size changed")
@@ -538,10 +538,12 @@ def handle_merged_pr(
 ):
     label = os.getenv('BIOCONDA_LABEL', None) or None
 
-    success = upload_pr_artifacts(
-        config, repo, git_range[1], dryrun=dryrun, mulled_upload_target=quay_upload_target, label=label, artifact_source=artifact_source
+    res = upload_pr_artifacts(
+        config, repo, git_range[1], dryrun=dryrun,
+        mulled_upload_target=quay_upload_target, label=label,
+        artifact_source=artifact_source
     )
-    if not success and fallback == 'build':
+    if res == UploadResult.NO_ARTIFACTS and fallback == 'build':
         success = build(
             recipe_folder,
             config,
@@ -551,6 +553,8 @@ def handle_merged_pr(
             mulled_test=True,
             label=label,
         )
+    else:
+        success = res != UploadResult.FAILURE
     exit(0 if success else 1)
 
 @recipe_folder_and_config()