diff --git a/clients/gitlabrepo/client.go b/clients/gitlabrepo/client.go
index 1254118fffc..e0df99e5306 100644
--- a/clients/gitlabrepo/client.go
+++ b/clients/gitlabrepo/client.go
@@ -58,6 +58,20 @@ type Client struct {
 	commitDepth   int
 }
 
+var errRepoAccess = errors.New("repo inaccessible")
+
+// Raise an error if repository access level is private or disabled.
+func checkRepoInaccessible(repo *gitlab.Project) error {
+	if (repo.RepositoryAccessLevel == gitlab.PrivateAccessControl) ||
+		(repo.RepositoryAccessLevel == gitlab.DisabledAccessControl) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %s access level %s",
+			errRepoAccess, repo.PathWithNamespace, string(repo.RepositoryAccessLevel),
+		)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // InitRepo sets up the GitLab project in local storage for improving performance and GitLab token usage efficiency.
 func (client *Client) InitRepo(inputRepo clients.Repo, commitSHA string, commitDepth int) error {
 	glRepo, ok := inputRepo.(*repoURL)
@@ -71,6 +85,11 @@ func (client *Client) InitRepo(inputRepo clients.Repo, commitSHA string, commitD
 	if err != nil {
 		return sce.WithMessage(sce.ErrRepoUnreachable, proj+"\t"+err.Error())
 	}
+
+	if err = checkRepoInaccessible(repo); err != nil {
+		return sce.WithMessage(sce.ErrRepoUnreachable, err.Error())
+	}
+
 	if commitDepth <= 0 {
 		client.commitDepth = 30 // default
 	} else {
diff --git a/clients/gitlabrepo/client_test.go b/clients/gitlabrepo/client_test.go
index 8a92d634dbb..cfb6587bc13 100644
--- a/clients/gitlabrepo/client_test.go
+++ b/clients/gitlabrepo/client_test.go
@@ -16,9 +16,59 @@ package gitlabrepo
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/xanzy/go-gitlab"
 )
 
+func Test_checkRepoInaccessible(t *testing.T) {
+	tcs := []struct {
+		desc    string
+		repourl string
+	}{
+		{
+			desc:    "private project",
+			repourl: "https://gitlab.com/ossf-test/private-project",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tcs {
+		t.Run(tt.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
+			repo, err := MakeGitlabRepo(tt.repourl)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Errorf(tt.repourl, err)
+			}
+
+			client, err := CreateGitlabClient(context.Background(), repo.Host())
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Errorf(tt.repourl, err)
+			}
+
+			glRepo, ok := repo.(*repoURL)
+			if !ok {
+				t.Errorf(tt.repourl, errInputRepoType)
+			}
+
+			// Sanity check.
+			glcl, ok := client.(*Client)
+			if !ok {
+				t.Error(tt.repourl, errInputRepoType)
+			}
+
+			path := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", glRepo.owner, glRepo.project)
+			proj, _, err := glcl.glClient.Projects.GetProject(path, &gitlab.GetProjectOptions{})
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Error(tt.repourl, err)
+			}
+
+			if err = checkRepoInaccessible(proj); err == nil {
+				t.Errorf(fmt.Sprintf("repo %v was supposed to be unreachable but was reachable", repo))
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func Test_InitRepo(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	tcs := []struct {