diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 5085ca1..e6c2f10 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ build:
     - cp -pr env/static static
     - tar -zcf static.tar.gz static
     # Clean up the directory outside of the gitlab-runner filesystem.
-    # Retry once on failure — rm -rf can race with background processes on build runners.
-    - rm -rf /opt/make_post_sell/env || (sleep 2 && rm -rf /opt/make_post_sell/env)
+    # rm -rf can race with background processes on build runners — verify removal.
+    - rm -rf /opt/make_post_sell/env; for i in 1 2 3; do [ ! -d /opt/make_post_sell/env ] && break; sleep 2; rm -rf /opt/make_post_sell/env; done; [ ! -d /opt/make_post_sell/env ]
     # Ensure bin/python symlink exists (Python 3.12 venv may only create python3).
     - test -f env/bin/python || ln -sf python3 env/bin/python
     # Clone the virtualenv with virtualenv-clone into the desired location.