diff --git a/tests/base.py b/tests/base.py
index eca0087..9c53846 100755
--- a/tests/base.py
+++ b/tests/base.py
@@ -1658,7 +1658,7 @@
     def assertCleanShutdown(self):
         pass
 
-    def init_repo(self, project):
+    def init_repo(self, project, tag=None):
         parts = project.split('/')
         path = os.path.join(self.upstream_root, *parts[:-1])
         if not os.path.exists(path):
@@ -1672,6 +1672,8 @@
 
         repo.index.commit('initial commit')
         master = repo.create_head('master')
+        if tag:
+            repo.create_tag(tag)
 
         repo.head.reference = master
         zuul.merger.merger.reset_repo_to_head(repo)
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/single-tenant/git/org_unknown/README b/tests/fixtures/config/single-tenant/git/org_unknown/README
deleted file mode 100644
index 9daeafb..0000000
--- a/tests/fixtures/config/single-tenant/git/org_unknown/README
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-test
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py b/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
index 5d4e33e..8723766 100755
--- a/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
@@ -4055,7 +4055,7 @@
 
     def test_crd_gate_unknown(self):
         "Test unknown projects in dependent pipeline"
-        self.init_repo("org/unknown")
+        self.init_repo("org/unknown", tag='init')
         A = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/project', 'master', 'A')
         B = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/unknown', 'master', 'B')
         A.addApproval('code-review', 2)
@@ -4269,7 +4269,7 @@
         independent pipelines"""
         # It's a hack for fake gerrit,
         # as it implies repo creation upon the creation of any change
-        self.init_repo("org/unknown")
+        self.init_repo("org/unknown", tag='init')
         self._test_crd_check_reconfiguration('org/project1', 'org/unknown')
 
     @simple_layout('layouts/ignore-dependencies.yaml')
@@ -4358,7 +4358,7 @@
 
     def test_crd_check_unknown(self):
         "Test unknown projects in independent pipeline"
-        self.init_repo("org/unknown")
+        self.init_repo("org/unknown", tag='init')
         A = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/project1', 'master', 'A')
         B = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/unknown', 'master', 'D')
         # A Depends-On: B