diff --git a/vars/skipStage.groovy b/vars/skipStage.groovy
index 798b3a24f..31b056527 100644
--- a/vars/skipStage.groovy
+++ b/vars/skipStage.groovy
@@ -340,25 +340,25 @@ boolean call(Map config = [:]) {
                     prRepos('leap15') == '') ||
                    quickBuild()
         case 'Unit Tests':
-            return  env.NO_CI_TESTING == 'true' ||
-                    paramsValue('CI_BUILD_PACKAGES_ONLY', false) ||
-                    skip_stage_pragma('build') ||
-                    rpmTestVersion() != '' ||
-                    docOnlyChange(target_branch) ||
-                    skip_build_on_el_gcc(target_branch, '8') ||
-                    skip_stage_pragma('unit-tests')
+            return env.NO_CI_TESTING == 'true' ||
+                   paramsValue('CI_BUILD_PACKAGES_ONLY', false) ||
+                   rpmTestVersion() != '' ||
+                   docOnlyChange(target_branch) ||
+                   skip_stage_pragma('unit-tests')
         case 'NLT':
         case 'NLT on CentOS 8':
         case 'NLT on EL 8':
         case 'NLT on EL 8.8':
             return skip_stage_pragma('nlt') ||
                    quickBuild() ||
+                   skip_build_on_el_gcc(target_branch, '8') ||
                    stageAlreadyPassed()
         case 'Unit Test Bullseye':
         case 'Unit Test Bullseye on CentOS 8':
         case 'Unit Test Bullseye on EL 8':
         case 'Unit Test Bullseye on EL 8.8':
             return skip_stage_pragma('bullseye', 'true') ||
+                   skip_build_on_el_gcc(target_branch, '8') ||
                    stageAlreadyPassed()
         case 'Unit Test bdev with memcheck on EL 8':
         case 'Unit Test bdev with memcheck on EL 8.8':
@@ -368,6 +368,7 @@ boolean call(Map config = [:]) {
         case 'Unit Test with memcheck':
             return !paramsValue('CI_UNIT_TEST_MEMCHECK', true) ||
                    skip_stage_pragma('unit-test-memcheck') ||
+                   skip_build_on_el_gcc(target_branch, '8') ||
                    stageAlreadyPassed()
         case 'Unit Test':
         case 'Unit Test on CentOS 8':
@@ -375,6 +376,13 @@ boolean call(Map config = [:]) {
         case 'Unit Test on EL 8.8':
         case 'Unit Test bdev on EL 8':
         case 'Unit Test bdev on EL 8.8':
+            return !paramsValue('CI_UNIT_TEST', true) ||
+                   skip_stage_pragma('unit-test') ||
+                   skip_stage_pragma('run_test') ||
+                   skip_build_on_el_gcc(target_branch, '8') ||
+                   stageAlreadyPassed()
+        case 'Unit Test on Leap 15':
+        case 'Unit Test on Leap 15.5':
             return !paramsValue('CI_UNIT_TEST', true) ||
                    skip_stage_pragma('unit-test') ||
                    skip_stage_pragma('run_test') ||
diff --git a/vars/unitPackages.groovy b/vars/unitPackages.groovy
index f20929249..7c36e7eec 100644
--- a/vars/unitPackages.groovy
+++ b/vars/unitPackages.groovy
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ String call() {
     String target = stage_info['target']
     boolean quick_build = quickBuild()
 
-    if (target.startsWith('centos') || target.startsWith('el')) {
+    if (target.startsWith('centos') || target.startsWith('el') || target.startsWith('leap')) {
         if (quick_build) {
             // the script run below will read from this file
             unstash target + '-required-mercury-rpm-version'