diff --git a/internal/remotes/gitea/gitea.go b/internal/remotes/gitea/gitea.go
index 336cc59..26563fd 100644
--- a/internal/remotes/gitea/gitea.go
+++ b/internal/remotes/gitea/gitea.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package gitearemote
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"net/url"
 
 	"code.gitea.io/sdk/gitea"
 	"gitlab.sweetwater.com/it/devops/tools/gitlab-project-manager/internal/remotes/info"
@@ -25,19 +26,25 @@ func (r *GiteaRemote) String() string {
 		r.GetInfo().Name, r.GetInfo().Host, r.GetInfo().CloneProto)
 }
 
-func NewGiteaRemote(remoteInfo *info.RemoteInfo) (*GiteaRemote, error) {
-	client, err := gitea.NewClient(remoteInfo.Host,
-		gitea.SetContext(remoteInfo.Context()),
-		gitea.SetToken(remoteInfo.Token),
+// Prepares the Gitea api client
+func (r *GiteaRemote) setClient() error {
+	var err error
+	r.api, err = gitea.NewClient(r.info.Host,
+		gitea.SetContext(r.info.Context()),
+		gitea.SetToken(r.info.Token),
 	)
+	return err
+}
 
-	if err != nil {
+// Does not prepare the client due to the Gitea client making an initial
+// http connection. API client to be set on-demand
+func NewGiteaRemote(remoteInfo *info.RemoteInfo) (*GiteaRemote, error) {
+	if _, err := url.Parse(remoteInfo.Host); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	giteaRemote := &GiteaRemote{
 		info: remoteInfo,
-		api:  client,
 	}
 
 	return giteaRemote, nil