diff --git a/peridot/builder/v1/workflow/sync.go b/peridot/builder/v1/workflow/sync.go
index f734b89..aa2f0a5 100644
--- a/peridot/builder/v1/workflow/sync.go
+++ b/peridot/builder/v1/workflow/sync.go
@@ -568,6 +568,9 @@ func kindCatalogGroupInstallOptions(tx peridotdb.Access, req *peridotpb.SyncCata
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse build groupinstall options: %w", err)
 		}
 		err = tx.SetBuildRootPackages(req.ProjectId.Value, srpmPackages, buildPackages)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set buildroot packages for project: %w", err)
+		}
 
 		ret.SrpmPackages = append(ret.SrpmPackages, srpmPackages...)
 		ret.BuildPackages = append(ret.BuildPackages, buildPackages...)
diff --git a/peridot/db/db.go b/peridot/db/db.go
index f86a8df..51d04a0 100644
--- a/peridot/db/db.go
+++ b/peridot/db/db.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ type Access interface {
 	CreateProject(project *peridotpb.Project) (*models.Project, error)
 	UpdateProject(id string, project *peridotpb.Project) (*models.Project, error)
 	SetProjectKeys(projectId string, username string, password string) error
-	SetBuildRootPackages(projectId string, srpmPackages []string, buildPackages []string) error
+	SetBuildRootPackages(projectId string, srpmPackages pq.StringArray, buildPackages pq.StringArray) error
 
 	CreateBuild(packageId string, packageVersionId string, taskId string, projectId string) (*models.Build, error)
 	GetArtifactsForBuild(buildId string) (models.TaskArtifacts, error)
diff --git a/peridot/db/psql/project.go b/peridot/db/psql/project.go
index f93acdb..afe6ffa 100644
--- a/peridot/db/psql/project.go
+++ b/peridot/db/psql/project.go
@@ -339,7 +339,14 @@ func (a *Access) SetProjectKeys(projectId string, username string, password stri
 	return err
 }
 
-func (a *Access) SetBuildRootPackages(projectId string, srpmPackages []string, buildPackages []string) error {
+func (a *Access) SetBuildRootPackages(projectId string, srpmPackages pq.StringArray, buildPackages pq.StringArray) error {
+	if srpmPackages == nil {
+		srpmPackages = pq.StringArray{}
+	}
+	if buildPackages == nil {
+		buildPackages = pq.StringArray{}
+	}
+
 	_, err := a.query.Exec(
 		`
 		update projects set srpm_stage_packages = $2, build_stage_packages = $3