diff --git a/lib/tool_shed/util/repository_util.py b/lib/tool_shed/util/repository_util.py
index e698bbb345ad..91629ee9b53d 100644
--- a/lib/tool_shed/util/repository_util.py
+++ b/lib/tool_shed/util/repository_util.py
@@ -194,39 +194,39 @@ def create_repository(
         long_description=long_description,
         user_id=user_id,
     )
+    sa_session.add(repository)
     if category_ids:
         # Create category associations
         for category_id in category_ids:
             category = sa_session.query(app.model.Category).get(app.security.decode_id(category_id))
             rca = app.model.RepositoryCategoryAssociation(repository, category)
             sa_session.add(rca)
-        sa_session.add(repository)
+    # Create an admin role for the repository.
+    create_repository_admin_role(app, repository)
+    # Create a temporary repo_path on disk.
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(
+        dir=app.config.file_path, prefix="f{repository.user.username}-{repository.name}"
+    ) as repository_path:
+        # Create the local repository.
+        init_repository(repo_path=repository_path)
+        # Create a .hg/hgrc file for the local repository.
+        create_hgrc_file(app, repository)
+        # Add an entry in the hgweb.config file for the local repository.
+        lhs = f"{app.config.hgweb_repo_prefix}{repository.user.username}/{repository.name}"
+        # Flush to get the id.
     session = sa_session()
     with transaction(session):
-        # Create an admin role for the repository.
-        create_repository_admin_role(app, repository)
-        # Create a temporary repo_path on disk.
-        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(
-            dir=app.config.file_path, prefix="f{repository.user.username}-{repository.name}"
-        ) as repository_path:
-            # Create the local repository.
-            init_repository(repo_path=repository_path)
-            # Create a .hg/hgrc file for the local repository.
-            create_hgrc_file(app, repository)
-            # Add an entry in the hgweb.config file for the local repository.
-            lhs = f"{app.config.hgweb_repo_prefix}{repository.user.username}/{repository.name}"
-            # Flush to get the id.
-            session.commit()
-            dir = os.path.join(app.config.file_path, *util.directory_hash_id(repository.id))
-        # Define repo name inside hashed directory.
-        final_repository_path = os.path.join(dir, "repo_%d" % repository.id)
-        # Create final repository directory.
-        if not os.path.exists(repository_path):
-            os.makedirs(repository_path)
-        os.rename(repository_path, final_repository_path)
-        app.hgweb_config_manager.add_entry(lhs, final_repository_path)
-        # Update the repository registry.
-        app.repository_registry.add_entry(repository)
+        session.commit()
+        dir = os.path.join(app.config.file_path, *util.directory_hash_id(repository.id))
+    # Define repo name inside hashed directory.
+    final_repository_path = os.path.join(dir, "repo_%d" % repository.id)
+    # Create final repository directory.
+    if not os.path.exists(repository_path):
+        os.makedirs(repository_path)
+    os.rename(repository_path, final_repository_path)
+    app.hgweb_config_manager.add_entry(lhs, final_repository_path)
+    # Update the repository registry.
+    app.repository_registry.add_entry(repository)
     message = f"Repository <b>{escape(str(repository.name))}</b> has been created."
     return repository, message