diff --git a/.github/workflows/package-update-kayobe.yml b/.github/workflows/package-update-kayobe.yml
index f007bd03..511a4775 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/package-update-kayobe.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/package-update-kayobe.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ on:
         required: false
         description: Branch of StackHPC Kayobe configuration to use
         default: stackhpc/2026.1
+      debug:
+        description: "Enable debug logging"
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
 
 env:
   ANSIBLE_FORCE_COLOR: true
@@ -44,7 +48,8 @@ jobs:
           ansible/test-kayobe-repo-version-generate.yml \
           -e deb_package_repo_filter="'$FILTER'" \
           -e rpm_package_repo_filter="'$FILTER'" \
-          -e kayobe_config_repo_path=./stackhpc-kayobe-config/
+          -e kayobe_config_repo_path=./stackhpc-kayobe-config/ \
+          -e release_train_debug=${{ github.event.inputs.debug }}
         env:
           FILTER: ${{ github.event.inputs.filter }}
 
diff --git a/ansible/filter_plugins/filters.py b/ansible/filter_plugins/filters.py
index f3045d4e..054886e1 100644
--- a/ansible/filter_plugins/filters.py
+++ b/ansible/filter_plugins/filters.py
@@ -12,9 +12,13 @@
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 
+import posixpath
 import re
 
 
+_VERSION_SUFFIX = re.compile(r"-[0-9]{8}T[0-9]{6}$")
+
+
 def select_repos(repos, filter_string, package_sync_group):
     """Select repositories that match a filter string and package sync group.
 
@@ -50,6 +54,62 @@ def select_images(images, filter_string):
     patterns = re.compile(r"|".join(regexes).join('()'))
     return [image for image in images if re.search(patterns, image)]
 
+def _repo_version(pub):
+    # Orders by version, not timestamp.
+    return int(pub["repository_version"].rstrip("/").rsplit("/", 1)[-1])
+
+
+def _resolve(dist_specs, repositories, publications, distributions):
+    """Resolve each desired distribution to its repo, latest publication and distribution.
+
+    Builds the lookup tables once, rather than re-scanning every list for each
+    repository as the equivalent Jinja did.
+    """
+    repo_by_name = {repo["name"]: repo for repo in repositories}
+
+    # Newest publication per repository href.
+    newest_pub = {}
+    for pub in sorted(publications, key=_repo_version, reverse=True):
+        newest_pub.setdefault(pub["repository"], pub)
+
+    dists_by_pub = {}
+    for dist in distributions:
+        dists_by_pub.setdefault(dist.get("publication"), []).append(dist)
+
+    for spec in dist_specs:
+        repo = repo_by_name.get(spec["repository"])
+        pub = newest_pub.get(repo["pulp_href"]) if repo else None
+        dist = None
+        if pub:
+            base_name = _VERSION_SUFFIX.sub("", spec["name"])
+            pattern = re.compile(
+                r"^%s(-[0-9]{8}T[0-9]{6})?$" % re.escape(base_name))
+            dist = next((d for d in dists_by_pub.get(pub["pulp_href"], [])
+                         if pattern.match(d["name"])), None)
+        yield spec, pub, dist
+
+def latest_repo_versions(dist_specs, repositories, publications, distributions):
+    """Map repository short_name to the version of its latest distribution."""
+    return {
+        spec["short_name"]: posixpath.basename(dist["base_path"])
+        for spec, _pub, dist in _resolve(dist_specs, repositories,
+                                         publications, distributions)
+        if dist
+    }
+
+def distributions_to_create(dist_specs, repositories, publications,
+                            distributions):
+    """Return specs whose latest publication has no distribution serving it.
+
+    Each returned spec gains a 'publication' key holding that publication's href.
+    """
+    return [
+        dict(spec, publication=pub["pulp_href"])
+        for spec, pub, dist in _resolve(dist_specs, repositories,
+                                        publications, distributions)
+        if pub and not dist
+    ]
+
 
 class FilterModule(object):
 
@@ -57,4 +117,6 @@ def filters(self):
         return {
             "select_repos": select_repos,
             "select_images": select_images,
+            "latest_repo_versions": latest_repo_versions,
+            "distributions_to_create": distributions_to_create,
         }
diff --git a/ansible/inventory/group_vars/all/meta b/ansible/inventory/group_vars/all/meta
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ebdaebf0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/inventory/group_vars/all/meta
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+# Enable to print debug logs in release train workflows
+release_train_debug: false
diff --git a/ansible/kayobe-repo-version-query.yml b/ansible/kayobe-repo-version-query.yml
index 454a2af1..ee745c33 100644
--- a/ansible/kayobe-repo-version-query.yml
+++ b/ansible/kayobe-repo-version-query.yml
@@ -46,3 +46,5 @@
     - name: Display Kayobe Pulp repository versions
       ansible.builtin.debug:
         var: kayobe_pulp_repo_versions
+      when:
+        - release_train_debug | bool
diff --git a/ansible/test-pulp-repo-version-query.yml b/ansible/test-pulp-repo-version-query.yml
index 22c68d64..ac8197d4 100644
--- a/ansible/test-pulp-repo-version-query.yml
+++ b/ansible/test-pulp-repo-version-query.yml
@@ -63,144 +63,102 @@
         password: "{{ pulp_password }}"
       register: pulp_rpm_dists_list
 
-    - vars:
-        repo_list: >-
-          {{ pulp_deb_repos_list.repositories
-             | selectattr('name', 'equalto', item.repository)
-             | list }}
-        repo: "{{ repo_list[0] if (repo_list | length > 0) else {} }}"
-        pubs: >-
-          {{ (pulp_deb_pubs_list.publications + pulp_deb_verbatim_pubs_list.publications)
-             | selectattr('repository', 'equalto', repo.get('pulp_href', ''))
-             | stackhpc.pulp.sort_publications | list }}
-        pub: "{{ pubs[0] if (pubs | length > 0) else {} }}"
-        base_name: "{{ item.name | regex_replace('-[0-9]{8}T[0-9]{6}$', '') }}"
-        safe_pattern: "^{{ base_name | regex_escape }}(-[0-9]{8}T[0-9]{6})?$"
-        existing_dists: >-
-          {{ pulp_deb_dists_list.distributions
-             | selectattr('publication', 'equalto', pub.get('pulp_href', ''))
-             | selectattr('name', 'match', safe_pattern)
-             | list }}
-        dist: "{{ existing_dists[0] if (existing_dists | length > 0) else {} }}"
-
-      block:
-        - name: Ensure Deb distributions exist for latest publication
-          pulp.squeezer.deb_distribution:
-            pulp_url: "{{ pulp_url }}"
-            username: "{{ pulp_username }}"
-            password: "{{ pulp_password }}"
-            name: "{{ item.name }}"
-            base_path: "{{ item.base_path }}"
-            publication: "{{ pub.get('pulp_href') }}"
-            content_guard: "{{ item.content_guard | default(omit) }}"
-            state: present
-          loop: "{{ dev_pulp_distribution_deb }}"
-          loop_control:
-            label: "{{ item.repository }}"
-          when: (pub | length > 0) and (existing_dists | length == 0)
-
-        - name: Re-query Deb distributions (to capture newly created ones)
-          pulp.squeezer.deb_distribution:
-            pulp_url: "{{ pulp_url }}"
-            username: "{{ pulp_username }}"
-            password: "{{ pulp_password }}"
-          register: pulp_deb_dists_list
-
-        - name: Display latest Deb distributions
-          vars:
-            info:
-              repo: "{{ repo }}"
-              pub: "{{ pub }}"
-              dist: "{{ dist }}"
-          ansible.builtin.debug:
-            var: info
-          loop: "{{ dev_pulp_distribution_deb }}"
-          loop_control:
-            label: "{{ item.repository }}"
-          when: pub | length > 0
-
-        - name: Set a fact about latest Deb versions
-          ansible.builtin.set_fact:
-            test_pulp_repository_deb_repo_versions: >-
-              {{ test_pulp_repository_deb_repo_versions
-                 | default({})
-                 | combine({item.short_name: dist.base_path | basename}) }}
-          loop: "{{ dev_pulp_distribution_deb }}"
-          loop_control:
-            label: "{{ item.repository }}"
-          when: dist | length > 0
-
-        - name: Display latest versions fact
-          ansible.builtin.debug:
-            var: test_pulp_repository_deb_repo_versions
-
-    - vars:
-        repo_list: >-
-          {{ pulp_rpm_repos_list.repositories
-             | selectattr('name', 'equalto', item.repository)
-             | list }}
-        repo: "{{ repo_list[0] if (repo_list | length > 0) else {} }}"
-        pubs: >-
-          {{ pulp_rpm_pubs_list.publications
-             | selectattr('repository', 'equalto', repo.get('pulp_href', ''))
-             | stackhpc.pulp.sort_publications | list }}
-        pub: "{{ pubs[0] if (pubs | length > 0) else {} }}"
-        base_name: "{{ item.name | regex_replace('-[0-9]{8}T[0-9]{6}$', '') }}"
-        safe_pattern: "^{{ base_name | regex_escape }}(-[0-9]{8}T[0-9]{6})?$"
-        existing_dists: >-
-          {{ pulp_rpm_dists_list.distributions
-             | selectattr('publication', 'equalto', pub.get('pulp_href', ''))
-             | selectattr('name', 'match', safe_pattern)
-             | list }}
-        dist: "{{ existing_dists[0] if (existing_dists | length > 0) else {} }}"
-
-      block:
-        - name: Ensure RPM distributions exist for latest publication
-          pulp.squeezer.rpm_distribution:
-            pulp_url: "{{ pulp_url }}"
-            username: "{{ pulp_username }}"
-            password: "{{ pulp_password }}"
-            name: "{{ item.name }}"
-            base_path: "{{ item.base_path }}"
-            publication: "{{ pub.get('pulp_href') }}"
-            content_guard: "{{ item.content_guard | default(omit) }}"
-            state: present
-          loop: "{{ dev_pulp_distribution_rpm }}"
-          loop_control:
-            label: "{{ item.repository }}"
-          when: (pub | length > 0) and (existing_dists | length == 0)
-
-        - name: Re-query RPM distributions (to capture newly created ones)
-          pulp.squeezer.rpm_distribution:
-            pulp_url: "{{ pulp_url }}"
-            username: "{{ pulp_username }}"
-            password: "{{ pulp_password }}"
-          register: pulp_rpm_dists_list
-
-        - name: Display latest RPM distributions
-          vars:
-            info:
-              repo: "{{ repo }}"
-              pub: "{{ pub }}"
-              dist: "{{ dist }}"
-          ansible.builtin.debug:
-            var: info
-          loop: "{{ dev_pulp_distribution_rpm }}"
-          loop_control:
-            label: "{{ item.repository }}"
-          when: pub | length > 0
-
-        - name: Set a fact about latest RPM versions
-          ansible.builtin.set_fact:
-            test_pulp_repository_rpm_repo_versions: >-
-              {{ test_pulp_repository_rpm_repo_versions
-                 | default({})
-                 | combine({item.short_name: dist.base_path | basename}) }}
-          loop: "{{ dev_pulp_distribution_rpm }}"
-          loop_control:
-            label: "{{ item.repository }}"
-          when: dist | length > 0
-
-        - name: Display latest versions fact
-          ansible.builtin.debug:
-            var: test_pulp_repository_rpm_repo_versions
+    - name: Create missing Deb distributions for the latest publication
+      pulp.squeezer.deb_distribution:
+        pulp_url: "{{ pulp_url }}"
+        username: "{{ pulp_username }}"
+        password: "{{ pulp_password }}"
+        name: "{{ item.name }}"
+        base_path: "{{ item.base_path }}"
+        publication: "{{ item.publication }}"
+        content_guard: "{{ item.content_guard | default(omit) }}"
+        state: present
+      loop: >-
+        {{ dev_pulp_distribution_deb
+           | distributions_to_create(
+               pulp_deb_repos_list.repositories,
+               pulp_deb_pubs_list.publications
+               + pulp_deb_verbatim_pubs_list.publications,
+               pulp_deb_dists_list.distributions) }}
+      loop_control:
+        label: "{{ item.repository }}"
+      register: deb_dists_created
+
+    - name: Re-query Deb distributions (to capture newly created ones)
+      pulp.squeezer.deb_distribution:
+        pulp_url: "{{ pulp_url }}"
+        username: "{{ pulp_username }}"
+        password: "{{ pulp_password }}"
+      register: pulp_deb_dists_requery
+      when: deb_dists_created is changed  # noqa: no-handler
+
+    - name: Set a fact about latest Deb versions
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        test_pulp_repository_deb_repo_versions: >-
+          {{ dev_pulp_distribution_deb
+             | latest_repo_versions(
+                 pulp_deb_repos_list.repositories,
+                 pulp_deb_pubs_list.publications
+                 + pulp_deb_verbatim_pubs_list.publications,
+                 pulp_deb_dists_requery.distributions
+                 | default(pulp_deb_dists_list.distributions, true)) }}
+
+    - name: Display latest Deb versions
+      ansible.builtin.debug:
+        var: test_pulp_repository_deb_repo_versions
+      when: release_train_debug | bool
+
+    - name: Create missing RPM distributions for the latest publication
+      pulp.squeezer.rpm_distribution:
+        pulp_url: "{{ pulp_url }}"
+        username: "{{ pulp_username }}"
+        password: "{{ pulp_password }}"
+        name: "{{ item.name }}"
+        base_path: "{{ item.base_path }}"
+        publication: "{{ item.publication }}"
+        content_guard: "{{ item.content_guard | default(omit) }}"
+        state: present
+      loop: >-
+        {{ dev_pulp_distribution_rpm
+           | distributions_to_create(
+               pulp_rpm_repos_list.repositories,
+               pulp_rpm_pubs_list.publications,
+               pulp_rpm_dists_list.distributions) }}
+      loop_control:
+        label: "{{ item.repository }}"
+      register: rpm_dists_created
+
+    - name: Re-query RPM distributions (to capture newly created ones)
+      pulp.squeezer.rpm_distribution:
+        pulp_url: "{{ pulp_url }}"
+        username: "{{ pulp_username }}"
+        password: "{{ pulp_password }}"
+      register: pulp_rpm_dists_requery
+      when: rpm_dists_created is changed  # noqa: no-handler
+
+    - name: Set a fact about latest RPM versions
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        test_pulp_repository_rpm_repo_versions: >-
+          {{ dev_pulp_distribution_rpm
+             | latest_repo_versions(
+                 pulp_rpm_repos_list.repositories,
+                 pulp_rpm_pubs_list.publications,
+                 pulp_rpm_dists_requery.distributions
+                 | default(pulp_rpm_dists_list.distributions, true)) }}
+
+    - name: Display latest RPM versions
+      ansible.builtin.debug:
+        var: test_pulp_repository_rpm_repo_versions
+      when: release_train_debug | bool
+
+    - name: Fail if no RPM repository versions were resolved
+      ansible.builtin.assert:
+        that: test_pulp_repository_rpm_repo_versions | length > 0
+        fail_msg: "No RPM repository versions resolved from {{ pulp_url }}"
+      when: dev_pulp_distribution_rpm | length > 0
+
+    - name: Fail if no Deb repository versions were resolved
+      ansible.builtin.assert:
+        that: test_pulp_repository_deb_repo_versions | length > 0
+        fail_msg: "No Deb repository versions resolved from {{ pulp_url }}"
+      when: dev_pulp_distribution_deb | length > 0