diff --git a/pkg/purge_repos.go b/pkg/purge_repos.go
index 352db5e34..f96c65a41 100644
--- a/pkg/purge_repos.go
+++ b/pkg/purge_repos.go
@@ -323,9 +323,16 @@ func (opt *purgeOptions) executePurgeWorkflow(setupOpt restic.SetupOptions, cuto
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create restic wrapper: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	repoList, err := opt.findRepositoriesToPurge(rw, cutoffTime)
+	// Get repository base URL for display purposes
+	repoBase, err := opt.getResticRepoFromEnv(rw)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get restic repository base: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("\n🔎 Searching for repositories. This may take a while depending on the number of repositories...")
+	repoList, err := opt.findRepositoriesToPurge(rw, repoBase, cutoffTime)
+	if err != nil {
+		displayRepositoryErrors(err)
 	}
 
 	if len(repoList) == 0 {
@@ -333,12 +340,6 @@ func (opt *purgeOptions) executePurgeWorkflow(setupOpt restic.SetupOptions, cuto
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// Get repository base URL for display purposes
-	repoBase, err := opt.getResticRepoFromEnv(rw)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get restic repository base: %w", err)
-	}
-
 	opt.displayRepositoriesTable(repoList, repoBase)
 	if opt.dryRun {
 		displayDryRunMessage(len(repoList))
@@ -352,29 +353,21 @@ func (opt *purgeOptions) executePurgeWorkflow(setupOpt restic.SetupOptions, cuto
 	return opt.deleteRepositories(rw, repoList)
 }
 
-func (opt *purgeOptions) findRepositoriesToPurge(rw *restic.ResticWrapper, cutoffTime time.Time) ([]repositoryInfo, error) {
+func (opt *purgeOptions) findRepositoriesToPurge(rw *restic.ResticWrapper, repoBase string, cutoffTime time.Time) ([]repositoryInfo, error) {
 	var repos []repositoryInfo
 	subDirs, err := opt.listSubdirectories("")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot list sub-dirs: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	repoBase, err := opt.getResticRepoFromEnv(rw)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	script := opt.generateRepoListScript(repoBase, rw, subDirs)
 	out, err := runResticScriptViaDocker(script)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error running repo check script: %v\nOutput:\n%s", err, out)
 	}
 
-	err = extractRepoListFromOutput(out, subDirs, cutoffTime, &repos)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return repos, nil
+	err = extractRepoListFromOutput(out, repoBase, subDirs, cutoffTime, &repos)
+	return repos, err
 }
 
 func (opt *purgeOptions) listSubdirectories(path string) ([]string, error) {
@@ -434,61 +427,125 @@ func runResticScriptViaDocker(script string) (string, error) {
 	return string(out), err
 }
 
-func extractRepoListFromOutput(out string, subDirs []string, cutoffTime time.Time, repos *[]repositoryInfo) error {
-	type snapshot struct {
-		Time string `json:"time"`
-	}
-	dirIndex := 0
-	var errs []error
-	var snapshots []snapshot
+func extractRepoListFromOutput(out string, repoBase string, subDirs []string, cutoffTime time.Time, repos *[]repositoryInfo) error {
+	var (
+		dirIndex int
+		errs     []error
+	)
+
 	lines := strings.Split(out, "\n")
 	for _, line := range lines {
 		line = strings.TrimSpace(line)
-		// Skip error messages and separators
-		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "Failed to access repository") ||
-			strings.Contains(line, "Fatal: repository does not exist") {
-			// If we hit an error, we should still increment dirIndex to stay in sync
-			if dirIndex < len(subDirs) {
-				dirIndex++
-			}
+		if line == "" {
 			continue
 		}
-
-		// Parse JSON array
-		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "[") {
-			if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(line), &snapshots); err != nil {
-				errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse JSON for %s: %v", line, err))
-				if dirIndex < len(subDirs) {
-					dirIndex++
-				}
+		switch {
+		case strings.HasPrefix(line, "["):
+			if err := processSnapshotLine(line, subDirs, &dirIndex, cutoffTime, repos, &errs); err != nil {
 				continue
 			}
-
-			if len(snapshots) > 0 {
-				snapshotTime, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339Nano, snapshots[0].Time)
-				if err != nil {
-					errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse time for %s: %v", line, err))
-					if dirIndex < len(subDirs) {
-						dirIndex++
-					}
-					continue
-				}
-				if dirIndex < len(subDirs) && snapshotTime.Before(cutoffTime) {
-					*repos = append(*repos, repositoryInfo{
-						Path:         subDirs[dirIndex],
-						LastModified: snapshotTime,
-					})
-				}
+		case strings.HasPrefix(line, "{"):
+			processErrorJSONLine(line, repoBase, subDirs, dirIndex, &errs)
+		case strings.HasPrefix(line, "Failed to access repository") ||
+			strings.Contains(line, "Fatal: repository does not exist"):
+			// Handle plain text error lines
+			if dirIndex < len(subDirs) {
+				dirIndex++
 			}
-			dirIndex++
 		}
 	}
 
 	return kerr.NewAggregate(errs)
 }
 
+func processSnapshotLine(line string, subDirs []string, dirIndex *int, cutoffTime time.Time, repos *[]repositoryInfo, errs *[]error) error {
+	type snapshot struct {
+		Time string `json:"time"`
+	}
+
+	increaseDirIndexAndAppendErr := func(dirIndex *int, err error) {
+		if *dirIndex < len(subDirs) {
+			*errs = append(*errs, err)
+			*dirIndex++
+		}
+	}
+
+	var snapshots []snapshot
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(line), &snapshots); err != nil {
+		increaseDirIndexAndAppendErr(dirIndex, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse JSON for %s: %v", subDirs[*dirIndex], err))
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if len(snapshots) > 0 {
+		snapshotTime, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339Nano, snapshots[0].Time)
+		if err != nil {
+			increaseDirIndexAndAppendErr(dirIndex, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse time for %s: %v", subDirs[*dirIndex], err))
+			return err
+		}
+		if *dirIndex < len(subDirs) && snapshotTime.Before(cutoffTime) {
+			*repos = append(*repos, repositoryInfo{
+				Path:         subDirs[*dirIndex],
+				LastModified: snapshotTime,
+			})
+		}
+	}
+	*dirIndex++
+	return nil
+}
+
+func processErrorJSONLine(line string, repoBase string, subDirs []string, dirIndex int, errs *[]error) {
+	errMsg := struct {
+		MessageType string `json:"message_type"`
+		Code        int    `json:"code"`
+		Message     string `json:"message"`
+	}{}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(line), &errMsg); err == nil && errMsg.Message != "" {
+		// Skip "repository does not exist" (no repo to purge)
+		if dirIndex < len(subDirs) && !strings.Contains(strings.ToLower(errMsg.Message), "repository does not exist") {
+			repoURL := strings.TrimRight(repoBase+"/"+subDirs[dirIndex], "/")
+			*errs = append(*errs, fmt.Errorf("%s: %s", repoURL, errMsg.Message))
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func displayRepositoryErrors(err error) {
+	if err == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	fmt.Println("\n⚠️  Some repositories could not be processed:")
+
+	w := tabwriter.NewWriter(os.Stdout, TableMinWidth, TableTabWidth, TablePadding, TablePadChar, 0)
+	defer func() {
+		_ = w.Flush() // Handle error silently for display purposes
+	}()
+
+	// Header
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(w, "REPOSITORY\tERROR\n")
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(w, "----------\t-----\n")
+
+	printErr := func(e error) {
+		parts := strings.SplitN(e.Error(), ": ", 2)
+		if len(parts) == 2 {
+			_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\n", parts[0], parts[1])
+		} else {
+			_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(w, "N/A\t%s\n", e.Error())
+		}
+	}
+
+	// kerr.NewAggregate returns something that implements Errors()
+	if agg, ok := err.(interface{ Errors() []error }); ok {
+		for _, e := range agg.Errors() {
+			printErr(e)
+		}
+	} else {
+		// fallback in case it's not an aggregate
+		printErr(err)
+	}
+	fmt.Println()
+}
+
 func (opt *purgeOptions) displayNoRepositoriesMessage() {
-	fmt.Println("✅ No repositories found matching the criteria.")
+	fmt.Println("\n✅ No repositories found matching the criteria.")
 	fmt.Printf("   - Age filter: older than %s\n", opt.olderThan)
 }
 
@@ -574,7 +631,7 @@ func (opt *purgeOptions) deleteRepositories(rw *restic.ResticWrapper, repos []re
 	}
 
 	// Execute restic purge operations
-	fmt.Println("Starting repository deletion process...")
+	fmt.Println("\n🔥 Starting repository deletion. This process can be lengthy, please do not interrupt.")
 	script := opt.generateRepoPurgeScript(rw, repoBase, repos)
 	out, err := runResticScriptViaDocker(script)
 	if err != nil {