diff --git a/src/iso/build-iso-arch.sh b/src/iso/build-iso-arch.sh
index 42c533e..49716aa 100755
--- a/src/iso/build-iso-arch.sh
+++ b/src/iso/build-iso-arch.sh
@@ -185,13 +185,18 @@ else
 fi
 
 # Package repos — copy and fix permissions for system paths
+info "Copying package repos..."
 for repo in core extra desktop gaming; do
     if [ -d "${PROJECT_ROOT}/src/repos/${repo}" ]; then
-        cp -a "${PROJECT_ROOT}/src/repos/${repo}" "${ROOTFS}/var/lib/dpack/repos/" 2>/dev/null || true
+        cp -a "${PROJECT_ROOT}/src/repos/${repo}" "${ROOTFS}/var/lib/dpack/repos/"
+        ok "  Copied ${repo} repo ($(find "${PROJECT_ROOT}/src/repos/${repo}" -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type d | wc -l) packages)"
+    else
+        warn "  Repo not found: ${PROJECT_ROOT}/src/repos/${repo}"
     fi
 done
 # Fix permissions: repo dirs came from build user, but must be world-readable in the ISO
-chmod -R a+rX "${ROOTFS}/var/lib/dpack/repos/" 2>/dev/null || true
+chmod -R a+rX "${ROOTFS}/var/lib/dpack/repos/"
+ls -la "${ROOTFS}/var/lib/dpack/repos/" || true
 
 # --- Install kernel ----------------------------------------------------------
 KERNEL_PATH=""
diff --git a/tests/run-tests.sh b/tests/run-tests.sh
index 9d11814..2544fda 100755
--- a/tests/run-tests.sh
+++ b/tests/run-tests.sh
@@ -813,10 +813,13 @@ if [ "$QUICK_MODE" = false ] && [ "$ISO_PREREQS_OK" = true ]; then
             fi
 
             # Check that package repos are in the ISO (use sudo — squashfs may preserve restrictive perms)
+            # Debug: list what's actually in the repos dir
+            echo "  DEBUG repos dir contents:" >&2
+            sudo ls -laR "$SQFS_MNT/var/lib/dpack/repos/" 2>&1 | head -20 >&2 || echo "  DEBUG: repos dir does not exist or empty" >&2
             if sudo test -d "$SQFS_MNT/var/lib/dpack/repos/core"; then
                 record_test "iso.rootfs.repos" "pass"
             else
-                record_test "iso.rootfs.repos" "fail" "Package repos missing from ISO"
+                record_test "iso.rootfs.repos" "fail" "Package repos missing from ISO (see debug output above)"
             fi
 
             sudo umount "$SQFS_MNT" 2>/dev/null