diff --git a/terraform/modules/spack_gitlab/runner_iam.tf b/terraform/modules/spack_gitlab/runner_iam.tf
index a56941e64..7a100d9b8 100644
--- a/terraform/modules/spack_gitlab/runner_iam.tf
+++ b/terraform/modules/spack_gitlab/runner_iam.tf
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@ locals {
       ],
     }
   }
+
+  repo_ci_config = {
+    "default_variables" = {
+      "ARTIFACT_DOWNLOAD_ATTEMPTS" = "3",
+      "GET_SOURCES_ATTEMPTS"       = "3",
+      "RESTORE_CACHE_ATTEMPTS"     = "3",
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 data "aws_caller_identity" "current" {}
@@ -124,6 +132,14 @@ resource "gitlab_project_variable" "binary_mirror_role_arn" {
   value   = each.value.arn
 }
 
+resource "gitlab_project_variable" "default_variables" {
+  for_each = local.repo_ci_config.default_variables
+
+  project = data.gitlab_project.spack_packages.id
+  key     = each.key
+  value   = each.value
+}
+
 # pre_build.py needs access to this to request PR prefix scoped permissions
 resource "gitlab_project_variable" "pr_binary_mirror_bucket_arn" {
   project = data.gitlab_project.spack.id
@@ -139,6 +155,14 @@ resource "gitlab_project_variable" "binary_mirror_role_arn_spack_packages" {
   value   = each.value.arn
 }
 
+resource "gitlab_project_variable" "default_variables_spack_packages" {
+  for_each = local.repo_ci_config.default_variables
+
+  project = data.gitlab_project.spack_packages.id
+  key     = each.key
+  value   = each.value
+}
+
 # pre_build.py needs access to this to request PR prefix scoped permissions
 resource "gitlab_project_variable" "pr_binary_mirror_bucket_arn_spack_packages" {
   project = data.gitlab_project.spack_packages.id