diff --git a/ci/scripts/publish_test_metrics.py b/ci/scripts/publish_test_metrics.py
index 702e4414..6822d4cc 100644
--- a/ci/scripts/publish_test_metrics.py
+++ b/ci/scripts/publish_test_metrics.py
@@ -422,5 +422,5 @@ def main() -> int:
     return 0
 
 
-if __name__ == "__main__":
+if __name__ == "__main__":  # pragma: no cover
     raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/services/logging/Jenkinsfile.data-prepper b/services/logging/Jenkinsfile.data-prepper
index 88086d21..5af06050 100644
--- a/services/logging/Jenkinsfile.data-prepper
+++ b/services/logging/Jenkinsfile.data-prepper
@@ -196,6 +196,8 @@ EOF
           withCredentials([usernamePassword(credentialsId: 'harbor-robot', usernameVariable: 'HARBOR_USERNAME', passwordVariable: 'HARBOR_PASSWORD')]) {
             sh '''
               set -euo pipefail
+              IMAGE_TAG="${IMAGE_TAG:-2.8.0}"
+              PUSH_LATEST="${PUSH_LATEST:-true}"
               if [ -z "${HARBOR_REPO:-}" ] || [ "${HARBOR_REPO}" = "registry.bstein.dev/monitoring/data-prepper" ]; then
                 HARBOR_REPO="registry.bstein.dev/streaming/data-prepper"
               fi
diff --git a/testing/tests/test_publish_test_metrics.py b/testing/tests/test_publish_test_metrics.py
index f317eb46..b9863e07 100644
--- a/testing/tests/test_publish_test_metrics.py
+++ b/testing/tests/test_publish_test_metrics.py
@@ -145,6 +145,55 @@ def test_build_check_statuses_handles_missing_reports():
     assert check_statuses["supply_chain"] == "not_applicable"
 
 
+def test_status_normalization_and_optional_reports(tmp_path: Path):
+    report_path = tmp_path / "report.json"
+    report_path.write_text("{bad json", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    assert publish_test_metrics._normalize_result_status(None, default="failed") == "failed"
+    assert publish_test_metrics._normalize_result_status("n/a") == "not_applicable"
+    assert publish_test_metrics._normalize_result_status("unexpected", default="ok") == "ok"
+
+    assert publish_test_metrics._load_optional_json(None) == {}
+    assert publish_test_metrics._load_optional_json(str(tmp_path / "missing.json")) == {}
+    assert publish_test_metrics._load_optional_json(str(report_path)) == {}
+
+    assert publish_test_metrics._combine_statuses([]) == "not_applicable"
+    assert publish_test_metrics._combine_statuses(["not_applicable", "not_applicable"]) == "not_applicable"
+    assert publish_test_metrics._combine_statuses(["unknown"]) == "failed"
+
+    assert publish_test_metrics._infer_supply_chain_status({"compliant": False}, required=True) == "failed"
+    assert publish_test_metrics._infer_supply_chain_status({"status": None}, required=False) == "not_applicable"
+    assert publish_test_metrics._infer_supply_chain_status({"status": "not_applicable"}, required=True) == "failed"
+
+
+def test_build_check_statuses_handles_non_dict_results_and_fallbacks():
+    check_statuses = publish_test_metrics._build_check_statuses(
+        summary={
+            "results": [
+                None,
+                {"name": "", "status": "ok"},
+                {"name": "unit", "status": "warning"},
+                {"name": "hygiene", "status": "ok"},
+                {"name": "gate", "status": "ok"},
+            ]
+        },
+        tests={"tests": 3, "failures": 1, "errors": 0, "skipped": 0},
+        workspace_line_coverage_percent=94.0,
+        source_lines_over_500=0,
+        sonarqube_report={"status": "ERROR"},
+        supply_chain_report={"status": "not_applicable"},
+        supply_chain_required=True,
+    )
+
+    assert check_statuses["tests"] == "failed"
+    assert check_statuses["coverage"] == "failed"
+    assert check_statuses["loc"] == "ok"
+    assert check_statuses["docs_naming"] == "ok"
+    assert check_statuses["gate_glue"] == "ok"
+    assert check_statuses["sonarqube"] == "failed"
+    assert check_statuses["supply_chain"] == "failed"
+
+
 def test_read_text_post_text_and_fetch_existing_counter(monkeypatch):
     class _FakeResponse:
         def __init__(self, payload: str, status: int = 200):
@@ -257,6 +306,14 @@ def test_post_text_raises_and_counter_handles_bad_metric_lines(monkeypatch):
         )
         == 9.0
     )
+    assert (
+        publish_test_metrics._fetch_existing_counter(
+            "http://push.invalid",
+            "platform_quality_gate_runs_total",
+            {"job": "platform-quality-ci", "suite": "missing-suite", "status": "ok"},
+        )
+        == 0.0
+    )
 
 
 def test_build_payload_includes_canonical_checks():