diff --git a/module_build_service/builder/KojiModuleBuilder.py b/module_build_service/builder/KojiModuleBuilder.py
index 1e57603f..b542ad8a 100644
--- a/module_build_service/builder/KojiModuleBuilder.py
+++ b/module_build_service/builder/KojiModuleBuilder.py
@@ -181,7 +181,9 @@ class KojiModuleBuilder(GenericBuilder):
         self.koji_session = self.get_session(config)
         self.arches = [arch.name for arch in self.module.arches]
 
-        if not self.arches:
+        # Allow KojiModuleBuilder to be initialized if no arches are set but the module is in
+        # a failed set. This will allow the clean up of old module builds.
+        if not self.arches and module.state not in models.FAILED_STATES:
             raise ValueError("No arches specified in module build.")
 
         # These eventually get populated by calling _connect and __prep is set to True
diff --git a/module_build_service/models.py b/module_build_service/models.py
index 80c2f16a..e383bd2c 100644
--- a/module_build_service/models.py
+++ b/module_build_service/models.py
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ BUILD_STATES = {
 }
 
 INVERSE_BUILD_STATES = {v: k for k, v in BUILD_STATES.items()}
+FAILED_STATES = (BUILD_STATES["failed"], BUILD_STATES["garbage"])
 
 
 def _utc_datetime_to_iso(datetime_object):