diff --git a/runner/pool/pool.go b/runner/pool/pool.go
index a66bacf8..3fe1eb3e 100644
--- a/runner/pool/pool.go
+++ b/runner/pool/pool.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ type urls struct {
 }
 
 func NewEntityPoolManager(ctx context.Context, entity params.GithubEntity, cfgInternal params.Internal, providers map[string]common.Provider, store dbCommon.Store) (common.PoolManager, error) {
-	ctx = garmUtil.WithContext(ctx, slog.Any("pool_mgr", entity), slog.Any("pool_type", params.GithubEntityTypeRepository))
+	ctx = garmUtil.WithContext(ctx, slog.Any("pool_mgr", entity.String()), slog.Any("pool_type", params.GithubEntityTypeRepository))
 	ghc, err := garmUtil.GithubClient(ctx, entity, cfgInternal.GithubCredentialsDetails)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getting github client")
diff --git a/util/util.go b/util/util.go
index 27d674ef..a75be33f 100644
--- a/util/util.go
+++ b/util/util.go
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ func (g *githubClient) getOrganizationRunnerGroupIDByName(ctx context.Context, e
 		}
 		opts.Page = ghResp.NextPage
 	}
-	return 0, runnerErrors.NewNotFoundError("runner group not found")
+	return 0, runnerErrors.NewNotFoundError("runner group %s not found", rgName)
 }
 
 func (g *githubClient) getEnterpriseRunnerGroupIDByName(ctx context.Context, entity params.GithubEntity, rgName string) (int64, error) {
@@ -360,19 +360,21 @@ func (g *githubClient) getEnterpriseRunnerGroupIDByName(ctx context.Context, ent
 }
 
 func (g *githubClient) GetEntityJITConfig(ctx context.Context, instance string, pool params.Pool, labels []string) (jitConfigMap map[string]string, runner *github.Runner, err error) {
-	var rgID int64
+	// If no runner group is set, use the default runner group ID. This is also the default for
+	// repository level runners.
+	var rgID int64 = 1
 
-	switch g.entity.EntityType {
-	case params.GithubEntityTypeRepository:
-		rgID = 1
-	case params.GithubEntityTypeOrganization:
-		rgID, err = g.getOrganizationRunnerGroupIDByName(ctx, g.entity, pool.GitHubRunnerGroup)
-	case params.GithubEntityTypeEnterprise:
-		rgID, err = g.getEnterpriseRunnerGroupIDByName(ctx, g.entity, pool.GitHubRunnerGroup)
-	}
+	if pool.GitHubRunnerGroup != "" {
+		switch g.entity.EntityType {
+		case params.GithubEntityTypeOrganization:
+			rgID, err = g.getOrganizationRunnerGroupIDByName(ctx, g.entity, pool.GitHubRunnerGroup)
+		case params.GithubEntityTypeEnterprise:
+			rgID, err = g.getEnterpriseRunnerGroupIDByName(ctx, g.entity, pool.GitHubRunnerGroup)
+		}
 
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("getting runner group ID: %w", err)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("getting runner group ID: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	req := github.GenerateJITConfigRequest{