diff --git a/.changeset/nine-eggs-hug.md b/.changeset/nine-eggs-hug.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ba47032dba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/nine-eggs-hug.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-scaffolder-backend-module-gitlab': patch
+---
+
+Made "gitlab:projectVariable:create" action idempotent
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend-module-gitlab/src/actions/gitlabProjectVariableCreate.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend-module-gitlab/src/actions/gitlabProjectVariableCreate.ts
index 3a9eeec0a1..cab4410cc6 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend-module-gitlab/src/actions/gitlabProjectVariableCreate.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend-module-gitlab/src/actions/gitlabProjectVariableCreate.ts
@@ -88,12 +88,17 @@ export const createGitlabProjectVariableAction = (options: {
 
       const api = getClient({ host, integrations, token });
 
-      await api.ProjectVariables.create(projectId, key, value, {
-        variableType: variableType as VariableType,
-        protected: variableProtected,
-        masked,
-        raw,
-        environmentScope,
+      await ctx.checkpoint({
+        key: `create.project.variables.${projectId}.${key}.${value}`,
+        fn: async () => {
+          await api.ProjectVariables.create(projectId, key, value, {
+            variableType: variableType as VariableType,
+            protected: variableProtected,
+            masked,
+            raw,
+            environmentScope,
+          });
+        },
       });
     },
   });