diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/5715-Lyndon-Li b/changelogs/unreleased/5715-Lyndon-Li
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..05d9c8db1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/5715-Lyndon-Li
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix issue 5696, check if the repo is still openable before running the prune and forget operation, if not, try to reconnect the repo
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/repository/manager.go b/pkg/repository/manager.go
index fae6877dc..c8cabdd81 100644
--- a/pkg/repository/manager.go
+++ b/pkg/repository/manager.go
@@ -172,6 +172,11 @@ func (m *manager) PruneRepo(repo *velerov1api.BackupRepository) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
+
+	if err := prd.BoostRepoConnect(context.Background(), param); err != nil {
+		return errors.WithStack(err)
+	}
+
 	return prd.PruneRepo(context.Background(), param)
 }
 
@@ -207,6 +212,11 @@ func (m *manager) Forget(ctx context.Context, snapshot SnapshotIdentifier) error
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
+
+	if err := prd.BoostRepoConnect(context.Background(), param); err != nil {
+		return errors.WithStack(err)
+	}
+
 	return prd.Forget(context.Background(), snapshot.SnapshotID, param)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/repository/provider/provider.go b/pkg/repository/provider/provider.go
index 6579386d6..4b76830f5 100644
--- a/pkg/repository/provider/provider.go
+++ b/pkg/repository/provider/provider.go
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ type Provider interface {
 	// is already initialized, or do nothing if the repository is already connected
 	PrepareRepo(ctx context.Context, param RepoParam) error
 
+	// BoostRepoConnect is used to re-ensure the local connection to the repo,
+	// so that the followed operations could succeed in some environment reset
+	// scenarios, for example, pod restart
+	BoostRepoConnect(ctx context.Context, param RepoParam) error
+
 	// PruneRepo does a full prune/maintenance of the repository
 	PruneRepo(ctx context.Context, param RepoParam) error
 
diff --git a/pkg/repository/provider/restic.go b/pkg/repository/provider/restic.go
index 65038f0f2..a77c950be 100644
--- a/pkg/repository/provider/restic.go
+++ b/pkg/repository/provider/restic.go
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ func (r *resticRepositoryProvider) PrepareRepo(ctx context.Context, param RepoPa
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (r *resticRepositoryProvider) BoostRepoConnect(ctx context.Context, param RepoParam) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (r *resticRepositoryProvider) PruneRepo(ctx context.Context, param RepoParam) error {
 	return r.svc.PruneRepo(param.BackupLocation, param.BackupRepo)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/repository/provider/unified_repo.go b/pkg/repository/provider/unified_repo.go
index 2ba1c7c0d..9161e0621 100644
--- a/pkg/repository/provider/unified_repo.go
+++ b/pkg/repository/provider/unified_repo.go
@@ -200,6 +200,37 @@ func (urp *unifiedRepoProvider) PrepareRepo(ctx context.Context, param RepoParam
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (urp *unifiedRepoProvider) BoostRepoConnect(ctx context.Context, param RepoParam) error {
+	log := urp.log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
+		"BSL name":  param.BackupLocation.Name,
+		"repo name": param.BackupRepo.Name,
+		"repo UID":  param.BackupRepo.UID,
+	})
+
+	log.Debug("Start to boost repo connect")
+
+	repoOption, err := udmrepo.NewRepoOptions(
+		udmrepo.WithPassword(urp, param),
+		udmrepo.WithConfigFile(urp.workPath, string(param.BackupRepo.UID)),
+		udmrepo.WithDescription(repoConnectDesc),
+	)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "error to get repo options")
+	}
+
+	bkRepo, err := urp.repoService.Open(ctx, *repoOption)
+	if err == nil {
+		if c := bkRepo.Close(ctx); c != nil {
+			log.WithError(c).Error("Failed to close repo")
+		}
+
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return urp.ConnectToRepo(ctx, param)
+}
+
 func (urp *unifiedRepoProvider) PruneRepo(ctx context.Context, param RepoParam) error {
 	log := urp.log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 		"BSL name":  param.BackupLocation.Name,