diff --git a/.github/workflows/unit_test_pipeline.yml b/.github/workflows/unit_test_pipeline.yml
index caed294d..72404fc6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/unit_test_pipeline.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unit_test_pipeline.yml
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ name: TM1Py Integration Tests
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
-      pr_number:
-        description: 'Pull request number to test'
+      code_reference:
+        description: 'PR number (e.g., #612) or branch name (e.g., master or bugfix_123 ) to test'
         required: true
+        default: ''
       environments:
         description: 'JSON array of environments to test (e.g., ["tm1-11-onprem", "tm1-11-cloud"])'
         required: true
@@ -19,11 +20,27 @@ jobs:
         environment: ${{ fromJson(inputs.environments) }}
     environment: ${{ matrix.environment }}
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout PR code
+      - name: Determine ref and PR number
+        id: determine-ref
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          code_ref='${{ inputs.code_reference }}'
+          if [[ "$code_ref" == \#* ]]; then
+            # Remove the '#' character
+            pr_number="${code_ref#\#}"
+            echo "Detected PR number: $pr_number"
+            echo "ref=refs/pull/$pr_number/merge" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "pr_number=$pr_number" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          else
+            echo "Detected branch name: $code_ref"
+            echo "ref=$code_ref" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          fi
+
+      - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
           repository: ${{ github.repository }}
-          ref: refs/pull/${{ inputs.pr_number }}/merge
+          ref: ${{ steps.determine-ref.outputs.ref }}
 
       - name: Set up Python
         uses: actions/setup-python@v4
@@ -32,7 +49,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: |
-          pip install -e .[pandas,dev] 
+          pip install -e .[pandas,dev]
+
       - name: Retrieve TM1 Connection Details
         run: echo "Retrieving TM1 connection details"
         env:
@@ -57,13 +75,13 @@ jobs:
           path: Tests/test-reports/
 
       - name: Post comment to PR
-        if: always()
+        if: ${{ always() && steps.determine-ref.outputs.pr_number }}
         uses: actions/github-script@v6
         with:
           script: |
             github.rest.issues.createComment({
               owner: context.repo.owner,
               repo: context.repo.repo,
-              issue_number: ${{ inputs.pr_number }},
+              issue_number: ${{ steps.determine-ref.outputs.pr_number }},
               body: 'Tests completed for environment: ${{ matrix.environment }}. Check artifacts for details.'
             })
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