diff --git a/.github/workflows/new_versions.yaml b/.github/workflows/new_versions.yaml
index 966d7c163..8cdb9d197 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/new_versions.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/new_versions.yaml
@@ -7,10 +7,17 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   update_versions:
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        branch: [main, emscripten-3.1.73]
+
+
     if: (github.event_name == 'schedule' && github.repository == 'emscripten-forge/recipes') || (github.event_name != 'schedule')
     runs-on: [ubuntu-latest]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ matrix.branch }}
 
       - name: Install micromamba
         uses: mamba-org/setup-micromamba@v1
diff --git a/emci/bot/bump_recipes_versions.py b/emci/bot/bump_recipes_versions.py
index 5346b5406..e3fef0190 100644
--- a/emci/bot/bump_recipes_versions.py
+++ b/emci/bot/bump_recipes_versions.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ def update_recipe_version(recipe_file, new_version, new_sha256, is_ratler):
 def make_pr_title(name, old_version, new_version):
     return f"Update {name} from {old_version} to {new_version}"
 
-def bump_recipe_version(recipe_dir):
+def bump_recipe_version(recipe_dir, target_pr_branch_name):
 
     recipe_locations = [ ("recipe.yaml", True)]
 
@@ -164,7 +164,9 @@ def bump_recipe_version(recipe_dir):
         # commit the changes and make a PR
         pr_title = make_pr_title(name, current_version, new_version)
         print(f"Making PR for {name} with title: {pr_title}")
-        make_pr_for_recipe(recipe_dir=recipe_dir, pr_title=pr_title, branch_name=branch_name, automerge=automerge)
+        make_pr_for_recipe(recipe_dir=recipe_dir, pr_title=pr_title, branch_name=branch_name, 
+            target_branch_name=target_pr_branch_name,
+            automerge=automerge)
             
     return True , current_version, new_version
 
@@ -248,11 +250,27 @@ def empty_context_manager():
     # get all opened PRs
     with user_ctx():
 
+        # get current branch name
+        current_branch_name = subprocess.check_output(['git', 'rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD']).decode('utf-8').strip()
+
+        print(f"Current branch name: {current_branch_name}")
+
         # Check for opened PRs and merge them if the CI passed
         print("Checking opened PRs and merge them if green!")
-        prs = subprocess.check_output(
+        all_prs = subprocess.check_output(
             ['gh', 'pr', 'list', '--author', 'emscripten-forge-bot'],
         ).decode('utf-8').split('\n')
+        prs = []
+        for pr in all_prs:
+            
+            # gh pr view #1479 --json  baseRefName -q '.baseRefName'
+            target_branch_name = subprocess.check_output(
+                ['gh', 'pr', 'view', pr, '--json', 'baseRefName', '-q', '.baseRefName']
+            ).decode('utf-8').strip()
+            if  target_branch_name == current_branch_name:
+                prs.append(pr)
+            else:
+                print(f"skip PR {pr} [ current branch {current_branch_name} but PR is for {target_branch_name}]")
 
         all_recipes = [recipe for recipe in Path(recipe_dir).iterdir() if recipe.is_dir()]
         # map from folder names to recipe-dir
@@ -282,7 +300,7 @@ def empty_context_manager():
         total_bumped = 0
         for recipe in all_recipes:
             try:
-                bumped_version, old_version, new_version = bump_recipe_version(recipe)
+                bumped_version, old_version, new_version = bump_recipe_version(recipe, current_branch_name)
                 if bumped_version:
                     print(f"Bumped {recipe} from {old_version} to {new_version}")
                 total_bumped += int(bumped_version)
diff --git a/emci/git_utils.py b/emci/git_utils.py
index c61f18f46..8b186e91c 100644
--- a/emci/git_utils.py
+++ b/emci/git_utils.py
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def automerge_is_enabled(pr):
 
 
 
-def make_pr_for_recipe(recipe_dir, pr_title, branch_name, automerge):
+def make_pr_for_recipe(recipe_dir, pr_title, target_branch_name, branch_name, automerge):
 
     # git commit
     subprocess.check_output(['git', 'add', recipe_dir])
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def make_pr_for_recipe(recipe_dir, pr_title, branch_name, automerge):
     # call gh to create a PR
     subprocess.check_call([
         'gh', 'pr', 'create',
-        '-B', 'main',
+        '-B', target_branch_name,
         '--title', pr_title,
         '--body', 'Beep-boop-beep! Whistle-whistle-woo!',
         '--label', 'Automerge' if automerge else 'Needs Tests'