diff --git a/.github/workflows/bump_version.yml b/.github/workflows/bump_version.yml
index 6d2889631..516ae14aa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bump_version.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bump_version.yml
@@ -116,17 +116,16 @@ jobs:
                 git config user.name "prosoponator[bot]"
                 git config user.email "dev@prosopo.io"
 
+                # checkout the src branch
+                git fetch --all
+                git checkout ${{ github.event.inputs.src }}
+                
                 # check the source branch (e.g. staging) is up-to-date with the dest branch (e.g. main)
                 if [ "$(git rev-list --count origin/${{ github.event.inputs.src }}..origin/${{ github.event.inputs.dest }})" -ne "0" ]; then
                     echo "Source branch ${{ github.event.inputs.src }} is not up-to-date with destination branch ${{ github.event.inputs.dest }}. PR destination branch into the source branch and try again."
                     exit 1
                 fi
 
-                # checkout the src branch
-                git fetch --all
-                git checkout ${{ github.event.inputs.src }}
-                git pull
-
                 INTERIM="${{ github.event.inputs.interim}}"
                 # set the interim branch name to release/<version_number> if not provided
                 INTERIM="${INTERIM:-release/${{ github.event.inputs.version }}}"