diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-api-files.yml b/.github/workflows/update-api-files.yml
index 59c673ea528..987456b74fe 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-api-files.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-api-files.yml
@@ -37,10 +37,14 @@ jobs:
           git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
       # If run from a PR, checkout PR branch and merge in latest changes from main branch
       - name: Checkout PR branch and merge main
+        id: checkout-pr-branch
         if: ${{ github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' }}
-        run: |
-          git checkout ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
-          git merge origin/main
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
+      - name: Merge main into PR branch
+        if: ${{ steps.checkout-pr-branch.outcome == 'success' }}
+        run: git merge origin/main
       # Ensure node version is great enough
       - name: Use Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
diff --git a/change/@azure-communication-react-1613cd0b-4030-4c16-a819-73169c2cae7f.json b/change/@azure-communication-react-1613cd0b-4030-4c16-a819-73169c2cae7f.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a1ecb29103d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/change/@azure-communication-react-1613cd0b-4030-4c16-a819-73169c2cae7f.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "type": "patch",
+  "area": "fix",
+  "workstream": "update-api-files",
+  "comment": "Sanitize pr branch in update-api-files ci yaml file",
+  "packageName": "@azure/communication-react",
+  "email": "edwardlee@microsoft.com",
+  "dependentChangeType": "patch"
+}