diff --git a/.github/workflows/upstream pretest.yaml b/.github/workflows/upstream pretest.yaml
index e5595f4f..b402d61c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/upstream pretest.yaml	
+++ b/.github/workflows/upstream pretest.yaml	
@@ -391,7 +391,11 @@ jobs:
                     meta.pr_merge_sha=$pr_merge_sha
                     "@
                     if ($fork_pretest_sha -eq $fork_pretest_old_sha) {
+                        Write-Host "Merge with ${fork_main_branch_name} was skipped, adding an empty meta commit"
                         git commit -a --allow-empty -m $empty_pretest_message
+                        if (-not $?) { throw "git commit failed" }
+                        git push
+                        if (-not $?) { throw "git push failed" }
                         $fork_pretest_sha = git rev-parse HEAD
                     }
                     
@@ -409,7 +413,7 @@ jobs:
                         Write-Host "Branch for PR $pr_num exists. Merging with ${core_main_branch_name}:"
                         git checkout $core_branch_name
                         if (-not $?) { throw "git checkout failed" }
-                        git merge $core_main_branch_name -m "[trivial] Merge $core_branch_name into subm-pretest/... branch"
+                        git merge $core_main_branch_name -m "[trivial] Merge $core_main_branch_name into subm-pretest/... branch"
                         if (-not $?) { throw "git merge failed" }
                         git push
                         if (-not $?) { throw "git push failed" }
@@ -464,7 +468,7 @@ jobs:
                     path: './core'
                     fetch-depth: 0
                     sparse-checkout-cone-mode: false
-                    sparse-checkout: '<NOTHING>'
+                    sparse-checkout: './.gitmodules'
             
             -   name: checkout subm fork
                 uses: actions/checkout@main
@@ -516,8 +520,6 @@ jobs:
                         Write-Host '~~~~~'
                     }
                     
-                    Get-Content './.gitmodules'
-                    
                     Pop-Location