diff --git a/.github/workflows/new_ci.yml b/.github/workflows/new_ci.yml
index f0dbe71b..d3313098 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/new_ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/new_ci.yml
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ jobs:
            PYTHONPATH: ${{ env.PYTHONPATH }}:${{ github.workspace }}/leap-model-parser
         run: | #fetch or create branch, update-o2k-version
           echo "Project version is $PACKAGE_VERSION"
-          echo "BRANCH=${{ steps.extract_branch.outputs.branch_name }}-from-o2k" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          BRANCH="${{ steps.extract_branch.outputs.branch_name }}-from-o2k"
+          echo "BRANCH=$BRANCH" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           git config user.email github-actions@github.com
           git config user.name github-actions
           if git ls-remote --exit-code --heads origin "$BRANCH" >/dev/null 2>&1; then