diff --git a/.github/workflows/upgrade-actions.yml b/.github/workflows/upgrade-actions.yml
index e21894b..623ba24 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/upgrade-actions.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/upgrade-actions.yml
@@ -27,12 +27,17 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         repo: ${{ fromJson(needs.define-matrix.outputs.repos) }}
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
-      - name: Clone repository
-        run: git clone https://github.com/nspcc-dev/${{matrix.repo}}.git
+      - name: Clone repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          repository: https://github.com/nspcc-dev/${{matrix.repo}}.git
+          token: ${{ GH_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Checkout upgrade-actions branch
+        run: git checkout -b upgrade-actions || git checkout upgrade-actions
+
       - name: Upgrade, commit and push changes
         run: |
-          cd ${{matrix.repo}}
           for action in "actions/checkout" "actions/setup-go" "golangci/golangci-lint-action" "codecov/codecov-action"; do
             latestVersion="$(gh api -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" -H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2026-03-10" /repos/${action}/releases/latest | jq .tag_name -r)"
             latestVersion="${latestVersion%%.*}"
@@ -43,7 +48,6 @@ jobs:
           if [[ $(git diff) ]]; then
             echo "Committing git diff..."
             git diff
-            git checkout -b upgrade-actions
             git config user.name "Sami"
             git config user.email "sami@nspcc.ru"
             git add .github
@@ -52,8 +56,7 @@ jobs:
             git push --set-upstream origin upgrade-actions
             gh pr create --base master --head upgrade-actions --title ".github: upgrade Actions" --body "Upgrade GitHub Actions to the latest version."
           else
-            echo "Everything is up to date."
+            echo "Everything is up to date, nothing to commit."
           fi
-          cd ../
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.SAMI_GHACTION_UPGRADE_TOKEN }}