diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-merge2.yaml b/.github/workflows/release-merge2.yaml
index 8cea9e957e7..3aceb7d187b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-merge2.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-merge2.yaml
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ jobs:
           git checkout -b merge-${{ github.sha }}
           if [ "$(git merge --no-commit --no-ff ${{ github.ref }})" = "Already up to date." ]; then
             echo "Exiting";
-            echo "changes=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
             exit 0;
           fi
           git checkout ORIG_HEAD -- $VERSION_FILE
@@ -31,9 +30,10 @@ jobs:
           EDITOR=true git merge --continue
           ! git diff --exit-code $DEFAULT_BRANCH...HEAD || exit 1
           git push --set-upstream origin HEAD
+          echo "changes=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
       - uses: actions/github-script@d7906e4ad0b1822421a7e6a35d5ca353c962f410 #v6.4.1
         name: Open PR to ${{env.DEFAULT_BRANCH}}
-        if: steps.merge-changes.outputs.changes != 'false'
+        if: steps.merge-changes.outputs.changes == 'true'
         with:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.EKSCTLBOT_TOKEN }}
           script: |