diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 166debb3..d2d268ec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,15 @@ jobs:
         with:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           branch: release
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        if: steps.find-pr.outputs.number == ''
+        with:
+          ref: release
+      - name: Reset release branch
+        if: steps.find-pr.outputs.number == ''
+        run: |
+          git fetch origin main:main
+          git reset --hard main
       - name: Create/Update PR
         if: steps.find-pr.outputs.number == ''
         uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v6
@@ -27,11 +36,5 @@ jobs:
           token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           commit-message: Update release branch
           title: Merge Release Auto-PR
-          body: Merging this PR will invoke release actions
-
-          # none of these are in docs; I'm just guessing
-          # because there MUST be a way to set this!
-          target: release
-          target-branch: release
-          
+          body: Merging this PR will invoke release actions          
           branch: auto-update/release