diff --git a/.github/workflows/issue-comment.yml b/.github/workflows/issue-comment.yml
index 7e78a2089..08af5c120 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/issue-comment.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/issue-comment.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,23 @@ jobs:
       issues: write
       pull-requests: write
     steps:
+      - name: Check if issue has "question" label
+        id: check_stale
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          script: |
+            const { data: issue } = await github.rest.issues.get({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              issue_number: context.issue.number
+            });
+            const hasLabel = issue.labels.some(label => label.name === 'stale');
+            return hasLabel;
+      # only remove the label if the issue is not stale, this prevents that this
+      # action removes the label when the automatic reminder message gets sent.
       - name: Remove `waiting for user response` label if exists
+        if: steps.check_stale.outputs.result == 'false'
         uses: actions/github-script@v7
         with:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}