diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 3d3cbcc..64e7096 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ jobs:
         # check if commit exists first (e.g. it doesn't if it was force pushed) 
         # or fall back to HEAD~1
         run: |
-          git cat-file -t ${{ github.event.before }} > /dev/null
-          if [[ $? -eq "0" ]]; then 
+          git cat-file -t ${{ github.event.before }} > /dev/null || COMMIT_NOT_FOUND=true
+          if [[ -z "$COMMIT_NOT_FOUND" ]]; then 
             commitlint -V --from ${{ github.event.before }}
           else
             commitlint -V --from HEAD~1