diff --git a/.github/workflows/generate-release-notes.yml b/.github/workflows/generate-release-notes.yml
index 369403d0c9f..613e284dc05 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/generate-release-notes.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/generate-release-notes.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ on:
     paths:
       - "**/src/*.yml"
       - "**/src/*.yaml"
-jobs:
+jobs: 
   release-notes:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
@@ -39,8 +39,15 @@ jobs:
           for rnmetapath in ./content/**/src/meta.yml; do
           ./tools/tools/automation/generators/relgen/relgen.js -p ${rnmetapath%/src/meta.yml}
           done
+
+      - name: check for modified files
+        id: changes
+        run: |
+          cd ./content
+          echo "files=`git ls-files --other --modified --exclude-standard | wc -l`" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
         
       - name: commit modified files
+        if: steps.changes.outputs.files > 0
         run: |
           cd ./content
           git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"