diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-javavalidator.yml b/.github/workflows/update-javavalidator.yml
index 5b46eed..472df3d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-javavalidator.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-javavalidator.yml
@@ -50,14 +50,20 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Create patch for Java validator version in action.yml
         run: |
-          branchName="update-java-validator-version-$LATEST_RELEASE"
-          git checkout -b "$branchName"
+          BRANCH_NAME="update-java-validator-version-$LATEST_RELEASE"
+          REMOTE_REPO="https://github.com/FirelyTeam/firely-terminal-pipeline.git"
+          if git ls-remote --heads "$REMOTE_REPO" "$BRANCH_NAME" | grep -q "$BRANCH_NAME"; then
+            echo "Branch '$BRANCH_NAME' already exists. Skipping creation of PR."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          
+          git checkout -b "$BRANCH_NAME"
           yq -i ".inputs.JAVA_VALIDATOR_VERSION.default = \"$NEW_VERSION\"" action.yml
           git config --local user.name "github-actions[bot]"
           git config --local user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
           git add action.yml
           git commit -m "Update JAVA_VALIDATOR_VERSION to $LATEST_RELEASE"
-          git push -u origin "$branchName"
-          gh pr create --base main --head "$branchName" --title "Update JAVA_VALIDATOR_VERSION to $LATEST_RELEASE" --body "This PR updates the JAVA_VALIDATOR_VERSION to $LATEST_RELEASE."
+          git push -u origin "$BRANCH_NAME"
+          gh pr create --base main --head "$BRANCH_NAME" --title "Update JAVA_VALIDATOR_VERSION to $LATEST_RELEASE" --body "This PR updates the JAVA_VALIDATOR_VERSION to $LATEST_RELEASE."
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}