diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-new-contributor.yaml b/.github/workflows/validate-new-contributor.yaml
index b6d4144d..db015e19 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-new-contributor.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-new-contributor.yaml
@@ -26,14 +26,19 @@ jobs:
     outputs:
       email-address: ${{ steps.output-email-address.outputs.EMAIL_ADDRESS }}
     steps:
+      - name: Set Pull Request Number
+        run: |
+          if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" == "pull_request" ]
+          then
+            echo "PR_NUM=${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          else
+            echo "PR_NUM=${{ inputs.pull-request-number }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          fi
+        
       - name: 🛫 Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: 🛫 Checkout Pull Request
-        if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' 
-        run: gh pr checkout ${{ inputs.pull-request-number }}
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GH_TOKEN }}
+        with:
+          ref: refs/pull/${{ env.PR_NUM }}/head
 
       - uses: ocadotechnology/codeforlife-workspace/.github/actions/python/setup-environment@new_contributor_validations # TODO: use @main
         with: