diff --git a/.github/workflows/init.yml b/.github/workflows/init.yml
index 4e026106..6a3f47b3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/init.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/init.yml
@@ -37,17 +37,28 @@ jobs:
           git config --global user.email '18747875+conda-bot@users.noreply.github.com'
 
       - name: (upstream) Remove repository from sync.yml
+        # no-op if the repository is not in the sync.yml file
+        continue-on-error: true
         run: sed -i '\%${{ github.event.inputs.org }}/${{ github.event.inputs.repo }}$%d' upstream/.github/sync/config.yml
 
       - name: (upstream) Commit changes
-        run: cd upstream && git add . && git commit --message "🤖 updated file(s)" || true
+        # no-op if there are no updates
+        continue-on-error: true
+        run: |
+          cd upstream
+          git add .
+          git commit --message "🤖 updated file(s)"
 
       - name: (upstream) Create fork
-        run: cd upstream && echo UPSTREAM=$(gh repo fork --clone=false --default-branch-only | awk '{print $1}') >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        # no-op if the repository is already forked
+        run: |
+          cd upstream
+          echo UPSTREAM=$(gh repo fork --clone=false --default-branch-only 2>&1 | awk '{print $1}') >> $GITHUB_ENV
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.SYNC_TOKEN }}
 
       - name: (upstream) Create PR
+        # no-op if no commits were made
         uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@6d6857d36972b65feb161a90e484f2984215f83e # v6.0.5
         with:
           path: upstream
@@ -66,20 +77,37 @@ jobs:
             ###### Auto-generated by the [`init.yml`][init.yml] workflow, see ${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}.
 
       - name: (downstream) Copy (overwrite) update.yml
-        run: cp -f upstream/.github/workflows/update.yml downstream/.github/workflows/update.yml || true
+        # no-op if the latest file already exists in the downstream repository
+        continue-on-error: true
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p downstream/.github/workflows/
+          cp -f upstream/.github/workflows/update.yml downstream/.github/workflows/update.yml
 
       - name: (downstream) Copy (do not overwrite) config.yml
-        run: cp -n upstream/templates/config.yml downstream/.github/template-files/config.yml || true
+        # no-op if the file already exists in the downstream repository
+        continue-on-error: true
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p downstream/.github/template-files/
+          cp -n upstream/templates/config.yml downstream/.github/template-files/config.yml
 
       - name: (downstream) Commit changes
-        run: cd downstream && git add . && git commit --message "🤖 updated file(s)" || true
+        # no-op if there are no updates
+        continue-on-error: true
+        run: |
+          cd downstream
+          git add .
+          git commit --message "🤖 updated file(s)"
 
       - name: (downstream) Create fork
-        run: cd downstream && echo DOWNSTREAM=$(gh repo fork --clone=false --default-branch-only | awk '{print $1}') >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        # no-op if the repository is already forked
+        run: |
+          cd downstream
+          echo DOWNSTREAM=$(gh repo fork --clone=false --default-branch-only 2>&1 | awk '{print $1}') >> $GITHUB_ENV
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.SYNC_TOKEN }}
 
       - name: (downstream) Create PR
+        # no-op if no commits were made
         uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@6d6857d36972b65feb161a90e484f2984215f83e # v6.0.5
         with:
           path: downstream
@@ -95,4 +123,4 @@ jobs:
 
             This PR was triggered by @${{ github.triggering_actor }} via ${{ github.event_name }}.
 
-            ###### Auto-generated by the [`update.yml`][update.yml] workflow, see ${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}.
+            ###### Auto-generated by the [`init.yml`][init.yml] workflow, see ${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update.yml b/.github/workflows/update.yml
index 9484adf6..e0ff6ac8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update.yml
@@ -59,16 +59,22 @@ jobs:
       - uses: conda/actions/template-files@976289d0cfd85139701b26ddd133abdd025a7b5f # v24.5.0
 
       - name: Commit changes
-        run: git add . && git commit --message "🤖 updated file(s)" || true
+        # no-op if there are no updates
+        continue-on-error: true
+        run: |
+          git add .
+          git commit --message "🤖 updated file(s)"
 
       - if: github.event.comment.body != '@conda-bot render'
         name: Create fork
-        run: echo FORK=$(gh repo fork --clone=false --default-branch-only | awk '{print $1}') >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        # no-op if the repository is already forked
+        run: echo FORK=$(gh repo fork --clone=false --default-branch-only 2>&1 | awk '{print $1}') >> $GITHUB_ENV
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.SYNC_TOKEN }}
 
       - if: github.event.comment.body != '@conda-bot render'
         id: create
+        # no-op if no commits were made
         uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@6d6857d36972b65feb161a90e484f2984215f83e # v6.0.5
         with:
           push-to-fork: ${{ env.FORK }}