diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 54cfa7e4..c5507d04 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install buildstockbatch
         run: |
           python -m pip install --progress-bar off --upgrade pip
-          pip install git+https://github.com/NREL/buildstockbatch.git@${{ github.head_ref }}
+          pip install git+https://github.com/NREL/buildstockbatch.git@${{ github.head_ref || github.ref_name }}
       - name: Run local validation of project national yml
         run: buildstock_local --validateonly resstock/project_national/national_baseline.yml
       - name: Validate upgrades