diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7a8b6a2..6fe30f2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ The default behaviour is to exclude the default branch (main or master) and the
 
 Additional branches can be excluded using the `extra_protected_branch_regex` variable (see example below).
 Similarly, certain tags can be excluded using the `extra_protected_tag_regex` variable.
+Also, branches with open pull requests are being ignored by default (see example below).  
 
 ## Disclaimer
 
@@ -41,8 +42,9 @@ jobs:
           minimum_tags: 5
           extra_protected_branch_regex: ^(foo|bar)$
           extra_protected_tag_regex: '^v.*'
+          exclude_open_pr_branches: true
 ```
 
 Once you are happy switch, `dry_run` to `false` so the action actually does the job
 
-Happy cleaning!
+Happy cleaning!
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 73fad92..9e0520a 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -1,37 +1,40 @@
 # action.yml
-name: 'Delete old branches'
-description: 'Delete branches which are older than certain period of time'
-author: 'Markos Chandras'
+name: "Delete old branches"
+description: "Delete branches which are older than certain period of time"
+author: "Markos Chandras"
 inputs:
   repo_token:
-    description: 'The GITHUB_TOKEN secret'
+    description: "The GITHUB_TOKEN secret"
     required: true
   date:
-    description: 'A git-log compatible date format'
+    description: "A git-log compatible date format"
     required: true
   dry_run:
-    description: 'Run in dry-run mode so no branches are deleted'
+    description: "Run in dry-run mode so no branches are deleted"
     required: false
     default: true
   delete_tags:
-    description: 'Also look for tags to delete'
+    description: "Also look for tags to delete"
     required: false
     default: false
   minimum_tags:
-    descritpion: 'Minimum number of tags to keep'
+    descritpion: "Minimum number of tags to keep"
     required: false
     default: false
   default_branches:
-    description: 'Default branch(es) to exclude'
+    description: "Default branch(es) to exclude"
     required: false
     default: main,master
   extra_protected_branch_regex:
-    description: 'grep extended (ERE) compatible regex for additional branches to exclude'
+    description: "grep extended (ERE) compatible regex for additional branches to exclude"
     required: false
   extra_protected_tag_regex:
-    description: 'grep extended (ERE) compatible regex for additional tags to exclude'
+    description: "grep extended (ERE) compatible regex for additional tags to exclude"
     required: false
-
+  exclude_open_pr_branches:
+    description: "Exclude branches that have an open pull request"
+    required: false
+    default: true
 runs:
-  using: 'docker'
-  image: 'Dockerfile'
+  using: "docker"
+  image: "Dockerfile"
diff --git a/delete-old-branches b/delete-old-branches
index 5ebb30c..cb83f95 100755
--- a/delete-old-branches
+++ b/delete-old-branches
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ MINIMUM_TAGS=${INPUT_MINIMUM_TAGS:-0}
 DEFAULT_BRANCHES=${INPUT_DEFAULT_BRANCHES:-main,master}
 EXCLUDE_BRANCH_REGEX=${INPUT_EXTRA_PROTECTED_BRANCH_REGEX:-^$}
 EXCLUDE_TAG_REGEX=${INPUT_EXTRA_PROTECTED_TAG_REGEX:-^$}
+EXCLUDE_OPEN_PR_BRANCHES=${INPUT_EXCLUDE_OPEN_PR_BRANCHES:-true}
 
 default_branch_protected() {
     local br=${1}
@@ -58,6 +59,24 @@ extra_branch_or_tag_protected() {
     return $?
 }
 
+is_pr_open_on_branch() {
+    if [[ "${EXCLUDE_OPEN_PR_BRANCHES}" == false ]]; then
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    local br=${1}
+    open_prs_branches=$(curl -X GET -s -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" \
+        "${BASE_URI}/repos/${REPO}/pulls" | jq '.[].head.ref' | tr -d '"')
+
+    for pr_br in ${open_prs_branches}; do
+      if [[ "${pr_br}" == "${br}" ]]; then
+          return 0
+      fi
+    done
+
+    return 1
+}
+
 delete_branch_or_tag() {
     local br=${1} ref="${2}"
 
@@ -86,6 +105,7 @@ main() {
             default_branch_protected "${br}" && echo "branch: ${br} is a default branch. Won't delete it" && continue
             branch_protected "${br}" && echo "branch: ${br} is likely protected. Won't delete it" && continue
             extra_branch_or_tag_protected "${br}" "branch" && echo "branch: ${br} is explicitly protected and won't be deleted" && continue
+            is_pr_open_on_branch "${br}" && echo "branch: ${br} has an open pull request and won't be deleted" && continue
             delete_branch_or_tag "${br}" "heads"
         fi
     done