diff --git a/.github/workflows/trigger_main.yml b/.github/workflows/trigger_main.yml
index 2df2eb0..74704c2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/trigger_main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/trigger_main.yml
@@ -30,9 +30,8 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           repository: 'dtcenter/METplus'
-          #ref: 'develop'
+          ref: 'develop'
           path: 'METplus'
-          fetch-depth: 0
       - id: get_version
         run: |
           version=$(cut -d "/" -f3 <<< "${GITHUB_REF}")
@@ -42,7 +41,6 @@ jobs:
           repo=${{ github.repository }}
           repo=${repo#*/}
           version=${{ steps.get_version.outputs.version }}
-          git -C $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/METplus checkout develop
           cmd="$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/METplus/metplus/component_versions.py -i METplotpy -v ${version} -o METplus -f main_v{X}.{Y}"
           echo $cmd
           metplus_branch=$($cmd)
@@ -53,8 +51,8 @@ jobs:
           fi
           echo git -C $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/METplus branch -l ${metplus_branch}
           git -C $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/METplus branch -l
-          #branch_exists=$(git -C $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/METplus branch -l ${metplus_branch})
-          branch_exists=$(git -C $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/METplus branch -l main_v5.0)
+          #branch_exists=$(git -C $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/METplus ls-remote origin ${metplus_branch})
+          branch_exists=$(git -C $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/METplus ls-remote origin main_v5.0)
           echo branch exists: ${branch_exists}
           if [ -z "${branch_exists}" ]; then
             echo "METplus branch ${metplus_branch} does not exist yet"