diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-release-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-release-pr.yml
index 107c5677..8ddd3efe 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-release-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-release-pr.yml
@@ -30,10 +30,17 @@ jobs:
             --head staging \
             --state open \
             --json number | jq 'length')
+          COMPARE_URL="repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/compare/main...staging"
+          TOTAL_COMMITS=$(gh api "$COMPARE_URL?per_page=1" --jq '.total_commits // 0')
           echo "existing=$EXISTING" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "commits=$TOTAL_COMMITS" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: No changes
+        if: steps.check-pr.outputs.existing == '0' && steps.check-pr.outputs.commits == '0'
+        run: echo 'staging is already aligned with main; no promotion PR is needed.'
 
       - name: Create
-        if: steps.check-pr.outputs.existing == '0'
+        if: steps.check-pr.outputs.existing == '0' && steps.check-pr.outputs.commits != '0'
         run: |
           DATE=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
           BODY_FILE="$RUNNER_TEMP/release-pr.md"