diff --git a/.github/workflows/maintain_cache.yml b/.github/workflows/maintain_cache.yml
index 6160d3080..aa4b8ded9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/maintain_cache.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/maintain_cache.yml
@@ -51,17 +51,22 @@ jobs:
             set -e
             echo "Plugin cache updates exist"
             if [ ${{ endsWith(github.ref_name, '/main')}} ]; then
-              export MESSAGE="automatic $FILE_TO_COMMIT update"
-              export SHA=$( git rev-parse $DESTINATION_BRANCH:$FILE_TO_COMMIT )
-          cat <<- EOF > request.json
-          { 
-            "message": "$MESSAGE",
-            "content": "$( base64 -w 0 -i $FILE_TO_COMMIT )",
+          cat <<- EOF > write_request.py
+          #!python
+          import json
+          import os
+          request = {
+            "message": "automatic $FILE_TO_COMMIT update",
+            "content": os.environ["CONTENT"],
             "encoding": "base64",
-            "branch":" $DESTINATION_BRANCH",
-            "sha"= "$SHA"
+            "branch": "$DESTINATION_BRANCH",
+            "sha"= "$( git rev-parse $DESTINATION_BRANCH:$FILE_TO_COMMIT )",
           }
+          with open("request.json", "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+              json.dump(request, f, indent=4)
           EOF
+              chmod +x write_request.py
+              python write_request.py
               cat request.json
               gh api --method PUT /repos/:owner/:repo/contents/$FILE_TO_COMMIT --input request.json
               echo "Update committed to repo"