diff --git a/.github/workflows/autoformat.yml b/.github/workflows/autoformat.yml
index 7b2fcfad5..f925c3b1b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/autoformat.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/autoformat.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,15 @@ jobs:
           AWS_SECRET_KEY: ${{ steps.aws_credentials.outputs.aws-secret-access-key }}
           AWS_SESSION_TOKEN: ${{ steps.aws_credentials.outputs.aws-session-token }}
 
-      - name: Commit formatting changes
+      - name: Check for formatting changes
+        id: check_formatting_changes
+        run: |
+          if [[ -n $(git status --porcelain) ]]; then
+              echo "changes=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"; 
+          fi
+
+      - name: Commit and push formatting changes
+        if: steps.check_formatting_changes.outputs.changes == 'true'
         run: |
           git config user.name "Buildkite on behalf of Wellcome Collection"
           git config user.email "wellcomedigitalplatform@wellcome.ac.uk"