diff --git a/.crow/trial-build-registry.yaml b/.crow/trial-build-registry.yaml
index 3ec0417..cb8df8b 100644
--- a/.crow/trial-build-registry.yaml
+++ b/.crow/trial-build-registry.yaml
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ steps:
       # clone.
       - git clone -q https://pat-s:$$REPO_RO_TOKEN@git.devxy.io/devxy/build-cran-binaries.git .
       - git fetch -q origin main
-      - 'if git fetch -q origin ${patch_branch}; then git checkout -q FETCH_HEAD; else echo "No ${patch_branch} branch; no pending auto-patch proposals to verify."; exit 0; fi'
+      - 'if git ls-remote --exit-code --heads origin ${patch_branch} >/dev/null 2>&1; then git fetch -q origin ${patch_branch} && git checkout -q FETCH_HEAD; else echo "No ${patch_branch} branch; no pending auto-patch proposals to verify."; exit 0; fi'
       - mkdir -p /mnt/cache/R-pkgs
       - rm -rf /mnt/cache/R-pkgs/00LOCK-*
       - /opt/R/$R_VERSION/bin/Rscript local/install-bincraft.R