diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/build.yaml b/.forgejo/workflows/build.yaml
index ff74fe7..4e28568 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -82,7 +82,11 @@ jobs:
           git config --global credential.helper '!f() { printf "%s\\n" "username=forgejo-actions"; printf "%s\\n" "password=$GITOPS_TOKEN"; }; f'
 
           GITOPS_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
-          git clone "$GITOPS_REPO" "$GITOPS_DIR"
+          # -b main: this repo's server-side HEAD symref is broken (returns
+          # "remote HEAD refers to nonexistent ref" on a plain clone even
+          # though refs/heads/main exists) - an explicit branch bypasses
+          # HEAD resolution entirely instead of relying on it.
+          git clone -b main "$GITOPS_REPO" "$GITOPS_DIR"
           cd "$GITOPS_DIR"
 
           # release-patch.yaml carries a Flux $imagepolicy marker comment on