diff --git a/.github/workflows/only-allow-pull-requests-to-master-from-develop.yml b/.github/workflows/only-allow-pull-requests-to-master-from-develop.yml
index ba0eff9..20385bf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/only-allow-pull-requests-to-master-from-develop.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/only-allow-pull-requests-to-master-from-develop.yml
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@ jobs:
         if [ "${{github.head_ref}}" == "develop" ]; then
         echo Pull request is from develop ✔
           exit 0
-        elif [ "${{github.head_ref}}" == "master" ]; then
-          echo Pull request is from master ✔
-          exit 0
         else
           echo Pull requests from ${{github.head_ref}} are not allowed. Only pull requests from develop are allowed.
         fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/version-bump-master.yml b/.github/workflows/version-bump-master.yml
index b2197e4..a08b385 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/version-bump-master.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/version-bump-master.yml
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ on:
 
 jobs:    
   bump-minor-version-on-master:
-    if: github.event.pull_request.merged == true
     name: Bump the version on master
+    if: github.event.pull_request.merged == true
 
     permissions:
       contents: write
@@ -27,15 +27,19 @@ jobs:
       env:
         GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
       with:
-        token: ${{ secrets.VERSION_BUMPER_PAT }}
+        skip-push: true # skip push so that we can force push
         version-type:  'minor'
         target-branch: 'master'
         commit-message: 'CI: bumped version to {{version}} because a pull request was merged into master'
 
+    - name: force-push
+      run:
+        git push origin master --force
+
   merge-master-into-develop:
-    needs: bump-minor-version-on-master # has to be run after version has been bumped
-    if: github.event.pull_request.merged == true
     name: Merge master into develop
+    needs: bump-minor-version-on-master # has to be run after the push to master
+    if: github.event.pull_request.merged == true
 
     permissions:
       contents: write