diff --git a/scripts/generate-popular-actions/README.md b/scripts/generate-popular-actions/README.md
index ff507ca4e..8be64db5e 100644
--- a/scripts/generate-popular-actions/README.md
+++ b/scripts/generate-popular-actions/README.md
@@ -33,14 +33,14 @@ Please see output of `-help` flag for more details.
 The data source of the popular actions is defined in [`popular_actions.json`](./popular_actions.json). This file contains an array
 of each action registry. Each registry is a JSON object containing the following keys:
 
-| Key            | Description                                                    | Example                    | Required? |
-|----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|-----------|
-| `slug`         | GitHub repository slug                                         | `"actions/checkout"`       | Yes       |
-| `tags`         | Known release tags                                             | `["v1", "v2", "v3", "v4"]` | Yes       |
-| `next`         | The next release tag                                           | `"v5"`                     | Yes       |
-| `path`         | Absolute path to the action from the repository root           | `"/path/to/action"`        | No        |
-| `skip_inputs`  | Skipping checking inputs of this action or not                 | `true`                     | No        |
-| `skip_outputs` | Skipping checking outputs of this action or not                | `true`                     | No        |
-| `file_ext`     | File extension of action metadata file. The default is `"yml"` | `"yaml"`                   | No        |
+| Key            | Description                                                     | Example                    | Required? |
+|----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|-----------|
+| `slug`         | GitHub repository slug                                          | `"actions/checkout"`       | Yes       |
+| `tags`         | Known release tags                                              | `["v1", "v2", "v3", "v4"]` | Yes       |
+| `next`         | The next release tag. Empty means new version won't be detected | `"v5"`                     | No        |
+| `path`         | Absolute path to the action from the repository root            | `"/path/to/action"`        | No        |
+| `skip_inputs`  | Skipping checking inputs of this action or not                  | `true`                     | No        |
+| `skip_outputs` | Skipping checking outputs of this action or not                 | `true`                     | No        |
+| `file_ext`     | File extension of action metadata file. The default is `"yml"`  | `"yaml"`                   | No        |
 
 Alternative actions registry JSON file can be used via `-r` option.
diff --git a/scripts/generate-popular-actions/main.go b/scripts/generate-popular-actions/main.go
index b3f32a635..5a06e5a1d 100644
--- a/scripts/generate-popular-actions/main.go
+++ b/scripts/generate-popular-actions/main.go
@@ -298,11 +298,21 @@ func (g *gen) readJSONL(file string) (map[string]*actionlint.ActionMetadata, err
 }
 
 func (g *gen) detectNewReleaseURLs() ([]string, error) {
-	actions, err := g.registry()
+	all, err := g.registry()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// Filter actions which have no next versions
+	actions := []*registry{}
+	for _, a := range all {
+		if a.Next != "" {
+			actions = append(actions, a)
+		}
+	}
+
+	g.log.Println("Start detecting new versions in", len(actions), "repositories")
+
 	urls := make(chan string)
 	done := make(chan struct{})
 	errs := make(chan error)
@@ -314,10 +324,6 @@ func (g *gen) detectNewReleaseURLs() ([]string, error) {
 			for {
 				select {
 				case r := <-reqs:
-					if r.Next == "" {
-						ret <- ""
-						break
-					}
 					url := r.rawURL(r.Next)
 					g.log.Println("Checking", url)
 					res, err := c.Head(url)
@@ -368,6 +374,8 @@ func (g *gen) detectNewReleaseURLs() ([]string, error) {
 	close(done)
 
 	sort.Strings(us)
+
+	g.log.Println("Done detecting new versions in", len(actions), "repositories")
 	return us, nil
 }
 
@@ -439,6 +447,7 @@ Flags:`)
 			return 1
 		}
 		if len(urls) == 0 {
+			fmt.Fprintln(g.stdout, "No new release was found")
 			return 0
 		}
 		fmt.Fprintln(g.stdout, "Detected some new releases")
diff --git a/scripts/generate-popular-actions/main_test.go b/scripts/generate-popular-actions/main_test.go
index d10c39f1a..ce854c4c6 100644
--- a/scripts/generate-popular-actions/main_test.go
+++ b/scripts/generate-popular-actions/main_test.go
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@ func TestDefaultPopularActions(t *testing.T) {
 
 	slugs := map[string]int{}
 	for i, a := range popularActions {
-		if j, ok := slugs[a.Slug]; ok && popularActions[i].Path == popularActions[j].Path {
-			t.Errorf("slug %q at popularActions[%d] was already added at popularActions[%d]", a.Slug, i, j)
+		if a.Slug == "" {
+			t.Errorf("repository slug must not empty at popularActions[%d]", i)
+		} else if j, ok := slugs[a.Slug]; ok && popularActions[i].Path == popularActions[j].Path {
+			t.Errorf("duplicate registry. action %q at popularActions[%d] was already added at popularActions[%d]", a.Slug, i, j)
 		} else {
 			slugs[a.Slug] = i
 		}
diff --git a/scripts/generate-popular-actions/popular_actions.json b/scripts/generate-popular-actions/popular_actions.json
index 9a1cd6569..2b738c17e 100644
--- a/scripts/generate-popular-actions/popular_actions.json
+++ b/scripts/generate-popular-actions/popular_actions.json
@@ -52,8 +52,7 @@
     },
     {
         "slug": "dtolnay/rust-toolchain",
-        "tags": ["stable", "beta", "nightly"],
-        "next": ""
+        "tags": ["stable", "beta", "nightly"]
     },
     {
         "slug": "actions-rs/clippy-check",
@@ -319,8 +318,7 @@
     },
     {
         "slug": "marvinpinto/action-automatic-releases",
-        "tags": ["latest"],
-        "next": ""
+        "tags": ["latest"]
     },
     {
         "slug": "microsoft/playwright-github-action",