diff --git a/.github/actions/setup-maven/action.yml b/.github/actions/setup-maven/action.yml
index 6edbba1b1a9..ad07d0ca004 100644
--- a/.github/actions/setup-maven/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/setup-maven/action.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ inputs:
   git-reference:
     description: 'The git reference (branch/tag) to check out'
     required: true
-    default: 'develop'
+    default: 'null'
   pom-paths:
     description: "List of paths to Maven POM(s) for cache dependency setup"
     required: false
@@ -14,9 +14,20 @@ runs:
   using: composite
   steps:
     - name: Checkout repository
+      if: ${{ inputs.git-reference != 'null' }}
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
         ref: ${{ inputs.git-reference }}
+    - name: Checkout repository
+      if: ${{ inputs.git-reference == 'null' && github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      with:
+        ref: ${{ github.head_ref }}
+    - name: Checkout repository
+      if: ${{ inputs.git-reference == 'null' && github.event_name != 'pull_request' }}
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      with:
+        ref: ${{ github.ref }}
     - name: Determine Java version by reading the Maven property
       shell: bash
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/container_app_push.yml b/.github/workflows/container_app_push.yml
index 7f0c4a6d86d..a87bc73a4f5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/container_app_push.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/container_app_push.yml
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ jobs:
               # TODO: change to upstream location in final PR
               uses: gdcc/wip-dataverse-base-image/.github/actions/setup-maven@10478-version-base-img
               with:
-                git-reference: ${{ github.ref_name }}
                 pom-paths: |
                   pom.xml
                   modules/container-configbaker/pom.xml
@@ -117,7 +116,6 @@ jobs:
               # TODO: change to upstream location in final PR
               uses: gdcc/wip-dataverse-base-image/.github/actions/setup-maven@10478-version-base-img
               with:
-                git-reference: ${{ github.ref_name }}
                 pom-paths: |
                   pom.xml
                   modules/container-configbaker/pom.xml