diff --git a/.github/actions/next-stats-action/src/index.js b/.github/actions/next-stats-action/src/index.js
index 23ea3882c5a46..ce7bdd50f91a6 100644
--- a/.github/actions/next-stats-action/src/index.js
+++ b/.github/actions/next-stats-action/src/index.js
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ if (!allowedActions.has(actionInfo.actionName) && !actionInfo.isRelease) {
 
     // clone PR/newer repository/ref first to get settings
     if (!actionInfo.skipClone) {
-      await cloneRepo(actionInfo.prRepo, diffRepoDir)
-      await checkoutRef(actionInfo.prRef, diffRepoDir)
+      await cloneRepo(actionInfo.prRepo, diffRepoDir, actionInfo.prRef)
     }
 
     if (actionInfo.isRelease) {
@@ -67,8 +66,7 @@ if (!allowedActions.has(actionInfo.actionName) && !actionInfo.isRelease) {
 
     // clone main repository/ref
     if (!actionInfo.skipClone) {
-      await cloneRepo(statsConfig.mainRepo, mainRepoDir)
-      await checkoutRef(statsConfig.mainBranch, mainRepoDir)
+      await cloneRepo(statsConfig.mainRepo, mainRepoDir, statsConfig.mainBranch)
     }
     /* eslint-disable-next-line */
     actionInfo.commitId = await getCommitId(diffRepoDir)
diff --git a/.github/actions/next-stats-action/src/prepare/repo-setup.js b/.github/actions/next-stats-action/src/prepare/repo-setup.js
index e64655f4e467e..4b971162bc88c 100644
--- a/.github/actions/next-stats-action/src/prepare/repo-setup.js
+++ b/.github/actions/next-stats-action/src/prepare/repo-setup.js
@@ -8,12 +8,11 @@ const execa = require('execa')
 
 module.exports = (actionInfo) => {
   return {
-    async cloneRepo(repoPath = '', dest = '') {
+    async cloneRepo(repoPath = '', dest = '', branch = '', depth = '20') {
       await remove(dest)
-      await exec(`git clone ${actionInfo.gitRoot}${repoPath} ${dest}`)
-    },
-    async checkoutRef(ref = '', repoDir = '') {
-      await exec(`cd ${repoDir} && git fetch && git checkout ${ref}`)
+      await exec(
+        `git clone ${actionInfo.gitRoot}${repoPath} --single-branch --branch ${branch} --depth=${depth} ${dest}`
+      )
     },
     async getLastStable(repoDir = '', ref) {
       const { stdout } = await exec(`cd ${repoDir} && git tag -l`)
diff --git a/.github/workflows/trigger_release.yml b/.github/workflows/trigger_release.yml
index 000f78e0221a7..c0962d685af22 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/trigger_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/trigger_release.yml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
           node-version: 18
           check-latest: true
 
-      - run: git clone https://ijjk:${{ secrets.START_RELEASE_TOKEN }}@github.com/vercel/next.js.git --depth=25 .
+      - run: git clone https://github.com/vercel/next.js.git --depth=25 .
 
       - run: git describe || 'echo failed to get tag'