diff --git a/.github/workflows/sync-dev-to-vX.Y-dev.yaml b/.github/workflows/sync-dev-to-vX.Y-dev.yaml
index b1ca733abd..00179fa36b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sync-dev-to-vX.Y-dev.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sync-dev-to-vX.Y-dev.yaml
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ jobs:
             git checkout -b $SYNC origin/$SYNC || git checkout -b $SYNC origin/$BASE
             git merge origin/$HEAD -m "Merge $HEAD into $SYNC"
             git checkout origin/$BASE src/
-            git checkout origin/$BASE -- tests/schema/ ':*.mjs'
+            # exclude mjs files because we want to sync from the head
+            # neutralizes non-zero exit code because an empty selection result returns 1
+            git checkout origin/$BASE -- tests/schema/ ':!*.mjs' || echo ""
             git commit -m "Restored src/ and tests/schema/" || echo ""
             git push -u origin $SYNC
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/sync-main-to-dev.yaml b/.github/workflows/sync-main-to-dev.yaml
index 7d62e30163..732e9c4015 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sync-main-to-dev.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sync-main-to-dev.yaml
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ jobs:
           git checkout -b $SYNC origin/$SYNC || git checkout -b $SYNC origin/$BASE
           git merge origin/$HEAD -m "Merge $HEAD into $SYNC"
           git checkout origin/$BASE src/
-          git checkout origin/$BASE -- tests/schema/ ':*.mjs'
+          # exclude mjs files because we want to sync from the head
+          # neutralizes non-zero exit code because an empty selection result returns 1
+          git checkout origin/$BASE -- tests/schema/ ':!*.mjs' || echo ""
           git commit -m "Restored src/ and tests/schema/" || echo ""
           git push -u origin $SYNC