diff --git a/.github/workflows/doit.yml b/.github/workflows/doit.yml
index 104887a..1fe26d2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/doit.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/doit.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 env:
-  KAGGLE_KERNELS_PRIVATE: ${{ vars.KAGGLE_KERNELS_PRIVATE || 'no' }}
+  KAGGLE_KERNELS_PRIVATE: ${{ vars.KAGGLE_KERNELS_PRIVATE || 'no' }} # by default, do not include private kaggle kernels
   PYTHON_VERSION: ${{ vars.PYTHON_VERSION || '3.11' }}
 
 permissions:
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           DISABLE_KAGGLE_ARCHIVING="${{ env.DISABLE_KAGGLE_ARCHIVING || vars.DISABLE_KAGGLE_ARCHIVING || secrets.DISABLE_KAGGLE_ARCHIVING }}"
           if [[ "${DISABLE_KAGGLE_ARCHIVING:-}" =~ ^(true|1|y|yes|ok)$ ]]; then
-            echo "Kaggle archiving is disabled"
+            echo "Kaggle kernels archiving is disabled"
             echo "archive_created=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
             echo "- kernels.7z has not been created as requested" > $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
             exit 0
@@ -189,9 +189,10 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           mkdir tmpgit
           EXIT_CODE=0
-          git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/${{ env.DESTINATION_REPOSITORY_USERNAME }}/${{ env.DESTINATION_REPOSITORY_NAME }}.git tmpgit 2>&1 || {
-            EXIT_CODE=$?
-            echo "Error cloning repository"
+          git clone -q --sparse --depth 1 https://github.com/${{ env.DESTINATION_REPOSITORY_USERNAME }}/${{ env.DESTINATION_REPOSITORY_NAME }}.git tmpgit 2>&1 || {
+            if (grep --ignore-case -q "could not read Username"); then
+              EXIT_CODE=$?
+            fi
           }
           
           if [[ $EXIT_CODE -eq 128 ]]; then
@@ -221,7 +222,7 @@ jobs:
           user-name: ${{ env.GIT_DESTINATION_REPOSITORY_USERNAME }}
           user-email: ${{ env.GIT_DESTINATION_REPOSITORY_USERNAME }}@users.noreply.github.com
           create-target-branch-if-needed: ${{ vars.DEPLOY_TO_REPOSITORY_CREATE_TARGET_BRANCH_IF_NEEDED || true }}
-          target-branch: ${{ vars.DEPLOY_TO_REPOSITORY_TARGET_BRANCH || 'main' }}
+          target-branch: ${{ env.DEPLOY_TO_REPOSITORY_TARGET_BRANCH || vars.DEPLOY_TO_REPOSITORY_TARGET_BRANCH || 'main' }}
         env:
           SSH_DEPLOY_KEY: ${{ secrets.SSH_DEPLOY_KEY }}