diff --git a/.github/workflows/site-policy-sync.yml b/.github/workflows/site-policy-sync.yml
index 84e4442605..3108ee363e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/site-policy-sync.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/site-policy-sync.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ jobs:
           path: public-repo
 
       - name: Commits internal policies to copy of public repo with descriptive message from triggering PR title
+        env:
+          PR_TITLE: ${{ github.event.pull_request.title }}
         run: |
           cd public-repo
           git config --local user.name 'site-policy-bot'
@@ -46,7 +48,6 @@ jobs:
           git status
           git checkout -b automated-sync-$GITHUB_RUN_ID
           git add .
-          PR_TITLE=${{ github.event.pull_request.title }}
           echo PR_TITLE: $PR_TITLE
           [[ ! -z $PR_TITLE ]] && DESCRIPTION="${PR_TITLE}" || DESCRIPTION="Update manually triggered by workflow"
           echo "DESCRIPTION=$DESCRIPTION" >> $GITHUB_ENV