diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-milestone.yaml b/.github/workflows/check-milestone.yaml
index 23eab4af27..8537cdb31a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-milestone.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-milestone.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ concurrency:
 jobs:
   check-milestone:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: github.actor != 'dependabot[bot]' # exclude prs from dependabot
+    if: ${{ github.actor != 'dependabot[bot]' }}  # dependabot prs do not have to be in milestone
     steps:
       - name: Check milestone
         uses: actions/github-script@60a0d83039c74a4aee543508d2ffcb1c3799cdea # v7.0.1
@@ -32,3 +32,6 @@ jobs:
             } else {
               core.setFailed(`A milestone need to be set on this pull request.`);
             }
+      - name: Debug failure
+        if: failure()
+        run: 'echo "GitHub Actor: ${{ github.actor }}"'