diff --git a/.github/workflows/block-merge-freeze.yml b/.github/workflows/block-merge-freeze.yml
index bbbe1ab0def..ff4d1570154 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/block-merge-freeze.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/block-merge-freeze.yml
@@ -29,11 +29,29 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - name: Register server reference to fallback to master branch
-        run: |
-          server_ref="$(if [ '${{ github.base_ref }}' = 'main' ]; then echo -n 'master'; else echo -n '${{ github.base_ref }}'; fi)"
-          echo "server_ref=$server_ref" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}
+          script: |
+            const baseRef = context.payload.pull_request.base.ref
+            if (baseRef === 'main' || baseRef === 'master') {
+              core.exportVariable('server_ref', 'master');
+              console.log('Setting server_ref to master');
+            } else {
+              const regex = /^stable(\d+)$/
+              const match = baseRef.match(regex)
+              if (match) {
+                core.exportVariable('server_ref', match[0]);
+                console.log('Setting server_ref to ' + match[0]);
+              } else {
+                console.log('Not based on master/main/stable*, so skipping freeze check');
+              }
+            }
+
       - name: Download version.php from ${{ env.server_ref }}
+        if: ${{ env.server_ref != '' }}
         run: curl 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nextcloud/server/${{ env.server_ref }}/version.php' --output version.php
 
       - name: Run check
+        if: ${{ env.server_ref != '' }}
         run: cat version.php | grep 'OC_VersionString' | grep -i -v 'RC'