diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/run-hcdc.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/run-hcdc.yaml
index 9fd1b8137..fe2318dbd 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/run-hcdc.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/run-hcdc.yaml
@@ -9,12 +9,24 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout PR head
+      - name: Checkout PR head (same repo)
+        if: ${{ gitea.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == gitea.repository }}
         uses: https://github.com/actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          repository: ${{ gitea.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name }}
+          repository: ${{ gitea.repository }}
           ref: ${{ gitea.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
           fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
+          token: ${{ gitea.token }}
+
+      - name: Checkout PR head (fork via PR ref)
+        if: ${{ gitea.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name != gitea.repository }}
+        uses: https://github.com/actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          repository: ${{ gitea.repository }}
+          ref: refs/pull/${{ gitea.event.pull_request.number }}/head
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
           token: ${{ gitea.token }}
 
       - name: Checkout base
@@ -24,6 +36,7 @@ jobs:
           ref: ${{ gitea.event.pull_request.base.ref }}
           path: base
           fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
           token: ${{ gitea.token }}
 
 
@@ -46,7 +59,7 @@ jobs:
           python-version: "3.12"
     
       - name: Comment in case there's an error
-        if: failure()
+        if: ${{ failure() && steps.hcdc.outcome == 'failure' }}
         env:
           GITEA_URL: ${{ gitea.server_url }}
           REPO: ${{ gitea.repository }}