diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index bb4950d5..67558703 100644
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -427,6 +427,32 @@ module.exports.array = (stream, options) => getStream(stream, {...options, array
 module.exports.MaxBufferError = MaxBufferError;
 
 
+/***/ }),
+
+/***/ 82:
+/***/ (function(__unusedmodule, exports) {
+
+"use strict";
+
+// We use any as a valid input type
+/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any */
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
+/**
+ * Sanitizes an input into a string so it can be passed into issueCommand safely
+ * @param input input to sanitize into a string
+ */
+function toCommandValue(input) {
+    if (input === null || input === undefined) {
+        return '';
+    }
+    else if (typeof input === 'string' || input instanceof String) {
+        return input;
+    }
+    return JSON.stringify(input);
+}
+exports.toCommandValue = toCommandValue;
+//# sourceMappingURL=utils.js.map
+
 /***/ }),
 
 /***/ 87:
@@ -436,6 +462,42 @@ module.exports = require("os");
 
 /***/ }),
 
+/***/ 102:
+/***/ (function(__unusedmodule, exports, __webpack_require__) {
+
+"use strict";
+
+// For internal use, subject to change.
+var __importStar = (this && this.__importStar) || function (mod) {
+    if (mod && mod.__esModule) return mod;
+    var result = {};
+    if (mod != null) for (var k in mod) if (Object.hasOwnProperty.call(mod, k)) result[k] = mod[k];
+    result["default"] = mod;
+    return result;
+};
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
+// We use any as a valid input type
+/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any */
+const fs = __importStar(__webpack_require__(747));
+const os = __importStar(__webpack_require__(87));
+const utils_1 = __webpack_require__(82);
+function issueCommand(command, message) {
+    const filePath = process.env[`GITHUB_${command}`];
+    if (!filePath) {
+        throw new Error(`Unable to find environment variable for file command ${command}`);
+    }
+    if (!fs.existsSync(filePath)) {
+        throw new Error(`Missing file at path: ${filePath}`);
+    }
+    fs.appendFileSync(filePath, `${utils_1.toCommandValue(message)}${os.EOL}`, {
+        encoding: 'utf8'
+    });
+}
+exports.issueCommand = issueCommand;
+//# sourceMappingURL=file-command.js.map
+
+/***/ }),
+
 /***/ 104:
 /***/ (function(__unusedmodule, __unusedexports, __webpack_require__) {
 
@@ -690,7 +752,7 @@ async function checkOutRemoteBranch(branch) {
     core.info(`Remote branch "${branch}" checked out locally.`);
 
     await runShellCommand(
-      `git cherry-pick --strategy recursive --strategy-option theirs ${TEMPORARY_BRANCH_NAME}`
+      `git cherry-pick --allow-empty --strategy recursive --strategy-option theirs ${TEMPORARY_BRANCH_NAME}`
     );
 
     return true;
@@ -3274,71 +3336,84 @@ function errname(uv, code) {
 /***/ (function(__unusedmodule, exports, __webpack_require__) {
 
 "use strict";
-
-Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
-const os = __webpack_require__(87);
-/**
- * Commands
- *
- * Command Format:
- *   ##[name key=value;key=value]message
- *
- * Examples:
- *   ##[warning]This is the user warning message
- *   ##[set-secret name=mypassword]definitelyNotAPassword!
- */
-function issueCommand(command, properties, message) {
-    const cmd = new Command(command, properties, message);
-    process.stdout.write(cmd.toString() + os.EOL);
-}
-exports.issueCommand = issueCommand;
-function issue(name, message = '') {
-    issueCommand(name, {}, message);
-}
-exports.issue = issue;
-const CMD_STRING = '::';
-class Command {
-    constructor(command, properties, message) {
-        if (!command) {
-            command = 'missing.command';
-        }
-        this.command = command;
-        this.properties = properties;
-        this.message = message;
-    }
-    toString() {
-        let cmdStr = CMD_STRING + this.command;
-        if (this.properties && Object.keys(this.properties).length > 0) {
-            cmdStr += ' ';
-            for (const key in this.properties) {
-                if (this.properties.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
-                    const val = this.properties[key];
-                    if (val) {
-                        // safely append the val - avoid blowing up when attempting to
-                        // call .replace() if message is not a string for some reason
-                        cmdStr += `${key}=${escape(`${val || ''}`)},`;
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        cmdStr += CMD_STRING;
-        // safely append the message - avoid blowing up when attempting to
-        // call .replace() if message is not a string for some reason
-        const message = `${this.message || ''}`;
-        cmdStr += escapeData(message);
-        return cmdStr;
-    }
-}
-function escapeData(s) {
-    return s.replace(/\r/g, '%0D').replace(/\n/g, '%0A');
-}
-function escape(s) {
-    return s
-        .replace(/\r/g, '%0D')
-        .replace(/\n/g, '%0A')
-        .replace(/]/g, '%5D')
-        .replace(/;/g, '%3B');
-}
+
+var __importStar = (this && this.__importStar) || function (mod) {
+    if (mod && mod.__esModule) return mod;
+    var result = {};
+    if (mod != null) for (var k in mod) if (Object.hasOwnProperty.call(mod, k)) result[k] = mod[k];
+    result["default"] = mod;
+    return result;
+};
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
+const os = __importStar(__webpack_require__(87));
+const utils_1 = __webpack_require__(82);
+/**
+ * Commands
+ *
+ * Command Format:
+ *   ::name key=value,key=value::message
+ *
+ * Examples:
+ *   ::warning::This is the message
+ *   ::set-env name=MY_VAR::some value
+ */
+function issueCommand(command, properties, message) {
+    const cmd = new Command(command, properties, message);
+    process.stdout.write(cmd.toString() + os.EOL);
+}
+exports.issueCommand = issueCommand;
+function issue(name, message = '') {
+    issueCommand(name, {}, message);
+}
+exports.issue = issue;
+const CMD_STRING = '::';
+class Command {
+    constructor(command, properties, message) {
+        if (!command) {
+            command = 'missing.command';
+        }
+        this.command = command;
+        this.properties = properties;
+        this.message = message;
+    }
+    toString() {
+        let cmdStr = CMD_STRING + this.command;
+        if (this.properties && Object.keys(this.properties).length > 0) {
+            cmdStr += ' ';
+            let first = true;
+            for (const key in this.properties) {
+                if (this.properties.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
+                    const val = this.properties[key];
+                    if (val) {
+                        if (first) {
+                            first = false;
+                        }
+                        else {
+                            cmdStr += ',';
+                        }
+                        cmdStr += `${key}=${escapeProperty(val)}`;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        cmdStr += `${CMD_STRING}${escapeData(this.message)}`;
+        return cmdStr;
+    }
+}
+function escapeData(s) {
+    return utils_1.toCommandValue(s)
+        .replace(/%/g, '%25')
+        .replace(/\r/g, '%0D')
+        .replace(/\n/g, '%0A');
+}
+function escapeProperty(s) {
+    return utils_1.toCommandValue(s)
+        .replace(/%/g, '%25')
+        .replace(/\r/g, '%0D')
+        .replace(/\n/g, '%0A')
+        .replace(/:/g, '%3A')
+        .replace(/,/g, '%2C');
+}
 //# sourceMappingURL=command.js.map
 
 /***/ }),
@@ -5208,182 +5283,243 @@ exports.RequestError = RequestError;
 /***/ (function(__unusedmodule, exports, __webpack_require__) {
 
 "use strict";
-
-var __awaiter = (this && this.__awaiter) || function (thisArg, _arguments, P, generator) {
-    function adopt(value) { return value instanceof P ? value : new P(function (resolve) { resolve(value); }); }
-    return new (P || (P = Promise))(function (resolve, reject) {
-        function fulfilled(value) { try { step(generator.next(value)); } catch (e) { reject(e); } }
-        function rejected(value) { try { step(generator["throw"](value)); } catch (e) { reject(e); } }
-        function step(result) { result.done ? resolve(result.value) : adopt(result.value).then(fulfilled, rejected); }
-        step((generator = generator.apply(thisArg, _arguments || [])).next());
-    });
-};
-Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
-const command_1 = __webpack_require__(431);
-const os = __webpack_require__(87);
-const path = __webpack_require__(622);
-/**
- * The code to exit an action
- */
-var ExitCode;
-(function (ExitCode) {
-    /**
-     * A code indicating that the action was successful
-     */
-    ExitCode[ExitCode["Success"] = 0] = "Success";
-    /**
-     * A code indicating that the action was a failure
-     */
-    ExitCode[ExitCode["Failure"] = 1] = "Failure";
-})(ExitCode = exports.ExitCode || (exports.ExitCode = {}));
-//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Variables
-//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-/**
- * sets env variable for this action and future actions in the job
- * @param name the name of the variable to set
- * @param val the value of the variable
- */
-function exportVariable(name, val) {
-    process.env[name] = val;
-    command_1.issueCommand('set-env', { name }, val);
-}
-exports.exportVariable = exportVariable;
-/**
- * exports the variable and registers a secret which will get masked from logs
- * @param name the name of the variable to set
- * @param val value of the secret
- */
-function exportSecret(name, val) {
-    exportVariable(name, val);
-    // the runner will error with not implemented
-    // leaving the function but raising the error earlier
-    command_1.issueCommand('set-secret', {}, val);
-    throw new Error('Not implemented.');
-}
-exports.exportSecret = exportSecret;
-/**
- * Prepends inputPath to the PATH (for this action and future actions)
- * @param inputPath
- */
-function addPath(inputPath) {
-    command_1.issueCommand('add-path', {}, inputPath);
-    process.env['PATH'] = `${inputPath}${path.delimiter}${process.env['PATH']}`;
-}
-exports.addPath = addPath;
-/**
- * Gets the value of an input.  The value is also trimmed.
- *
- * @param     name     name of the input to get
- * @param     options  optional. See InputOptions.
- * @returns   string
- */
-function getInput(name, options) {
-    const val = process.env[`INPUT_${name.replace(/ /g, '_').toUpperCase()}`] || '';
-    if (options && options.required && !val) {
-        throw new Error(`Input required and not supplied: ${name}`);
-    }
-    return val.trim();
-}
-exports.getInput = getInput;
-/**
- * Sets the value of an output.
- *
- * @param     name     name of the output to set
- * @param     value    value to store
- */
-function setOutput(name, value) {
-    command_1.issueCommand('set-output', { name }, value);
-}
-exports.setOutput = setOutput;
-//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Results
-//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-/**
- * Sets the action status to failed.
- * When the action exits it will be with an exit code of 1
- * @param message add error issue message
- */
-function setFailed(message) {
-    process.exitCode = ExitCode.Failure;
-    error(message);
-}
-exports.setFailed = setFailed;
-//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Logging Commands
-//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-/**
- * Writes debug message to user log
- * @param message debug message
- */
-function debug(message) {
-    command_1.issueCommand('debug', {}, message);
-}
-exports.debug = debug;
-/**
- * Adds an error issue
- * @param message error issue message
- */
-function error(message) {
-    command_1.issue('error', message);
-}
-exports.error = error;
-/**
- * Adds an warning issue
- * @param message warning issue message
- */
-function warning(message) {
-    command_1.issue('warning', message);
-}
-exports.warning = warning;
-/**
- * Writes info to log with console.log.
- * @param message info message
- */
-function info(message) {
-    process.stdout.write(message + os.EOL);
-}
-exports.info = info;
-/**
- * Begin an output group.
- *
- * Output until the next `groupEnd` will be foldable in this group
- *
- * @param name The name of the output group
- */
-function startGroup(name) {
-    command_1.issue('group', name);
-}
-exports.startGroup = startGroup;
-/**
- * End an output group.
- */
-function endGroup() {
-    command_1.issue('endgroup');
-}
-exports.endGroup = endGroup;
-/**
- * Wrap an asynchronous function call in a group.
- *
- * Returns the same type as the function itself.
- *
- * @param name The name of the group
- * @param fn The function to wrap in the group
- */
-function group(name, fn) {
-    return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-        startGroup(name);
-        let result;
-        try {
-            result = yield fn();
-        }
-        finally {
-            endGroup();
-        }
-        return result;
-    });
-}
-exports.group = group;
+
+var __awaiter = (this && this.__awaiter) || function (thisArg, _arguments, P, generator) {
+    function adopt(value) { return value instanceof P ? value : new P(function (resolve) { resolve(value); }); }
+    return new (P || (P = Promise))(function (resolve, reject) {
+        function fulfilled(value) { try { step(generator.next(value)); } catch (e) { reject(e); } }
+        function rejected(value) { try { step(generator["throw"](value)); } catch (e) { reject(e); } }
+        function step(result) { result.done ? resolve(result.value) : adopt(result.value).then(fulfilled, rejected); }
+        step((generator = generator.apply(thisArg, _arguments || [])).next());
+    });
+};
+var __importStar = (this && this.__importStar) || function (mod) {
+    if (mod && mod.__esModule) return mod;
+    var result = {};
+    if (mod != null) for (var k in mod) if (Object.hasOwnProperty.call(mod, k)) result[k] = mod[k];
+    result["default"] = mod;
+    return result;
+};
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
+const command_1 = __webpack_require__(431);
+const file_command_1 = __webpack_require__(102);
+const utils_1 = __webpack_require__(82);
+const os = __importStar(__webpack_require__(87));
+const path = __importStar(__webpack_require__(622));
+/**
+ * The code to exit an action
+ */
+var ExitCode;
+(function (ExitCode) {
+    /**
+     * A code indicating that the action was successful
+     */
+    ExitCode[ExitCode["Success"] = 0] = "Success";
+    /**
+     * A code indicating that the action was a failure
+     */
+    ExitCode[ExitCode["Failure"] = 1] = "Failure";
+})(ExitCode = exports.ExitCode || (exports.ExitCode = {}));
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Variables
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
+ * Sets env variable for this action and future actions in the job
+ * @param name the name of the variable to set
+ * @param val the value of the variable. Non-string values will be converted to a string via JSON.stringify
+ */
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+function exportVariable(name, val) {
+    const convertedVal = utils_1.toCommandValue(val);
+    process.env[name] = convertedVal;
+    const filePath = process.env['GITHUB_ENV'] || '';
+    if (filePath) {
+        const delimiter = '_GitHubActionsFileCommandDelimeter_';
+        const commandValue = `${name}<<${delimiter}${os.EOL}${convertedVal}${os.EOL}${delimiter}`;
+        file_command_1.issueCommand('ENV', commandValue);
+    }
+    else {
+        command_1.issueCommand('set-env', { name }, convertedVal);
+    }
+}
+exports.exportVariable = exportVariable;
+/**
+ * Registers a secret which will get masked from logs
+ * @param secret value of the secret
+ */
+function setSecret(secret) {
+    command_1.issueCommand('add-mask', {}, secret);
+}
+exports.setSecret = setSecret;
+/**
+ * Prepends inputPath to the PATH (for this action and future actions)
+ * @param inputPath
+ */
+function addPath(inputPath) {
+    const filePath = process.env['GITHUB_PATH'] || '';
+    if (filePath) {
+        file_command_1.issueCommand('PATH', inputPath);
+    }
+    else {
+        command_1.issueCommand('add-path', {}, inputPath);
+    }
+    process.env['PATH'] = `${inputPath}${path.delimiter}${process.env['PATH']}`;
+}
+exports.addPath = addPath;
+/**
+ * Gets the value of an input.  The value is also trimmed.
+ *
+ * @param     name     name of the input to get
+ * @param     options  optional. See InputOptions.
+ * @returns   string
+ */
+function getInput(name, options) {
+    const val = process.env[`INPUT_${name.replace(/ /g, '_').toUpperCase()}`] || '';
+    if (options && options.required && !val) {
+        throw new Error(`Input required and not supplied: ${name}`);
+    }
+    return val.trim();
+}
+exports.getInput = getInput;
+/**
+ * Sets the value of an output.
+ *
+ * @param     name     name of the output to set
+ * @param     value    value to store. Non-string values will be converted to a string via JSON.stringify
+ */
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+function setOutput(name, value) {
+    command_1.issueCommand('set-output', { name }, value);
+}
+exports.setOutput = setOutput;
+/**
+ * Enables or disables the echoing of commands into stdout for the rest of the step.
+ * Echoing is disabled by default if ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG is not set.
+ *
+ */
+function setCommandEcho(enabled) {
+    command_1.issue('echo', enabled ? 'on' : 'off');
+}
+exports.setCommandEcho = setCommandEcho;
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Results
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
+ * Sets the action status to failed.
+ * When the action exits it will be with an exit code of 1
+ * @param message add error issue message
+ */
+function setFailed(message) {
+    process.exitCode = ExitCode.Failure;
+    error(message);
+}
+exports.setFailed = setFailed;
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Logging Commands
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
+ * Gets whether Actions Step Debug is on or not
+ */
+function isDebug() {
+    return process.env['RUNNER_DEBUG'] === '1';
+}
+exports.isDebug = isDebug;
+/**
+ * Writes debug message to user log
+ * @param message debug message
+ */
+function debug(message) {
+    command_1.issueCommand('debug', {}, message);
+}
+exports.debug = debug;
+/**
+ * Adds an error issue
+ * @param message error issue message. Errors will be converted to string via toString()
+ */
+function error(message) {
+    command_1.issue('error', message instanceof Error ? message.toString() : message);
+}
+exports.error = error;
+/**
+ * Adds an warning issue
+ * @param message warning issue message. Errors will be converted to string via toString()
+ */
+function warning(message) {
+    command_1.issue('warning', message instanceof Error ? message.toString() : message);
+}
+exports.warning = warning;
+/**
+ * Writes info to log with console.log.
+ * @param message info message
+ */
+function info(message) {
+    process.stdout.write(message + os.EOL);
+}
+exports.info = info;
+/**
+ * Begin an output group.
+ *
+ * Output until the next `groupEnd` will be foldable in this group
+ *
+ * @param name The name of the output group
+ */
+function startGroup(name) {
+    command_1.issue('group', name);
+}
+exports.startGroup = startGroup;
+/**
+ * End an output group.
+ */
+function endGroup() {
+    command_1.issue('endgroup');
+}
+exports.endGroup = endGroup;
+/**
+ * Wrap an asynchronous function call in a group.
+ *
+ * Returns the same type as the function itself.
+ *
+ * @param name The name of the group
+ * @param fn The function to wrap in the group
+ */
+function group(name, fn) {
+    return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+        startGroup(name);
+        let result;
+        try {
+            result = yield fn();
+        }
+        finally {
+            endGroup();
+        }
+        return result;
+    });
+}
+exports.group = group;
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Wrapper action state
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
+ * Saves state for current action, the state can only be retrieved by this action's post job execution.
+ *
+ * @param     name     name of the state to store
+ * @param     value    value to store. Non-string values will be converted to a string via JSON.stringify
+ */
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+function saveState(name, value) {
+    command_1.issueCommand('save-state', { name }, value);
+}
+exports.saveState = saveState;
+/**
+ * Gets the value of an state set by this action's main execution.
+ *
+ * @param     name     name of the state to get
+ * @returns   string
+ */
+function getState(name) {
+    return process.env[`STATE_${name}`] || '';
+}
+exports.getState = getState;
 //# sourceMappingURL=core.js.map
 
 /***/ }),
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index ef472670..47097fee 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ async function checkOutRemoteBranch(branch) {
     core.info(`Remote branch "${branch}" checked out locally.`);
 
     await runShellCommand(
-      `git cherry-pick --strategy recursive --strategy-option theirs ${TEMPORARY_BRANCH_NAME}`
+      `git cherry-pick --allow-empty --strategy recursive --strategy-option theirs ${TEMPORARY_BRANCH_NAME}`
     );
 
     return true;