try to preserve merges

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -35,6 +35,16 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
           ref: ${{ env.GH_BRANCH }}
 
+      - name: Configure git
+        run: |
+          # Use the author of the last commit as the committer
+          git config user.name $(git log -1 --pretty=format:'%an')
+          git config user.email $(git log -1 --pretty=format:'%ae')
+
+          # Keep the original author date
+          git config rebase.instructionFormat '%s%nexec GIT_COMMITTER_DATE="%cD" git commit --amend --no-edit --reset-author --date="%cD"'
+        shell: bash
+
       - id: branch_status
         name: Check if branch is up-to-date
         run: |
@@ -52,15 +62,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Try to rebase
         if: ${{ steps.branch_status.outputs.up_to_date == 'false' }}
         run: |
-          # Use the author of the last commit as the committer
-          git config user.name $(git log -1 --pretty=format:'%an')
-          git config user.email $(git log -1 --pretty=format:'%ae')
-
-          # Keep the original author date
-          git config rebase.instructionFormat '%s%nexec GIT_COMMITTER_DATE="%cD" git commit --amend --no-edit --reset-author --date="%cD"'
-
           git fetch origin ${{ env.GH_BRANCH_BASE }}
-          git pull --rebase origin ${{ env.GH_BRANCH_BASE }}
+          git rebase --rebase-merges origin ${{ env.GH_BRANCH_BASE }}
 
           # Edit last commit message to include [skip ci] and avoid triggering subsequent workflows
           git commit --amend -m "$(git log -1 --pretty=%B) [skip ci]"