diff --git a/ci/blackduck.yml b/ci/blackduck.yml
index 123c0a7a80..6b5f7aed44 100644
--- a/ci/blackduck.yml
+++ b/ci/blackduck.yml
@@ -174,8 +174,11 @@ jobs:
       latest=$(git ls-remote https://github.com/DACH-NY/security-blackduck.git master | awk '{print $1}')
       current=$(cat ci/blackduck.yml | grep blackduck_script_sha: | head -1 | cut -f2 -d: | cut -c2- )
 
-      if [ "$current" != "$latest" ]; then
-        branch="bump-blackduck-script-${latest:0:8}"
+      branch="bump-blackduck-script-${latest:0:8}"
+
+      if git ls-remote --exit-code --heads https://github.com/digital-asset/daml.git refs/heads/$branch >/dev/null; then
+        echo "$branch already exists, nothing to do."
+      elif [ "$current" != "$latest" ]; then
         echo "s|blackduck_script_sha: $current|blackduck_script_sha: $latest|"
         sed -i "s|blackduck_script_sha: $current|blackduck_script_sha: $latest|" ci/blackduck.yml
         git add ci/blackduck.yml