Unable to merge pull request due to branch protection rules, since github actions check doesn't trigger

Code to Cloud GitHub Actions
#1

Hi Team,

I have the below rules configured for my master branch:-

Screenshot from 2020-08-06 12-10-27
Screenshot from 2020-08-06 12-10-271097×476 60.2 KB

Below is my workflow:-

on:
  push:
    paths-ignore:
      - '.github/project.yaml'
      - '.gitignore'
      - 'LICENSE'
      - 'README*'
      - 'docs/**'
    branches: [master]
  pull_request:
    paths-ignore:
      - '.github/project.yaml'
      - '.gitignore'
      - 'LICENSE'
      - 'README*'
      - 'docs/**'
    branches: [master]
    

name: Verify Build Workflow

jobs:
  build-verify:
    name: Verify Build
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout Code
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Set up JDK 1.8
        uses: actions/setup-java@v1
        with:
          java-version: 1.8
      - name: Build Project
        run: mvn clean install

The problem here is, due to the branch protection rule that I have created, the merge button only gets enabled when the Github Actions workflow check is successful, as shown below:-

Screenshot from 2020-08-06 12-14-26
Screenshot from 2020-08-06 12-14-261111×323 33 KB

Now If I make changes to the docs, due to the paths-ignore the workflow doesn’t get triggered. Since, the workflow doesn’t run, the check is not successful and I am unable to merge the pull request.

Screenshot from 2020-08-06 12-20-48
Screenshot from 2020-08-06 12-20-481106×312 33.5 KB

Every time this happens, I need to use the admin privileges to merge the pull request. How do i merge if I don’t have admin privileges ?

#2

I just noticed the same problem. I’ve setup a sample repository with an open PR that exemplifies this problem: https://github.com/ianichitei/test/pull/2

#3

Thanks for your feedback.
Yes, I can reproduce the same behavior. When required status checks are set in branch protection rules, it will check whether the workflow runs successfully. In your case, you made some changes to the docs(under paths-ignore), so that the workflow was not triggered. Status checks did not find the triggered workflow, so it is not successful which lead you can not merge the pull request.

The only available workaround i can think of is that use the admin role as you mentioned.

#4

I wanted to add that from what I’ve found, the only work around for something like this using an implementation like dorny/paths-filter.

It could be an oversight by the Actions team, so I hope they can take this into account!