diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/lint.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab/ci/lint.gitlab-ci.yml
index 8f5fc3058..9c48bd912 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/lint.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/lint.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ format-run:
     # create a local branch that will overwrite distant one
     - git checkout -b "ci-format-${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME}" --no-track
     - tox -e py37-black-run
+    - '[ $(git diff | wc -l) != 0 ] || exit 0'  # stop if there is nothing to commit
     - git commit -am "[CI] Format code" || true
     - git push -f origin "ci-format-${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME}":"ci-format-${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME}"
     - hub pull-request -m "[CI] Format code" -b Yunohost:dev -p || true # GITHUB_USER and GITHUB_TOKEN registered here https://gitlab.com/yunohost/yunohost/-/settings/ci_cd