Cleanup actions/checkout@v6 auth style (#2305 )

2026-07-11 19:23:49 +08:00 · 2025-11-13 17:20:02 -06:00
29 changed files with 670 additions and 1666 deletions
--- a/.github/copilot-instructions.md
+++ b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
@@ -1,121 +0,0 @@
-# GitHub Actions Checkout - AI Coding Instructions
-
-## Project Overview
-
-This is the official `actions/checkout` GitHub Action for checking out repositories in workflows. It's a TypeScript project that compiles to a single bundled JavaScript file (`dist/index.js`) and supports both git-based and REST API-based repository downloads.
-
-## Architecture & Key Components
-
-### Core Entry Points
- **`src/main.ts`**: Main entry point with `run()` and `cleanup()` functions, determined by `stateHelper.IsPost`
- **`src/git-source-provider.ts`**: Primary orchestrator for repository acquisition (git vs REST API fallback)
- **`src/input-helper.ts`**: Input validation and GitHub Actions input processing
- **`action.yml`**: Defines the action interface with comprehensive input/output schema
-
-### Critical Data Flow
-1. `main.ts` → `inputHelper.getInputs()` → validates and transforms action inputs
-2. `main.ts` → `gitSourceProvider.getSource(settings)` → orchestrates repository download
-3. `git-source-provider.ts` decides: use Git CLI or fallback to GitHub REST API
-4. State management via `state-helper.ts` for POST action cleanup
-
-### Authentication & Security Patterns
- **Token-based auth**: Uses `@actions/core` to handle GitHub tokens securely
- **SSH key management**: Configures temporary SSH keys in `git-auth-helper.ts`
- **Safe directory**: Automatically configures `git config safe.directory` for container compatibility
-
-## Development Workflow
-
-### Essential Commands
-```bash
-npm ci                    # Install dependencies
-npm run build            # TypeScript → JavaScript + bundle with ncc + generate docs
-npm run format           # Prettier formatting
-npm run lint            # ESLint validation
-npm test                # Jest test suite
-```
-
-### Build Process (Critical!)
- **`npm run build`** runs: `tsc && ncc build && node lib/misc/generate-docs.js`
- **Documentation sync**: `src/misc/generate-docs.ts` auto-updates README.md usage section from `action.yml`
- **Bundling**: Uses `@vercel/ncc` to create single `dist/index.js` file
- **Always run `npm run build` before commits** - the `dist/` directory must be up-to-date
-
-### Testing Strategy
- **Unit tests**: Jest tests in `__test__/` for all core modules
- **Integration tests**: Shell scripts (`__test__/verify-*.sh`) test real git operations
- **E2E tests**: `.github/workflows/test.yml` tests across OS matrix with actual GitHub repos
-
-## Project-Specific Conventions
-
-### TypeScript Patterns
- **Interface-driven**: `IGitSourceSettings` centralizes all configuration
- **Async/await**: All I/O operations use async patterns, not promises
- **Error handling**: Use `core.setFailed()` for action failures, `core.warning()` for non-critical issues
-
-### Git Operation Patterns
-```typescript
-// Check Git version and fallback pattern
-const git = await getGitCommandManager(settings)
-if (git) {
-  // Use Git CLI
-  await git.fetch(refSpec, fetchDepth)
-} else {
-  // Fallback to REST API
-  await githubApiHelper.downloadRepository(...)
-}
-```
-
-### State Management (Unique Pattern!)
- **Dual-phase execution**: Same script runs twice (MAIN + POST) determined by `stateHelper.IsPost`
- **State persistence**: Use `core.saveState()` / `core.getState()` to pass data between phases
- **Cleanup responsibility**: POST phase cleans up auth tokens, SSH keys, etc.
-
-### Input Validation Approach
- **GitHub context integration**: Defaults repository from `github.context.repo`
- **Path safety**: Validates paths are within `GITHUB_WORKSPACE`
- **Flexible refs**: Handles branches, tags, SHAs, and PR refs uniformly
-
-## Integration Points
-
-### GitHub Actions SDK Usage
- **`@actions/core`**: Input/output, logging, state management
- **`@actions/github`**: GitHub context and API access
- **`@actions/exec`**: Git command execution
- **`@actions/io`**: File system operations
-
-### Git Integration
- **Version compatibility**: Minimum Git 2.18, with feature detection for sparse-checkout
- **Authentication modes**: Token-based (default) or SSH key-based
- **Advanced features**: LFS, submodules, sparse-checkout, partial clones
-
-### Container Support
- **Safe directory**: Critical for container workflows - auto-configures git safe.directory
- **Credential persistence**: Configures git credential helper for authenticated operations
-
-## Common Debugging Patterns
-
-### Enable Debug Logging
-```yaml
-steps:
-  - uses: actions/checkout@v5
-    env:
-      ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG: true
-```
-
-### REST API Fallback Testing
-```bash
-# Force REST API mode by overriding Git version
-__test__/override-git-version.sh
-```
-
-### Authentication Issues
- Check `GITHUB_TOKEN` permissions: needs `contents: read`
- For private repos: requires PAT with repo access
- Container issues: verify safe.directory configuration
-
-## Key Files for Understanding
- `src/git-source-provider.ts` - Main orchestration logic
- `src/input-helper.ts` - Action interface and validation
- `src/git-auth-helper.ts` - Authentication and credential management
- `action.yml` - Complete input/output specification
- `.github/workflows/test.yml` - Comprehensive test scenarios
--- a/.github/workflows/check-dist.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-dist.yml
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ jobs:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6

-      - name: Set Node.js 24.x
+      - name: Set Node.js 20.x
        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
-          node-version: 24.x
+          node-version: 20.x

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: npm ci
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:

    steps:
    - name: Checkout repository
-      uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6

    - name: Initialize CodeQL
      uses: github/codeql-action/init@v3
--- a/.github/workflows/deno.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deno.yml
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-# This workflow uses actions that are not certified by GitHub.
-# They are provided by a third-party and are governed by
-# separate terms of service, privacy policy, and support
-# documentation.
-
-# This workflow will install Deno then run `deno lint` and `deno test`.
-# For more information see: https://github.com/denoland/setup-deno
-
-name: Deno
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches: ["main"]
-  pull_request:
-    branches: ["main"]
-
-permissions:
-  contents: read
-
-jobs:
-  test:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Setup repo
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Setup Deno
-        uses: denoland/setup-deno@v1.1.2
-        with:
-          deno-version: v1.x
-
-      # Uncomment this step to verify the use of 'deno fmt' on each commit.
-      # - name: Verify formatting
-      #   run: deno fmt --check
-
-      - name: Run linter
-        run: deno lint
-
-      - name: Run tests
-        run: deno test -A
--- a/.github/workflows/licensed.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/licensed.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ jobs:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    name: Check licenses
    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
      - run: npm ci
      - run: npm run licensed-check
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-immutable-actions.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-immutable-actions.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ jobs:

    steps:
      - name: Checking out
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Publish
        id: publish
        uses: actions/publish-immutable-action@0.0.3
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ jobs:
    steps:
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
-          node-version: 24.x
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+          node-version: 20.x
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
      - run: npm ci
      - run: npm run build
      - run: npm run format-check
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ jobs:
    steps:
      # Clone this repo
      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6

      # Basic checkout
      - name: Checkout basic
@@ -87,17 +87,6 @@ jobs:
      - name: Verify fetch filter
        run: __test__/verify-fetch-filter.sh

-      # Fetch tags
-      - name: Checkout with fetch-tags
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/basic
-          path: fetch-tags-test
-          fetch-tags: true
-      - name: Verify fetch-tags
-        shell: bash
-        run: __test__/verify-fetch-tags.sh
-
      # Sparse checkout
      - name: Sparse checkout
        uses: ./
@@ -176,22 +165,6 @@ jobs:
      - name: Verify submodules recursive
        run: __test__/verify-submodules-recursive.sh

-      # Worktree credentials
-      - name: Checkout for worktree test
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          path: worktree-test
-      - name: Verify worktree credentials
-        shell: bash
-        run: __test__/verify-worktree.sh worktree-test worktree-branch
-
-      # Worktree credentials in container step
-      - name: Verify worktree credentials in container step
-        if: runner.os == 'Linux'
-        uses: docker://bitnami/git:latest
-        with:
-          args: bash __test__/verify-worktree.sh worktree-test container-worktree-branch
-
      # Basic checkout using REST API
      - name: Remove basic
        if: runner.os != 'windows'
@@ -229,7 +202,7 @@ jobs:
    steps:
      # Clone this repo
      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6

      # Basic checkout using git
      - name: Checkout basic
@@ -261,7 +234,7 @@ jobs:
    steps:
      # Clone this repo
      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6

      # Basic checkout using git
      - name: Checkout basic
@@ -291,7 +264,7 @@ jobs:
    steps:
      # Clone this repo
      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
        with:
          path: localClone

@@ -318,8 +291,8 @@ jobs:
          git fetch --no-tags --depth=1 origin +refs/heads/main:refs/remotes/origin/main

      # needed to make checkout post cleanup succeed
-      - name: Fix Checkout v6
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - name: Fix Checkout v4
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
        with:
          path: localClone

@@ -328,16 +301,13 @@ jobs:
    steps:
      # Clone this repo
      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
-        with:
-          path: actions-checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6

      # Basic checkout using git
      - name: Checkout basic
        id: checkout
-        uses: ./actions-checkout
+        uses: ./
        with:
-          path: cloned-using-local-action
          ref: test-data/v2/basic

      # Verify output
@@ -355,3 +325,7 @@ jobs:
            echo "Expected commit to be 82f71901cf8c021332310dcc8cdba84c4193ff5d"
            exit 1
          fi
+
+      # needed to make checkout post cleanup succeed
+      - name: Fix Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
--- a/.github/workflows/update-main-version.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-main-version.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ on:
        type: choice
        description: The major version to update
        options:
-          - v5
          - v4
          - v3
          - v2
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
    # Note this update workflow can also be used as a rollback tool.
    # For that reason, it's best to pin `actions/checkout` to a known, stable version
    # (typically, about two releases back).
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
      with:
        fetch-depth: 0
    - name: Git config
--- a/.github/workflows/update-test-ubuntu-git.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-test-ubuntu-git.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
 
    steps:
      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      # Use `docker/login-action` to log in to GHCR.io. 
      # Once published, the packages are scoped to the account defined here.
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,25 +1,6 @@
 # Changelog

-## v6.0.2
-* Fix tag handling: preserve annotations and explicit fetch-tags by @ericsciple in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2356
-
-## v6.0.1
-* Add worktree support for persist-credentials includeIf by @ericsciple in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2327
-
-## v6.0.0
-* Persist creds to a separate file by @ericsciple in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2286
-* Update README to include Node.js 24 support details and requirements by @salmanmkc in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2248
-
-## v5.0.1
-* Port v6 cleanup to v5 by @ericsciple in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2301
-
-## v5.0.0
-* Update actions checkout to use node 24 by @salmanmkc in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2226
-
-## v4.3.1
-* Port v6 cleanup to v4 by @ericsciple in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2305
-
-## v4.3.0
+## V4.3.0
 * docs: update README.md by @motss in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/1971
 * Add internal repos for checking out multiple repositories by @mouismail in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/1977
 * Documentation update - add recommended permissions to Readme by @benwells in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2043
--- a/213
+++ b/213
@@ -1,201 +1,22 @@
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--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,22 +1,6 @@
 [![Build and Test](https://github.com/actions/checkout/actions/workflows/test.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/actions/checkout/actions/workflows/test.yml)

-# Checkout v6
-
-## What's new
-
- Improved credential security: `persist-credentials` now stores credentials in a separate file under `$RUNNER_TEMP` instead of directly in `.git/config`
- No workflow changes required — `git fetch`, `git push`, etc. continue to work automatically
- Running authenticated git commands from a [Docker container action](https://docs.github.com/actions/sharing-automations/creating-actions/creating-a-docker-container-action) requires Actions Runner [v2.329.0](https://github.com/actions/runner/releases/tag/v2.329.0) or later
-
-# Checkout v5
-
-## What's new
-
- Updated to the node24 runtime
-  - This requires a minimum Actions Runner version of [v2.327.1](https://github.com/actions/runner/releases/tag/v2.327.1) to run.
-
-
-# Checkout v4
+# Checkout V4

 This action checks-out your repository under `$GITHUB_WORKSPACE`, so your workflow can access it.

@@ -52,7 +36,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/

 <!-- start usage -->
 ```yaml
- uses: actions/checkout@v6
+- uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    # Repository name with owner. For example, actions/checkout
    # Default: ${{ github.repository }}
@@ -165,33 +149,24 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/

 # Scenarios

- [Checkout V5](#checkout-v5)
-  - [What's new](#whats-new)
- [Checkout V4](#checkout-v4)
-    - [Note](#note)
- [What's new](#whats-new-1)
- [Usage](#usage)
- [Scenarios](#scenarios)
-  - [Fetch only the root files](#fetch-only-the-root-files)
-  - [Fetch only the root files and `.github` and `src` folder](#fetch-only-the-root-files-and-github-and-src-folder)
-  - [Fetch only a single file](#fetch-only-a-single-file)
-  - [Fetch all history for all tags and branches](#fetch-all-history-for-all-tags-and-branches)
-  - [Checkout a different branch](#checkout-a-different-branch)
-  - [Checkout HEAD^](#checkout-head)
-  - [Checkout multiple repos (side by side)](#checkout-multiple-repos-side-by-side)
-  - [Checkout multiple repos (nested)](#checkout-multiple-repos-nested)
-  - [Checkout multiple repos (private)](#checkout-multiple-repos-private)
-  - [Checkout pull request HEAD commit instead of merge commit](#checkout-pull-request-head-commit-instead-of-merge-commit)
-  - [Checkout pull request on closed event](#checkout-pull-request-on-closed-event)
-  - [Push a commit using the built-in token](#push-a-commit-using-the-built-in-token)
-  - [Push a commit to a PR using the built-in token](#push-a-commit-to-a-pr-using-the-built-in-token)
- [Recommended permissions](#recommended-permissions)
- [License](#license)
+- [Fetch only the root files](#Fetch-only-the-root-files)
+- [Fetch only the root files and `.github` and `src` folder](#Fetch-only-the-root-files-and-github-and-src-folder)
+- [Fetch only a single file](#Fetch-only-a-single-file)
+- [Fetch all history for all tags and branches](#Fetch-all-history-for-all-tags-and-branches)
+- [Checkout a different branch](#Checkout-a-different-branch)
+- [Checkout HEAD^](#Checkout-HEAD)
+- [Checkout multiple repos (side by side)](#Checkout-multiple-repos-side-by-side)
+- [Checkout multiple repos (nested)](#Checkout-multiple-repos-nested)
+- [Checkout multiple repos (private)](#Checkout-multiple-repos-private)
+- [Checkout pull request HEAD commit instead of merge commit](#Checkout-pull-request-HEAD-commit-instead-of-merge-commit)
+- [Checkout pull request on closed event](#Checkout-pull-request-on-closed-event)
+- [Push a commit using the built-in token](#Push-a-commit-using-the-built-in-token)
+- [Push a commit to a PR using the built-in token](#Push-a-commit-to-a-PR-using-the-built-in-token)

 ## Fetch only the root files

 ```yaml
- uses: actions/checkout@v6
+- uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    sparse-checkout: .
 ```
@@ -199,7 +174,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Fetch only the root files and `.github` and `src` folder

 ```yaml
- uses: actions/checkout@v6
+- uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    sparse-checkout: |
      .github
@@ -209,7 +184,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Fetch only a single file

 ```yaml
- uses: actions/checkout@v6
+- uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    sparse-checkout: |
      README.md
@@ -219,7 +194,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Fetch all history for all tags and branches

 ```yaml
- uses: actions/checkout@v6
+- uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    fetch-depth: 0
 ```
@@ -227,7 +202,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Checkout a different branch

 ```yaml
- uses: actions/checkout@v6
+- uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    ref: my-branch
 ```
@@ -235,7 +210,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Checkout HEAD^

 ```yaml
- uses: actions/checkout@v6
+- uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    fetch-depth: 2
 - run: git checkout HEAD^
@@ -245,12 +220,12 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/

 ```yaml
 - name: Checkout
-  uses: actions/checkout@v6
+  uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    path: main

 - name: Checkout tools repo
-  uses: actions/checkout@v6
+  uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    repository: my-org/my-tools
    path: my-tools
@@ -261,10 +236,10 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/

 ```yaml
 - name: Checkout
-  uses: actions/checkout@v6
+  uses: actions/checkout@v4

 - name: Checkout tools repo
-  uses: actions/checkout@v6
+  uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    repository: my-org/my-tools
    path: my-tools
@@ -275,12 +250,12 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/

 ```yaml
 - name: Checkout
-  uses: actions/checkout@v6
+  uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    path: main

 - name: Checkout private tools
-  uses: actions/checkout@v6
+  uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    repository: my-org/my-private-tools
    token: ${{ secrets.GH_PAT }} # `GH_PAT` is a secret that contains your PAT
@@ -293,7 +268,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Checkout pull request HEAD commit instead of merge commit

 ```yaml
- uses: actions/checkout@v6
+- uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
 ```
@@ -309,7 +284,7 @@ jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 ```

 ## Push a commit using the built-in token
@@ -320,7 +295,7 @@ jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - run: |
          date > generated.txt
          # Note: the following account information will not work on GHES
@@ -342,7 +317,7 @@ jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
        with:
          ref: ${{ github.head_ref }}
      - run: |
--- a/test/git-auth-helper.test.ts
+++ b/test/git-auth-helper.test.ts
@@ -86,29 +86,16 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
    // Act
    await authHelper.configureAuth()

-    // Assert config - check that .git/config contains includeIf entries
-    const localConfigContent = (
+    // Assert config
+    const configContent = (
      await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
    ).toString()
-    expect(
-      localConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:')
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-
-    // Assert credentials config file contains the actual credentials
-    const credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
-      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
-    )
-    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(1)
-    const credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
-    const credentialsContent = (
-      await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)
-    ).toString()
    const basicCredential = Buffer.from(
      `x-access-token:${settings.authToken}`,
      'utf8'
    ).toString('base64')
    expect(
-      credentialsContent.indexOf(
+      configContent.indexOf(
        `http.${expectedServerUrl}/.extraheader AUTHORIZATION: basic ${basicCredential}`
      )
    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
@@ -133,7 +120,7 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
    'inject https://github.com as github server url'
  it(configureAuth_AcceptsGitHubServerUrlSetToGHEC, async () => {
    await testAuthHeader(
-      configureAuth_AcceptsGitHubServerUrlSetToGHEC,
+      configureAuth_AcceptsGitHubServerUrl,
      'https://github.com'
    )
  })
@@ -154,17 +141,12 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
      // Act
      await authHelper.configureAuth()

-      // Assert config - check credentials config file (not local .git/config)
-      const credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
-        f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
-      )
-      expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(1)
-      const credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
-      const credentialsContent = (
-        await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)
+      // Assert config
+      const configContent = (
+        await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
      ).toString()
      expect(
-        credentialsContent.indexOf(
+        configContent.indexOf(
          `http.https://github.com/.extraheader AUTHORIZATION`
        )
      ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
@@ -269,16 +251,13 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
      expectedSshCommand
    )

-    // Assert git config
+    // Asserty git config
    const gitConfigLines = (await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath))
      .toString()
      .split('\n')
      .filter(x => x)
-    // Should have includeIf entries pointing to credentials file
-    expect(gitConfigLines.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
-    expect(
-      gitConfigLines.some(line => line.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:') >= 0)
-    ).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(gitConfigLines).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(gitConfigLines[0]).toMatch(/^http\./)
  })

  const configureAuth_setsSshCommandWhenPersistCredentialsTrue =
@@ -440,20 +419,8 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
    expect(
      configContent.indexOf('value-from-global-config')
    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-    // Global config should have include.path pointing to credentials file
-    expect(configContent.indexOf('include.path')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-
-    // Check credentials in the separate config file
-    const credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
-      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
-    )
-    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
-    const credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
-    const credentialsContent = (
-      await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)
-    ).toString()
    expect(
-      credentialsContent.indexOf(
+      configContent.indexOf(
        `http.https://github.com/.extraheader AUTHORIZATION: basic ${basicCredential}`
      )
    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
@@ -496,20 +463,8 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
      const configContent = (
        await fs.promises.readFile(path.join(git.env['HOME'], '.gitconfig'))
      ).toString()
-      // Global config should have include.path pointing to credentials file
-      expect(configContent.indexOf('include.path')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-
-      // Check credentials in the separate config file
-      const credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
-        f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
-      )
-      expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
-      const credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
-      const credentialsContent = (
-        await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)
-      ).toString()
      expect(
-        credentialsContent.indexOf(
+        configContent.indexOf(
          `http.https://github.com/.extraheader AUTHORIZATION: basic ${basicCredential}`
        )
      ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
@@ -595,15 +550,15 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
      await authHelper.configureSubmoduleAuth()

      // Assert
-      // Should configure insteadOf (2 calls for two values)
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4)
      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[0][0]).toMatch(
        /unset-all.*insteadOf/
      )
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[1][0]).toMatch(
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[1][0]).toMatch(/http.*extraheader/)
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[2][0]).toMatch(
        /url.*insteadOf.*git@github.com:/
      )
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[2][0]).toMatch(
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[3][0]).toMatch(
        /url.*insteadOf.*org-123456@github.com:/
      )
    }
@@ -634,12 +589,12 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
      await authHelper.configureSubmoduleAuth()

      // Assert
-      // Should configure sshCommand (1 call)
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[0][0]).toMatch(
        /unset-all.*insteadOf/
      )
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[1][0]).toMatch(/core\.sshCommand/)
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[1][0]).toMatch(/http.*extraheader/)
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[2][0]).toMatch(/core\.sshCommand/)
    }
  )

@@ -705,81 +660,112 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
    await setup(removeAuth_removesToken)
    const authHelper = gitAuthHelper.createAuthHelper(git, settings)
    await authHelper.configureAuth()
-
-    // Verify includeIf entries exist in local config
-    let localConfigContent = (
+    let gitConfigContent = (
      await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
    ).toString()
-    expect(
-      localConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:')
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-
-    // Verify both host and container includeIf entries are present
-    const hostGitDir = path.join(workspace, '.git').replace(/\\/g, '/')
-    expect(
-      localConfigContent.indexOf(`includeIf.gitdir:${hostGitDir}.path`)
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-    expect(
-      localConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:/github/workspace/.git.path')
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-
-    // Verify credentials file exists
-    let credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
-      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
-    )
-    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(1)
-    const credentialsFilePath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
-
-    // Verify credentials file contains the auth token
-    let credentialsContent = (
-      await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsFilePath)
-    ).toString()
-    const basicCredential = Buffer.from(
-      `x-access-token:${settings.authToken}`,
-      'utf8'
-    ).toString('base64')
-    expect(
-      credentialsContent.indexOf(
-        `http.https://github.com/.extraheader AUTHORIZATION: basic ${basicCredential}`
-      )
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-
-    // Verify the includeIf entries point to the credentials file
-    const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join(
-      '/github/runner_temp',
-      path.basename(credentialsFilePath)
-    )
-    expect(
-      localConfigContent.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-    expect(
-      localConfigContent.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+    expect(gitConfigContent.indexOf('http.')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0) // sanity check

    // Act
    await authHelper.removeAuth()

-    // Assert all includeIf entries removed from local git config
-    localConfigContent = (
+    // Assert git config
+    gitConfigContent = (
      await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
    ).toString()
-    expect(localConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:')).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(gitConfigContent.indexOf('http.')).toBeLessThan(0)
+  })
+
+  const removeAuth_removesV6StyleCredentials =
+    'removeAuth removes v6 style credentials'
+  it(removeAuth_removesV6StyleCredentials, async () => {
+    // Arrange
+    await setup(removeAuth_removesV6StyleCredentials)
+    const authHelper = gitAuthHelper.createAuthHelper(git, settings)
+    await authHelper.configureAuth()
+
+    // Manually create v6-style credentials that would be left by v6
+    const credentialsFileName =
+      'git-credentials-12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc.config'
+    const credentialsFilePath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFileName)
+    const basicCredential = Buffer.from(
+      `x-access-token:${settings.authToken}`,
+      'utf8'
+    ).toString('base64')
+    const credentialsContent = `[http "https://github.com/"]\n\textraheader = AUTHORIZATION: basic ${basicCredential}\n`
+    await fs.promises.writeFile(credentialsFilePath, credentialsContent)
+
+    // Add includeIf entries to local git config (simulating v6 configuration)
+    const hostGitDir = path.join(workspace, '.git').replace(/\\/g, '/')
+    await fs.promises.appendFile(
+      localGitConfigPath,
+      `[includeIf "gitdir:${hostGitDir}/"]\n\tpath = ${credentialsFilePath}\n`
+    )
+    await fs.promises.appendFile(
+      localGitConfigPath,
+      `[includeIf "gitdir:/github/workspace/.git/"]\n\tpath = /github/runner_temp/${credentialsFileName}\n`
+    )
+
+    // Verify v6 style config exists
+    let gitConfigContent = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
+    ).toString()
+    expect(gitConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
    expect(
-      localConfigContent.indexOf(`includeIf.gitdir:${hostGitDir}.path`)
-    ).toBeLessThan(0)
-    expect(
-      localConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:/github/workspace/.git.path')
-    ).toBeLessThan(0)
-    expect(localConfigContent.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)).toBeLessThan(0)
-    expect(localConfigContent.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)).toBeLessThan(0)
+      gitConfigContent.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+    await fs.promises.stat(credentialsFilePath) // Verify file exists
+
+    // Mock the git methods to handle v6 cleanup
+    const mockTryGetConfigKeys = git.tryGetConfigKeys as jest.Mock<any, any>
+    mockTryGetConfigKeys.mockResolvedValue([
+      `includeIf.gitdir:${hostGitDir}/.path`,
+      'includeIf.gitdir:/github/workspace/.git/.path'
+    ])
+
+    const mockTryGetConfigValues = git.tryGetConfigValues as jest.Mock<any, any>
+    mockTryGetConfigValues.mockImplementation(async (key: string) => {
+      if (key === `includeIf.gitdir:${hostGitDir}/.path`) {
+        return [credentialsFilePath]
+      }
+      if (key === 'includeIf.gitdir:/github/workspace/.git/.path') {
+        return [`/github/runner_temp/${credentialsFileName}`]
+      }
+      return []
+    })
+
+    const mockTryConfigUnsetValue = git.tryConfigUnsetValue as jest.Mock<
+      any,
+      any
+    >
+    mockTryConfigUnsetValue.mockImplementation(
+      async (
+        key: string,
+        value: string,
+        globalConfig?: boolean,
+        configPath?: string
+      ) => {
+        const targetPath = configPath || localGitConfigPath
+        let content = await fs.promises.readFile(targetPath, 'utf8')
+        // Remove the includeIf section
+        const lines = content
+          .split('\n')
+          .filter(line => !line.includes('includeIf') && !line.includes(value))
+        await fs.promises.writeFile(targetPath, lines.join('\n'))
+        return true
+      }
+    )
+
+    // Act
+    await authHelper.removeAuth()
+
+    // Assert includeIf entries removed from local git config
+    gitConfigContent = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
+    ).toString()
+    expect(gitConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf')).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(gitConfigContent.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)).toBeLessThan(0)

    // Assert credentials config file deleted
-    credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
-      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
-    )
-    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(0)
-
-    // Verify credentials file no longer exists on disk
    try {
      await fs.promises.stat(credentialsFilePath)
      throw new Error('Credentials file should have been deleted')
@@ -790,108 +776,113 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
    }
  })

-  const removeAuth_removesTokenFromSubmodules =
-    'removeAuth removes token from submodules'
-  it(removeAuth_removesTokenFromSubmodules, async () => {
+  const removeAuth_removesV6StyleCredentialsFromSubmodules =
+    'removeAuth removes v6 style credentials from submodules'
+  it(removeAuth_removesV6StyleCredentialsFromSubmodules, async () => {
    // Arrange
-    await setup(removeAuth_removesTokenFromSubmodules)
+    await setup(removeAuth_removesV6StyleCredentialsFromSubmodules)

    // Create fake submodule config paths
    const submodule1Dir = path.join(workspace, '.git', 'modules', 'submodule-1')
-    const submodule2Dir = path.join(workspace, '.git', 'modules', 'submodule-2')
    const submodule1ConfigPath = path.join(submodule1Dir, 'config')
-    const submodule2ConfigPath = path.join(submodule2Dir, 'config')
-
    await fs.promises.mkdir(submodule1Dir, {recursive: true})
-    await fs.promises.mkdir(submodule2Dir, {recursive: true})
    await fs.promises.writeFile(submodule1ConfigPath, '')
-    await fs.promises.writeFile(submodule2ConfigPath, '')
-
-    // Mock getSubmoduleConfigPaths to return our fake submodules (for both configure and remove)
-    const mockGetSubmoduleConfigPaths =
-      git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths as jest.Mock<any, any>
-    mockGetSubmoduleConfigPaths.mockResolvedValue([
-      submodule1ConfigPath,
-      submodule2ConfigPath
-    ])

    const authHelper = gitAuthHelper.createAuthHelper(git, settings)
    await authHelper.configureAuth()
-    await authHelper.configureSubmoduleAuth()

-    // Verify credentials file exists
-    let credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
-      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
+    // Create v6-style credentials file
+    const credentialsFileName =
+      'git-credentials-abcdef12-3456-7890-abcd-ef1234567890.config'
+    const credentialsFilePath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFileName)
+    const basicCredential = Buffer.from(
+      `x-access-token:${settings.authToken}`,
+      'utf8'
+    ).toString('base64')
+    const credentialsContent = `[http "https://github.com/"]\n\textraheader = AUTHORIZATION: basic ${basicCredential}\n`
+    await fs.promises.writeFile(credentialsFilePath, credentialsContent)
+
+    // Add includeIf entries to submodule config
+    const submodule1GitDir = submodule1Dir.replace(/\\/g, '/')
+    await fs.promises.appendFile(
+      submodule1ConfigPath,
+      `[includeIf "gitdir:${submodule1GitDir}/"]\n\tpath = ${credentialsFilePath}\n`
    )
-    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(1)
-    const credentialsFilePath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])

-    // Verify submodule 1 config has includeIf entries
-    let submodule1Content = (
+    // Verify submodule config has includeIf entry
+    let submoduleConfigContent = (
      await fs.promises.readFile(submodule1ConfigPath)
    ).toString()
-    const submodule1GitDir = submodule1Dir.replace(/\\/g, '/')
-    expect(
-      submodule1Content.indexOf(`includeIf.gitdir:${submodule1GitDir}.path`)
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-    expect(
-      submodule1Content.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-
-    // Verify submodule 2 config has includeIf entries
-    let submodule2Content = (
-      await fs.promises.readFile(submodule2ConfigPath)
-    ).toString()
-    const submodule2GitDir = submodule2Dir.replace(/\\/g, '/')
-    expect(
-      submodule2Content.indexOf(`includeIf.gitdir:${submodule2GitDir}.path`)
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-    expect(
-      submodule2Content.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-
-    // Verify both host and container paths are in each submodule config
-    const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join(
-      '/github/runner_temp',
-      path.basename(credentialsFilePath)
+    expect(submoduleConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(
+      0
    )
    expect(
-      submodule1Content.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)
-    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-    expect(
-      submodule2Content.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)
+      submoduleConfigContent.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)
    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)

-    // Act - ensure mock persists for removeAuth
-    mockGetSubmoduleConfigPaths.mockResolvedValue([
-      submodule1ConfigPath,
-      submodule2ConfigPath
-    ])
+    // Mock getSubmoduleConfigPaths
+    const mockGetSubmoduleConfigPaths =
+      git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths as jest.Mock<any, any>
+    mockGetSubmoduleConfigPaths.mockResolvedValue([submodule1ConfigPath])
+
+    // Mock tryGetConfigKeys for submodule
+    const mockTryGetConfigKeys = git.tryGetConfigKeys as jest.Mock<any, any>
+    mockTryGetConfigKeys.mockImplementation(
+      async (pattern: string, globalConfig?: boolean, configPath?: string) => {
+        if (configPath === submodule1ConfigPath) {
+          return [`includeIf.gitdir:${submodule1GitDir}/.path`]
+        }
+        return []
+      }
+    )
+
+    // Mock tryGetConfigValues for submodule
+    const mockTryGetConfigValues = git.tryGetConfigValues as jest.Mock<any, any>
+    mockTryGetConfigValues.mockImplementation(
+      async (key: string, globalConfig?: boolean, configPath?: string) => {
+        if (
+          configPath === submodule1ConfigPath &&
+          key === `includeIf.gitdir:${submodule1GitDir}/.path`
+        ) {
+          return [credentialsFilePath]
+        }
+        return []
+      }
+    )
+
+    // Mock tryConfigUnsetValue for submodule
+    const mockTryConfigUnsetValue = git.tryConfigUnsetValue as jest.Mock<
+      any,
+      any
+    >
+    mockTryConfigUnsetValue.mockImplementation(
+      async (
+        key: string,
+        value: string,
+        globalConfig?: boolean,
+        configPath?: string
+      ) => {
+        const targetPath = configPath || localGitConfigPath
+        let content = await fs.promises.readFile(targetPath, 'utf8')
+        const lines = content
+          .split('\n')
+          .filter(line => !line.includes('includeIf') && !line.includes(value))
+        await fs.promises.writeFile(targetPath, lines.join('\n'))
+        return true
+      }
+    )
+
+    // Act
    await authHelper.removeAuth()

-    // Assert submodule 1 includeIf entries removed
-    submodule1Content = (
+    // Assert submodule includeIf entries removed
+    submoduleConfigContent = (
      await fs.promises.readFile(submodule1ConfigPath)
    ).toString()
-    expect(submodule1Content.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:')).toBeLessThan(0)
-    expect(submodule1Content.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)).toBeLessThan(0)
-    expect(submodule1Content.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(submoduleConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf')).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(submoduleConfigContent.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)).toBeLessThan(0)

-    // Assert submodule 2 includeIf entries removed
-    submodule2Content = (
-      await fs.promises.readFile(submodule2ConfigPath)
-    ).toString()
-    expect(submodule2Content.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:')).toBeLessThan(0)
-    expect(submodule2Content.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)).toBeLessThan(0)
-    expect(submodule2Content.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)).toBeLessThan(0)
-
-    // Assert credentials config file deleted
-    credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
-      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
-    )
-    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(0)
-
-    // Verify credentials file no longer exists on disk
+    // Assert credentials file deleted
    try {
      await fs.promises.stat(credentialsFilePath)
      throw new Error('Credentials file should have been deleted')
@@ -902,6 +893,65 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
    }
  })

+  const removeAuth_skipsV6CleanupWhenEnvVarSet =
+    'removeAuth skips v6 cleanup when ACTIONS_CHECKOUT_SKIP_V6_CLEANUP is set'
+  it(removeAuth_skipsV6CleanupWhenEnvVarSet, async () => {
+    // Arrange
+    await setup(removeAuth_skipsV6CleanupWhenEnvVarSet)
+
+    // Set the skip environment variable
+    process.env['ACTIONS_CHECKOUT_SKIP_V6_CLEANUP'] = '1'
+
+    const authHelper = gitAuthHelper.createAuthHelper(git, settings)
+    await authHelper.configureAuth()
+
+    // Create v6-style credentials file in RUNNER_TEMP
+    const credentialsFileName = 'git-credentials-test-uuid-1234-5678.config'
+    const credentialsFilePath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFileName)
+    const credentialsContent =
+      '[http "https://github.com/"]\n\textraheader = AUTHORIZATION: basic token\n'
+    await fs.promises.writeFile(credentialsFilePath, credentialsContent)
+
+    // Add includeIf section to local git config (separate from http.* config)
+    const includeIfSection = `\n[includeIf "gitdir:/some/path/.git/"]\n\tpath = ${credentialsFilePath}\n`
+    await fs.promises.appendFile(localGitConfigPath, includeIfSection)
+
+    // Verify v6 style config exists
+    let gitConfigContent = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
+    ).toString()
+    expect(gitConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+    await fs.promises.stat(credentialsFilePath) // Verify file exists
+
+    // Act
+    await authHelper.removeAuth()
+
+    // Assert v5 cleanup still happened (http.* removed)
+    gitConfigContent = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
+    ).toString()
+    expect(
+      gitConfigContent.indexOf('http.https://github.com/.extraheader')
+    ).toBeLessThan(0)
+
+    // Assert v6 cleanup was skipped - includeIf should still be present
+    expect(gitConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+    expect(
+      gitConfigContent.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+
+    // Assert credentials file still exists (wasn't deleted)
+    await fs.promises.stat(credentialsFilePath) // File should still exist
+
+    // Assert debug message was logged
+    expect(core.debug).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'Skipping v6 style cleanup due to ACTIONS_CHECKOUT_SKIP_V6_CLEANUP'
+    )
+
+    // Cleanup
+    delete process.env['ACTIONS_CHECKOUT_SKIP_V6_CLEANUP']
+  })
+
  const removeGlobalConfig_removesOverride =
    'removeGlobalConfig removes override'
  it(removeGlobalConfig_removesOverride, async () => {
@@ -928,52 +978,6 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
      }
    }
  })
-
-  const testCredentialsConfigPath_matchesCredentialsConfigPaths =
-    'testCredentialsConfigPath matches credentials config paths'
-  it(testCredentialsConfigPath_matchesCredentialsConfigPaths, async () => {
-    // Arrange
-    await setup(testCredentialsConfigPath_matchesCredentialsConfigPaths)
-    const authHelper = gitAuthHelper.createAuthHelper(git, settings)
-
-    // Get a real credentials config path
-    const credentialsConfigPath = await (
-      authHelper as any
-    ).getCredentialsConfigPath()
-
-    // Act & Assert
-    expect(
-      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(credentialsConfigPath)
-    ).toBe(true)
-    expect(
-      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(
-        '/some/path/git-credentials-12345678-abcd-1234-5678-123456789012.config'
-      )
-    ).toBe(true)
-    expect(
-      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(
-        '/some/path/git-credentials-abcdef12-3456-7890-abcd-ef1234567890.config'
-      )
-    ).toBe(true)
-
-    // Test invalid paths
-    expect(
-      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(
-        '/some/path/other-config.config'
-      )
-    ).toBe(false)
-    expect(
-      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(
-        '/some/path/git-credentials-invalid.config'
-      )
-    ).toBe(false)
-    expect(
-      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(
-        '/some/path/git-credentials-.config'
-      )
-    ).toBe(false)
-    expect((authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath('')).toBe(false)
-  })
 })

 async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
@@ -988,7 +992,6 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
  await fs.promises.mkdir(tempHomedir, {recursive: true})
  process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'] = runnerTemp
  process.env['HOME'] = tempHomedir
-  process.env['GITHUB_WORKSPACE'] = workspace

  // Create git config
  globalGitConfigPath = path.join(tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
@@ -1007,20 +1010,10 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
    checkout: jest.fn(),
    checkoutDetach: jest.fn(),
    config: jest.fn(
-      async (
-        key: string,
-        value: string,
-        globalConfig?: boolean,
-        add?: boolean,
-        configFile?: string
-      ) => {
-        const configPath =
-          configFile ||
-          (globalConfig
-            ? path.join(git.env['HOME'] || tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
-            : localGitConfigPath)
-        // Ensure directory exists
-        await fs.promises.mkdir(path.dirname(configPath), {recursive: true})
+      async (key: string, value: string, globalConfig?: boolean) => {
+        const configPath = globalConfig
+          ? path.join(git.env['HOME'] || tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
+          : localGitConfigPath
        await fs.promises.appendFile(configPath, `\n${key} ${value}`)
      }
    ),
@@ -1040,7 +1033,6 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
    env: {},
    fetch: jest.fn(),
    getDefaultBranch: jest.fn(),
-    getSubmoduleConfigPaths: jest.fn(async () => []),
    getWorkingDirectory: jest.fn(() => workspace),
    init: jest.fn(),
    isDetached: jest.fn(),
@@ -1079,72 +1071,20 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
        return true
      }
    ),
-    tryConfigUnsetValue: jest.fn(
-      async (
-        key: string,
-        value: string,
-        globalConfig?: boolean,
-        configPath?: string
-      ): Promise<boolean> => {
-        const targetConfigPath =
-          configPath ||
-          (globalConfig
-            ? path.join(git.env['HOME'] || tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
-            : localGitConfigPath)
-        let content = await fs.promises.readFile(targetConfigPath)
-        let lines = content
-          .toString()
-          .split('\n')
-          .filter(x => x)
-          .filter(x => !(x.startsWith(key) && x.includes(value)))
-        await fs.promises.writeFile(targetConfigPath, lines.join('\n'))
-        return true
-      }
-    ),
    tryDisableAutomaticGarbageCollection: jest.fn(),
    tryGetFetchUrl: jest.fn(),
-    tryGetConfigValues: jest.fn(
-      async (
-        key: string,
-        globalConfig?: boolean,
-        configPath?: string
-      ): Promise<string[]> => {
-        const targetConfigPath =
-          configPath ||
-          (globalConfig
-            ? path.join(git.env['HOME'] || tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
-            : localGitConfigPath)
-        const content = await fs.promises.readFile(targetConfigPath)
-        const lines = content
-          .toString()
-          .split('\n')
-          .filter(x => x && x.startsWith(key))
-          .map(x => x.substring(key.length).trim())
-        return lines
-      }
-    ),
-    tryGetConfigKeys: jest.fn(
-      async (
-        pattern: string,
-        globalConfig?: boolean,
-        configPath?: string
-      ): Promise<string[]> => {
-        const targetConfigPath =
-          configPath ||
-          (globalConfig
-            ? path.join(git.env['HOME'] || tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
-            : localGitConfigPath)
-        const content = await fs.promises.readFile(targetConfigPath)
-        const lines = content
-          .toString()
-          .split('\n')
-          .filter(x => x)
-        const keys = lines
-          .filter(x => new RegExp(pattern).test(x.split(' ')[0]))
-          .map(x => x.split(' ')[0])
-        return [...new Set(keys)] // Remove duplicates
-      }
-    ),
+    getSubmoduleConfigPaths: jest.fn(async () => {
+      return []
+    }),
+    tryConfigUnsetValue: jest.fn(async () => {
+      return true
+    }),
+    tryGetConfigValues: jest.fn(async () => {
+      return []
+    }),
+    tryGetConfigKeys: jest.fn(async () => {
+      return []
+    }),
    tryReset: jest.fn(),
    version: jest.fn()
  }
@@ -1179,7 +1119,6 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {

 async function getActualSshKeyPath(): Promise<string> {
  let actualTempFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp))
-    .filter(x => !x.startsWith('git-credentials-')) // Exclude credentials config file
    .sort()
    .map(x => path.join(runnerTemp, x))
  if (actualTempFiles.length === 0) {
@@ -1193,7 +1132,6 @@ async function getActualSshKeyPath(): Promise<string> {

 async function getActualSshKnownHostsPath(): Promise<string> {
  let actualTempFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp))
-    .filter(x => !x.startsWith('git-credentials-')) // Exclude credentials config file
    .sort()
    .map(x => path.join(runnerTemp, x))
  if (actualTempFiles.length === 0) {
--- a/test/git-command-manager.test.ts
+++ b/test/git-command-manager.test.ts
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
    jest.restoreAllMocks()
  })

-  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 0', async () => {
+  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 0 and fetchTags is true', async () => {
    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
    const workingDirectory = 'test'
    const lfs = false
@@ -122,7 +122,45 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2']
    const options = {
      filter: 'filterValue',
-      fetchDepth: 0
+      fetchDepth: 0,
+      fetchTags: true
+    }
+
+    await git.fetch(refSpec, options)
+
+    expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.any(String),
+      [
+        '-c',
+        'protocol.version=2',
+        'fetch',
+        '--prune',
+        '--no-recurse-submodules',
+        '--filter=filterValue',
+        'origin',
+        'refspec1',
+        'refspec2'
+      ],
+      expect.any(Object)
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 0 and fetchTags is false', async () => {
+    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
+
+    const workingDirectory = 'test'
+    const lfs = false
+    const doSparseCheckout = false
+    git = await commandManager.createCommandManager(
+      workingDirectory,
+      lfs,
+      doSparseCheckout
+    )
+    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2']
+    const options = {
+      filter: 'filterValue',
+      fetchDepth: 0,
+      fetchTags: false
    }

    await git.fetch(refSpec, options)
@@ -145,45 +183,7 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
    )
  })

-  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 0 and refSpec includes tags', async () => {
-    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
-
-    const workingDirectory = 'test'
-    const lfs = false
-    const doSparseCheckout = false
-    git = await commandManager.createCommandManager(
-      workingDirectory,
-      lfs,
-      doSparseCheckout
-    )
-    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2', '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*']
-    const options = {
-      filter: 'filterValue',
-      fetchDepth: 0
-    }
-
-    await git.fetch(refSpec, options)
-
-    expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      expect.any(String),
-      [
-        '-c',
-        'protocol.version=2',
-        'fetch',
-        '--no-tags',
-        '--prune',
-        '--no-recurse-submodules',
-        '--filter=filterValue',
-        'origin',
-        'refspec1',
-        'refspec2',
-        '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*'
-      ],
-      expect.any(Object)
-    )
-  })
-
-  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 1', async () => {
+  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 1 and fetchTags is false', async () => {
    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)

    const workingDirectory = 'test'
@@ -197,7 +197,8 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2']
    const options = {
      filter: 'filterValue',
-      fetchDepth: 1
+      fetchDepth: 1,
+      fetchTags: false
    }

    await git.fetch(refSpec, options)
@@ -221,7 +222,7 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
    )
  })

-  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 1 and refSpec includes tags', async () => {
+  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 1 and fetchTags is true', async () => {
    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)

    const workingDirectory = 'test'
@@ -232,10 +233,11 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
      lfs,
      doSparseCheckout
    )
-    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2', '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*']
+    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2']
    const options = {
      filter: 'filterValue',
-      fetchDepth: 1
+      fetchDepth: 1,
+      fetchTags: true
    }

    await git.fetch(refSpec, options)
@@ -246,15 +248,13 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
        '-c',
        'protocol.version=2',
        'fetch',
-        '--no-tags',
        '--prune',
        '--no-recurse-submodules',
        '--filter=filterValue',
        '--depth=1',
        'origin',
        'refspec1',
-        'refspec2',
-        '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*'
+        'refspec2'
      ],
      expect.any(Object)
    )
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
    )
  })

-  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when showProgress is true and refSpec includes tags', async () => {
+  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchTags is true and showProgress is true', async () => {
    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)

    const workingDirectory = 'test'
@@ -349,9 +349,10 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
      lfs,
      doSparseCheckout
    )
-    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2', '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*']
+    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2']
    const options = {
      filter: 'filterValue',
+      fetchTags: true,
      showProgress: true
    }

@@ -363,134 +364,15 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
        '-c',
        'protocol.version=2',
        'fetch',
-        '--no-tags',
        '--prune',
        '--no-recurse-submodules',
        '--progress',
        '--filter=filterValue',
        'origin',
        'refspec1',
-        'refspec2',
-        '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*'
+        'refspec2'
      ],
      expect.any(Object)
    )
  })
 })
-
-describe('git user-agent with orchestration ID', () => {
-  beforeEach(async () => {
-    jest.spyOn(fshelper, 'fileExistsSync').mockImplementation(jest.fn())
-    jest.spyOn(fshelper, 'directoryExistsSync').mockImplementation(jest.fn())
-  })
-
-  afterEach(() => {
-    jest.restoreAllMocks()
-    // Clean up environment variable to prevent test pollution
-    delete process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID']
-  })
-
-  it('should include orchestration ID in user-agent when ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID is set', async () => {
-    const orchId = 'test-orch-id-12345'
-    process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID'] = orchId
-
-    let capturedEnv: any = null
-    mockExec.mockImplementation((path, args, options) => {
-      if (args.includes('version')) {
-        options.listeners.stdout(Buffer.from('2.18'))
-      }
-      // Capture env on any command
-      capturedEnv = options.env
-      return 0
-    })
-    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
-
-    const workingDirectory = 'test'
-    const lfs = false
-    const doSparseCheckout = false
-    git = await commandManager.createCommandManager(
-      workingDirectory,
-      lfs,
-      doSparseCheckout
-    )
-
-    // Call a git command to trigger env capture after user-agent is set
-    await git.init()
-
-    // Verify the user agent includes the orchestration ID
-    expect(git).toBeDefined()
-    expect(capturedEnv).toBeDefined()
-    expect(capturedEnv['GIT_HTTP_USER_AGENT']).toBe(
-      `git/2.18 (github-actions-checkout) actions_orchestration_id/${orchId}`
-    )
-  })
-
-  it('should sanitize invalid characters in orchestration ID', async () => {
-    const orchId = 'test (with) special/chars'
-    process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID'] = orchId
-
-    let capturedEnv: any = null
-    mockExec.mockImplementation((path, args, options) => {
-      if (args.includes('version')) {
-        options.listeners.stdout(Buffer.from('2.18'))
-      }
-      // Capture env on any command
-      capturedEnv = options.env
-      return 0
-    })
-    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
-
-    const workingDirectory = 'test'
-    const lfs = false
-    const doSparseCheckout = false
-    git = await commandManager.createCommandManager(
-      workingDirectory,
-      lfs,
-      doSparseCheckout
-    )
-
-    // Call a git command to trigger env capture after user-agent is set
-    await git.init()
-
-    // Verify the user agent has sanitized orchestration ID (spaces, parentheses, slash replaced)
-    expect(git).toBeDefined()
-    expect(capturedEnv).toBeDefined()
-    expect(capturedEnv['GIT_HTTP_USER_AGENT']).toBe(
-      'git/2.18 (github-actions-checkout) actions_orchestration_id/test__with__special_chars'
-    )
-  })
-
-  it('should not modify user-agent when ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID is not set', async () => {
-    delete process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID']
-
-    let capturedEnv: any = null
-    mockExec.mockImplementation((path, args, options) => {
-      if (args.includes('version')) {
-        options.listeners.stdout(Buffer.from('2.18'))
-      }
-      // Capture env on any command
-      capturedEnv = options.env
-      return 0
-    })
-    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
-
-    const workingDirectory = 'test'
-    const lfs = false
-    const doSparseCheckout = false
-    git = await commandManager.createCommandManager(
-      workingDirectory,
-      lfs,
-      doSparseCheckout
-    )
-
-    // Call a git command to trigger env capture after user-agent is set
-    await git.init()
-
-    // Verify the user agent does NOT contain orchestration ID
-    expect(git).toBeDefined()
-    expect(capturedEnv).toBeDefined()
-    expect(capturedEnv['GIT_HTTP_USER_AGENT']).toBe(
-      'git/2.18 (github-actions-checkout)'
-    )
-  })
-})
--- a/test/git-directory-helper.test.ts
+++ b/test/git-directory-helper.test.ts
@@ -471,7 +471,6 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
    configExists: jest.fn(),
    fetch: jest.fn(),
    getDefaultBranch: jest.fn(),
-    getSubmoduleConfigPaths: jest.fn(async () => []),
    getWorkingDirectory: jest.fn(() => repositoryPath),
    init: jest.fn(),
    isDetached: jest.fn(),
@@ -494,15 +493,24 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
      return true
    }),
    tryConfigUnset: jest.fn(),
-    tryConfigUnsetValue: jest.fn(),
    tryDisableAutomaticGarbageCollection: jest.fn(),
    tryGetFetchUrl: jest.fn(async () => {
      // Sanity check - this function shouldn't be called when the .git directory doesn't exist
      await fs.promises.stat(path.join(repositoryPath, '.git'))
      return repositoryUrl
    }),
-    tryGetConfigValues: jest.fn(),
-    tryGetConfigKeys: jest.fn(),
+    getSubmoduleConfigPaths: jest.fn(async () => {
+      return []
+    }),
+    tryConfigUnsetValue: jest.fn(async () => {
+      return true
+    }),
+    tryGetConfigValues: jest.fn(async () => {
+      return []
+    }),
+    tryGetConfigKeys: jest.fn(async () => {
+      return []
+    }),
    tryReset: jest.fn(async () => {
      return true
    }),
--- a/test/ref-helper.test.ts
+++ b/test/ref-helper.test.ts
@@ -152,22 +152,7 @@ describe('ref-helper tests', () => {
  it('getRefSpec sha + refs/tags/', async () => {
    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/tags/my-tag', commit)
    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(1)
-    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe(`+refs/tags/my-tag:refs/tags/my-tag`)
-  })
-
-  it('getRefSpec sha + refs/tags/ with fetchTags', async () => {
-    // When fetchTags is true, only include tags wildcard (specific tag is redundant)
-    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/tags/my-tag', commit, true)
-    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(1)
-    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*')
-  })
-
-  it('getRefSpec sha + refs/heads/ with fetchTags', async () => {
-    // When fetchTags is true, include both the branch refspec and tags wildcard
-    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/heads/my/branch', commit, true)
-    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(2)
-    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*')
-    expect(refSpec[1]).toBe(`+${commit}:refs/remotes/origin/my/branch`)
+    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe(`+${commit}:refs/tags/my-tag`)
  })

  it('getRefSpec sha only', async () => {
@@ -183,14 +168,6 @@ describe('ref-helper tests', () => {
    expect(refSpec[1]).toBe('+refs/tags/my-ref*:refs/tags/my-ref*')
  })

-  it('getRefSpec unqualified ref only with fetchTags', async () => {
-    // When fetchTags is true, skip specific tag pattern since wildcard covers all
-    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('my-ref', '', true)
-    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(2)
-    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*')
-    expect(refSpec[1]).toBe('+refs/heads/my-ref*:refs/remotes/origin/my-ref*')
-  })
-
  it('getRefSpec refs/heads/ only', async () => {
    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/heads/my/branch', '')
    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(1)
@@ -210,21 +187,4 @@ describe('ref-helper tests', () => {
    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(1)
    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/my-tag:refs/tags/my-tag')
  })
-
-  it('getRefSpec refs/tags/ only with fetchTags', async () => {
-    // When fetchTags is true, only include tags wildcard (specific tag is redundant)
-    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/tags/my-tag', '', true)
-    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(1)
-    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*')
-  })
-
-  it('getRefSpec refs/heads/ only with fetchTags', async () => {
-    // When fetchTags is true, include both the branch refspec and tags wildcard
-    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/heads/my/branch', '', true)
-    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(2)
-    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*')
-    expect(refSpec[1]).toBe(
-      '+refs/heads/my/branch:refs/remotes/origin/my/branch'
-    )
-  })
 })
--- a/test/verify-fetch-tags.sh
+++ b/test/verify-fetch-tags.sh
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-# Verify tags were fetched
-TAG_COUNT=$(git -C ./fetch-tags-test tag | wc -l)
-if [ "$TAG_COUNT" -eq 0 ]; then
-    echo "Expected tags to be fetched, but found none"
-    exit 1
-fi
-echo "Found $TAG_COUNT tags"
--- a/test/verify-submodules-recursive.sh
+++ b/test/verify-submodules-recursive.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ fi

 echo "Testing persisted credential"
 pushd ./submodules-recursive/submodule-level-1/submodule-level-2
-git config --local --includes --name-only --get-regexp http.+extraheader && git fetch
+git config --local --name-only --get-regexp http.+extraheader && git fetch
 if [ "$?" != "0" ]; then
    echo "Failed to validate persisted credential"
    popd
--- a/test/verify-submodules-true.sh
+++ b/test/verify-submodules-true.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ fi

 echo "Testing persisted credential"
 pushd ./submodules-true/submodule-level-1
-git config --local --includes --name-only --get-regexp http.+extraheader && git fetch
+git config --local --name-only --get-regexp http.+extraheader && git fetch
 if [ "$?" != "0" ]; then
    echo "Failed to validate persisted credential"
    popd
--- a/test/verify-worktree.sh
+++ b/test/verify-worktree.sh
@@ -1,51 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-set -e
-
-# Verify worktree credentials
-# This test verifies that git credentials work in worktrees created after checkout
-# Usage: verify-worktree.sh <checkout-path> <worktree-name>
-
-CHECKOUT_PATH="$1"
-WORKTREE_NAME="$2"
-
-if [ -z "$CHECKOUT_PATH" ] || [ -z "$WORKTREE_NAME" ]; then
-  echo "Usage: verify-worktree.sh <checkout-path> <worktree-name>"
-  exit 1
-fi
-
-cd "$CHECKOUT_PATH"
-
-# Add safe directory for container environments
-git config --global --add safe.directory "*" 2>/dev/null || true
-
-# Show the includeIf configuration
-echo "Git config includeIf entries:"
-git config --list --show-origin | grep -i include || true
-
-# Create the worktree
-echo "Creating worktree..."
-git worktree add "../$WORKTREE_NAME" HEAD --detach
-
-# Change to worktree directory
-cd "../$WORKTREE_NAME"
-
-# Verify we're in a worktree
-echo "Verifying worktree gitdir:"
-cat .git
-
-# Verify credentials are available in worktree by checking extraheader is configured
-echo "Checking credentials in worktree..."
-if git config --list --show-origin | grep -q "extraheader"; then
-  echo "Credentials are configured in worktree"
-else
-  echo "ERROR: Credentials are NOT configured in worktree"
-  echo "Full git config:"
-  git config --list --show-origin
-  exit 1
-fi
-
-# Verify fetch works in the worktree
-echo "Fetching in worktree..."
-git fetch origin
-
-echo "Worktree credentials test passed!"
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -104,6 +104,6 @@ outputs:
  commit:
    description: 'The commit SHA that was checked out'
 runs:
-  using: node24
+  using: node20
  main: dist/index.js
  post: dist/index.js
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -162,7 +162,6 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
        this.sshKeyPath = '';
        this.sshKnownHostsPath = '';
        this.temporaryHomePath = '';
-        this.credentialsConfigPath = ''; // Path to separate credentials config file in RUNNER_TEMP
        this.git = gitCommandManager;
        this.settings = gitSourceSettings || {};
        // Token auth header
@@ -230,17 +229,15 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
    configureGlobalAuth() {
        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
            // 'configureTempGlobalConfig' noops if already set, just returns the path
-            yield this.configureTempGlobalConfig();
+            const newGitConfigPath = yield this.configureTempGlobalConfig();
            try {
                // Configure the token
-                yield this.configureToken(true);
+                yield this.configureToken(newGitConfigPath, true);
                // Configure HTTPS instead of SSH
                yield this.git.tryConfigUnset(this.insteadOfKey, true);
                if (!this.settings.sshKey) {
                    for (const insteadOfValue of this.insteadOfValues) {
-                        yield this.git.config(this.insteadOfKey, insteadOfValue, true, // globalConfig?
-                        true // add?
-                        );
+                        yield this.git.config(this.insteadOfKey, insteadOfValue, true, true);
                    }
                }
            }
@@ -255,34 +252,19 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
    configureSubmoduleAuth() {
        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
            // Remove possible previous HTTPS instead of SSH
-            yield this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(this.insteadOfKey);
+            yield this.removeGitConfig(this.insteadOfKey, true);
            if (this.settings.persistCredentials) {
-                // Get the credentials config file path in RUNNER_TEMP
-                const credentialsConfigPath = this.getCredentialsConfigPath();
-                // Container credentials config path
-                const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join('/github/runner_temp', path.basename(credentialsConfigPath));
-                // Get submodule config file paths.
-                const configPaths = yield this.git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths(this.settings.nestedSubmodules);
-                // For each submodule, configure includeIf entries pointing to the shared credentials file.
-                // Configure both host and container paths to support Docker container actions.
+                // Configure a placeholder value. This approach avoids the credential being captured
+                // by process creation audit events, which are commonly logged. For more information,
+                // refer to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
+                const output = yield this.git.submoduleForeach(
+                // wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline
+                `sh -c "git config --local '${this.tokenConfigKey}' '${this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue}' && git config --local --show-origin --name-only --get-regexp remote.origin.url"`, this.settings.nestedSubmodules);
+                // Replace the placeholder
+                const configPaths = output.match(/(?<=(^|\n)file:)[^\t]+(?=\tremote\.origin\.url)/g) || [];
                for (const configPath of configPaths) {
-                    // Submodule Git directory
-                    let submoduleGitDir = path.dirname(configPath); // The config file is at .git/modules/submodule-name/config
-                    submoduleGitDir = submoduleGitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/'); // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
-                    // Configure host includeIf
-                    yield this.git.config(`includeIf.gitdir:${submoduleGitDir}.path`, credentialsConfigPath, false, // globalConfig?
-                    false, // add?
-                    configPath);
-                    // Container submodule git directory
-                    const githubWorkspace = process.env['GITHUB_WORKSPACE'];
-                    assert.ok(githubWorkspace, 'GITHUB_WORKSPACE is not defined');
-                    let relativeSubmoduleGitDir = path.relative(githubWorkspace, submoduleGitDir);
-                    relativeSubmoduleGitDir = relativeSubmoduleGitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/'); // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
-                    const containerSubmoduleGitDir = path.posix.join('/github/workspace', relativeSubmoduleGitDir);
-                    // Configure container includeIf
-                    yield this.git.config(`includeIf.gitdir:${containerSubmoduleGitDir}.path`, containerCredentialsPath, false, // globalConfig?
-                    false, // add?
-                    configPath);
+                    core.debug(`Replacing token placeholder in '${configPath}'`);
+                    yield this.replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath);
                }
                if (this.settings.sshKey) {
                    // Configure core.sshCommand
@@ -313,10 +295,6 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
            }
        });
    }
-    /**
-     * Configures SSH authentication by writing the SSH key and known hosts,
-     * and setting up the GIT_SSH_COMMAND environment variable.
-     */
    configureSsh() {
        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
            if (!this.settings.sshKey) {
@@ -373,94 +351,43 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
            }
        });
    }
-    /**
-     * Configures token-based authentication by creating a credentials config file
-     * and setting up includeIf entries to reference it.
-     * @param globalConfig Whether to configure global config instead of local
-     */
-    configureToken(globalConfig) {
+    configureToken(configPath, globalConfig) {
        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-            // Get the credentials config file path in RUNNER_TEMP
-            const credentialsConfigPath = this.getCredentialsConfigPath();
-            // Write placeholder to the separate credentials config file using git config.
-            // This approach avoids the credential being captured by process creation audit events,
-            // which are commonly logged. For more information, refer to
-            // https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
-            yield this.git.config(this.tokenConfigKey, this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue, false, // globalConfig?
-            false, // add?
-            credentialsConfigPath);
-            // Replace the placeholder in the credentials config file
-            let content = (yield fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)).toString();
+            // Validate args
+            assert.ok((configPath && globalConfig) || (!configPath && !globalConfig), 'Unexpected configureToken parameter combinations');
+            // Default config path
+            if (!configPath && !globalConfig) {
+                configPath = path.join(this.git.getWorkingDirectory(), '.git', 'config');
+            }
+            // Configure a placeholder value. This approach avoids the credential being captured
+            // by process creation audit events, which are commonly logged. For more information,
+            // refer to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
+            yield this.git.config(this.tokenConfigKey, this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue, globalConfig);
+            // Replace the placeholder
+            yield this.replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath || '');
+        });
+    }
+    replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath) {
+        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+            assert.ok(configPath, 'configPath is not defined');
+            let content = (yield fs.promises.readFile(configPath)).toString();
            const placeholderIndex = content.indexOf(this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue);
            if (placeholderIndex < 0 ||
                placeholderIndex != content.lastIndexOf(this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue)) {
-                throw new Error(`Unable to replace auth placeholder in ${credentialsConfigPath}`);
+                throw new Error(`Unable to replace auth placeholder in ${configPath}`);
            }
            assert.ok(this.tokenConfigValue, 'tokenConfigValue is not defined');
            content = content.replace(this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue, this.tokenConfigValue);
-            yield fs.promises.writeFile(credentialsConfigPath, content);
-            // Add include or includeIf to reference the credentials config
-            if (globalConfig) {
-                // Global config file is temporary
-                yield this.git.config('include.path', credentialsConfigPath, true // globalConfig?
-                );
-            }
-            else {
-                // Host git directory
-                let gitDir = path.join(this.git.getWorkingDirectory(), '.git');
-                gitDir = gitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/'); // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
-                // Configure host includeIf
-                const hostIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${gitDir}.path`;
-                yield this.git.config(hostIncludeKey, credentialsConfigPath);
-                // Configure host includeIf for worktrees
-                const hostWorktreeIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${gitDir}/worktrees/*.path`;
-                yield this.git.config(hostWorktreeIncludeKey, credentialsConfigPath);
-                // Container git directory
-                const workingDirectory = this.git.getWorkingDirectory();
-                const githubWorkspace = process.env['GITHUB_WORKSPACE'];
-                assert.ok(githubWorkspace, 'GITHUB_WORKSPACE is not defined');
-                let relativePath = path.relative(githubWorkspace, workingDirectory);
-                relativePath = relativePath.replace(/\\/g, '/'); // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
-                const containerGitDir = path.posix.join('/github/workspace', relativePath, '.git');
-                // Container credentials config path
-                const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join('/github/runner_temp', path.basename(credentialsConfigPath));
-                // Configure container includeIf
-                const containerIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${containerGitDir}.path`;
-                yield this.git.config(containerIncludeKey, containerCredentialsPath);
-                // Configure container includeIf for worktrees
-                const containerWorktreeIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${containerGitDir}/worktrees/*.path`;
-                yield this.git.config(containerWorktreeIncludeKey, containerCredentialsPath);
-            }
+            yield fs.promises.writeFile(configPath, content);
        });
    }
-    /**
-     * Gets or creates the path to the credentials config file in RUNNER_TEMP.
-     * @returns The absolute path to the credentials config file
-     */
-    getCredentialsConfigPath() {
-        if (this.credentialsConfigPath) {
-            return this.credentialsConfigPath;
-        }
-        const runnerTemp = process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'] || '';
-        assert.ok(runnerTemp, 'RUNNER_TEMP is not defined');
-        // Create a unique filename for this checkout instance
-        const configFileName = `git-credentials-${(0, uuid_1.v4)()}.config`;
-        this.credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, configFileName);
-        core.debug(`Credentials config path: ${this.credentialsConfigPath}`);
-        return this.credentialsConfigPath;
-    }
-    /**
-     * Removes SSH authentication configuration by cleaning up SSH keys,
-     * known hosts files, and SSH command configurations.
-     */
    removeSsh() {
        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-            var _a, _b;
+            var _a;
            // SSH key
            const keyPath = this.sshKeyPath || stateHelper.SshKeyPath;
            if (keyPath) {
                try {
-                    core.info(`Removing SSH key '${keyPath}'`);
                    yield io.rmRF(keyPath);
                }
                catch (err) {
@@ -472,91 +399,82 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
            const knownHostsPath = this.sshKnownHostsPath || stateHelper.SshKnownHostsPath;
            if (knownHostsPath) {
                try {
-                    core.info(`Removing SSH known hosts '${knownHostsPath}'`);
                    yield io.rmRF(knownHostsPath);
                }
-                catch (err) {
-                    core.debug(`${(_b = err === null || err === void 0 ? void 0 : err.message) !== null && _b !== void 0 ? _b : err}`);
-                    core.warning(`Failed to remove SSH known hosts '${knownHostsPath}'`);
+                catch (_b) {
+                    // Intentionally empty
                }
            }
            // SSH command
-            core.info('Removing SSH command configuration');
            yield this.removeGitConfig(SSH_COMMAND_KEY);
-            yield this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(SSH_COMMAND_KEY);
        });
    }
-    /**
-     * Removes token-based authentication by cleaning up HTTP headers,
-     * includeIf entries, and credentials config files.
-     */
    removeToken() {
        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-            var _a;
-            // Remove HTTP extra header
-            core.info('Removing HTTP extra header');
+            // Remove HTTP extra header from local git config and submodule configs
            yield this.removeGitConfig(this.tokenConfigKey);
-            yield this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(this.tokenConfigKey);
-            // Collect credentials config paths that need to be removed
-            const credentialsPaths = new Set();
-            // Remove includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
-            core.info('Removing includeIf entries pointing to credentials config files');
-            const mainCredentialsPaths = yield this.removeIncludeIfCredentials();
-            mainCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path));
-            // Remove submodule includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
-            const submoduleConfigPaths = yield this.git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths(true);
-            for (const configPath of submoduleConfigPaths) {
-                const submoduleCredentialsPaths = yield this.removeIncludeIfCredentials(configPath);
-                submoduleCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path));
+            //
+            // Cleanup actions/checkout@v6 style credentials
+            //
+            const skipV6Cleanup = process.env['ACTIONS_CHECKOUT_SKIP_V6_CLEANUP'];
+            if (skipV6Cleanup === '1' || (skipV6Cleanup === null || skipV6Cleanup === void 0 ? void 0 : skipV6Cleanup.toLowerCase()) === 'true') {
+                core.debug('Skipping v6 style cleanup due to ACTIONS_CHECKOUT_SKIP_V6_CLEANUP');
+                return;
            }
-            // Remove credentials config files
-            for (const credentialsPath of credentialsPaths) {
-                // Only remove credentials config files if they are under RUNNER_TEMP
-                const runnerTemp = process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'];
-                assert.ok(runnerTemp, 'RUNNER_TEMP is not defined');
-                if (credentialsPath.startsWith(runnerTemp)) {
-                    try {
-                        core.info(`Removing credentials config '${credentialsPath}'`);
-                        yield io.rmRF(credentialsPath);
-                    }
-                    catch (err) {
-                        core.debug(`${(_a = err === null || err === void 0 ? void 0 : err.message) !== null && _a !== void 0 ? _a : err}`);
-                        core.warning(`Failed to remove credentials config '${credentialsPath}'`);
+            try {
+                // Collect credentials config paths that need to be removed
+                const credentialsPaths = new Set();
+                // Remove includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
+                const mainCredentialsPaths = yield this.removeIncludeIfCredentials();
+                mainCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path));
+                // Remove submodule includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
+                try {
+                    const submoduleConfigPaths = yield this.git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths(true);
+                    for (const configPath of submoduleConfigPaths) {
+                        const submoduleCredentialsPaths = yield this.removeIncludeIfCredentials(configPath);
+                        submoduleCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path));
                    }
                }
-                else {
-                    core.debug(`Skipping removal of credentials config '${credentialsPath}' - not under RUNNER_TEMP`);
+                catch (err) {
+                    core.debug(`Unable to get submodule config paths: ${err}`);
                }
+                // Remove credentials config files
+                for (const credentialsPath of credentialsPaths) {
+                    // Only remove credentials config files if they are under RUNNER_TEMP
+                    const runnerTemp = process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'];
+                    if (runnerTemp && credentialsPath.startsWith(runnerTemp)) {
+                        try {
+                            yield io.rmRF(credentialsPath);
+                        }
+                        catch (err) {
+                            core.debug(`Failed to remove credentials config '${credentialsPath}': ${err}`);
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            catch (err) {
+                core.debug(`Failed to cleanup v6 style credentials: ${err}`);
            }
        });
    }
-    /**
-     * Removes a git config key from the local repository config.
-     * @param configKey The git config key to remove
-     */
-    removeGitConfig(configKey) {
-        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-            if ((yield this.git.configExists(configKey)) &&
-                !(yield this.git.tryConfigUnset(configKey))) {
-                // Load the config contents
-                core.warning(`Failed to remove '${configKey}' from the git config`);
+    removeGitConfig(configKey_1) {
+        return __awaiter(this, arguments, void 0, function* (configKey, submoduleOnly = false) {
+            if (!submoduleOnly) {
+                if ((yield this.git.configExists(configKey)) &&
+                    !(yield this.git.tryConfigUnset(configKey))) {
+                    // Load the config contents
+                    core.warning(`Failed to remove '${configKey}' from the git config`);
+                }
            }
-        });
-    }
-    /**
-     * Removes a git config key from all submodule configs.
-     * @param configKey The git config key to remove
-     */
-    removeSubmoduleGitConfig(configKey) {
-        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
            const pattern = regexpHelper.escape(configKey);
            yield this.git.submoduleForeach(
-            // Wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline.
+            // wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline
            `sh -c "git config --local --name-only --get-regexp '${pattern}' && git config --local --unset-all '${configKey}' || :"`, true);
        });
    }
    /**
     * Removes includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files.
+     * This handles cleanup of credentials configured by newer versions of the action.
     * @param configPath Optional path to a specific git config file to operate on
     * @returns Array of unique credentials config file paths that were found and removed
     */
@@ -584,18 +502,13 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
            }
            catch (err) {
                // Ignore errors - this is cleanup code
-                if (configPath) {
-                    core.debug(`Error during includeIf cleanup for ${configPath}: ${err}`);
-                }
-                else {
-                    core.debug(`Error during includeIf cleanup: ${err}`);
-                }
+                core.debug(`Error during includeIf cleanup${configPath ? ` for ${configPath}` : ''}: ${err}`);
            }
            return Array.from(credentialsPaths);
        });
    }
    /**
-     * Tests if a path matches the git-credentials-*.config pattern.
+     * Tests if a path matches the git-credentials-*.config pattern used by newer versions.
     * @param path The path to test
     * @returns True if the path matches the credentials config pattern
     */
@@ -653,6 +566,7 @@ const fs = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(7147));
 const fshelper = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(7219));
 const io = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(7436));
 const path = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(1017));
+const refHelper = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(8601));
 const regexpHelper = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(3120));
 const retryHelper = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(2155));
 const git_version_1 = __nccwpck_require__(3142);
@@ -798,15 +712,9 @@ class GitCommandManager {
            yield this.execGit(args);
        });
    }
-    config(configKey, configValue, globalConfig, add, configFile) {
+    config(configKey, configValue, globalConfig, add) {
        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-            const args = ['config'];
-            if (configFile) {
-                args.push('--file', configFile);
-            }
-            else {
-                args.push(globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local');
-            }
+            const args = ['config', globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local'];
            if (add) {
                args.push('--add');
            }
@@ -830,9 +738,9 @@ class GitCommandManager {
    fetch(refSpec, options) {
        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
            const args = ['-c', 'protocol.version=2', 'fetch'];
-            // Always use --no-tags for explicit control over tag fetching
-            // Tags are fetched explicitly via refspec when needed
-            args.push('--no-tags');
+            if (!refSpec.some(x => x === refHelper.tagsRefSpec) && !options.fetchTags) {
+                args.push('--no-tags');
+            }
            args.push('--prune', '--no-recurse-submodules');
            if (options.showProgress) {
                args.push('--progress');
@@ -1205,17 +1113,7 @@ class GitCommandManager {
                }
            }
            // Set the user agent
-            let gitHttpUserAgent = `git/${this.gitVersion} (github-actions-checkout)`;
-            // Append orchestration ID if set
-            const orchId = process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID'];
-            if (orchId) {
-                // Sanitize the orchestration ID to ensure it contains only valid characters
-                // Valid characters: 0-9, a-z, _, -, .
-                const sanitizedId = orchId.replace(/[^a-z0-9_.-]/gi, '_');
-                if (sanitizedId) {
-                    gitHttpUserAgent = `${gitHttpUserAgent} actions_orchestration_id/${sanitizedId}`;
-                }
-            }
+            const gitHttpUserAgent = `git/${this.gitVersion} (github-actions-checkout)`;
            core.debug(`Set git useragent to: ${gitHttpUserAgent}`);
            this.gitEnv['GIT_HTTP_USER_AGENT'] = gitHttpUserAgent;
        });
@@ -1538,26 +1436,13 @@ function getSource(settings) {
                if (!(yield refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
                    refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(settings.ref, settings.commit);
                    yield git.fetch(refSpec, fetchOptions);
-                    // Verify the ref now matches. For branches, the targeted fetch above brings
-                    // in the specific commit. For tags (fetched by ref), this will fail if
-                    // the tag was moved after the workflow was triggered.
-                    if (!(yield refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
-                        throw new Error(`The ref '${settings.ref}' does not point to the expected commit '${settings.commit}'. ` +
-                            `The ref may have been updated after the workflow was triggered.`);
-                    }
                }
            }
            else {
                fetchOptions.fetchDepth = settings.fetchDepth;
-                const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(settings.ref, settings.commit, settings.fetchTags);
+                fetchOptions.fetchTags = settings.fetchTags;
+                const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(settings.ref, settings.commit);
                yield git.fetch(refSpec, fetchOptions);
-                // For tags, verify the ref still points to the expected commit.
-                // Tags are fetched by ref (not commit), so if a tag was moved after the
-                // workflow was triggered, we would silently check out the wrong commit.
-                if (!(yield refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
-                    throw new Error(`The ref '${settings.ref}' does not point to the expected commit '${settings.commit}'. ` +
-                        `The ref may have been updated after the workflow was triggered.`);
-                }
            }
            core.endGroup();
            // Checkout info
@@ -2296,67 +2181,53 @@ function getRefSpecForAllHistory(ref, commit) {
    }
    return result;
 }
-function getRefSpec(ref, commit, fetchTags) {
+function getRefSpec(ref, commit) {
    if (!ref && !commit) {
        throw new Error('Args ref and commit cannot both be empty');
    }
    const upperRef = (ref || '').toUpperCase();
-    const result = [];
-    // When fetchTags is true, always include the tags refspec
-    if (fetchTags) {
-        result.push(exports.tagsRefSpec);
-    }
    // SHA
    if (commit) {
        // refs/heads
        if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/HEADS/')) {
            const branch = ref.substring('refs/heads/'.length);
-            result.push(`+${commit}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`);
+            return [`+${commit}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`];
        }
        // refs/pull/
        else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/PULL/')) {
            const branch = ref.substring('refs/pull/'.length);
-            result.push(`+${commit}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`);
+            return [`+${commit}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`];
        }
        // refs/tags/
        else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
-            if (!fetchTags) {
-                result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`);
-            }
+            return [`+${commit}:${ref}`];
        }
        // Otherwise no destination ref
        else {
-            result.push(commit);
+            return [commit];
        }
    }
    // Unqualified ref, check for a matching branch or tag
    else if (!upperRef.startsWith('REFS/')) {
-        result.push(`+refs/heads/${ref}*:refs/remotes/origin/${ref}*`);
-        if (!fetchTags) {
-            result.push(`+refs/tags/${ref}*:refs/tags/${ref}*`);
-        }
+        return [
+            `+refs/heads/${ref}*:refs/remotes/origin/${ref}*`,
+            `+refs/tags/${ref}*:refs/tags/${ref}*`
+        ];
    }
    // refs/heads/
    else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/HEADS/')) {
        const branch = ref.substring('refs/heads/'.length);
-        result.push(`+${ref}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`);
+        return [`+${ref}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`];
    }
    // refs/pull/
    else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/PULL/')) {
        const branch = ref.substring('refs/pull/'.length);
-        result.push(`+${ref}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`);
+        return [`+${ref}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`];
    }
    // refs/tags/
-    else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
-        if (!fetchTags) {
-            result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`);
-        }
-    }
-    // Other refs
    else {
-        result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`);
+        return [`+${ref}:${ref}`];
    }
-    return result;
 }
 /**
 * Tests whether the initial fetch created the ref at the expected commit
@@ -2392,9 +2263,7 @@ function testRef(git, ref, commit) {
        // refs/tags/
        else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
            const tagName = ref.substring('refs/tags/'.length);
-            // Use ^{commit} to dereference annotated tags to their underlying commit
-            return ((yield git.tagExists(tagName)) &&
-                commit === (yield git.revParse(`${ref}^{commit}`)));
+            return ((yield git.tagExists(tagName)) && commit === (yield git.revParse(ref)));
        }
        // Unexpected
        else {
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
  "name": "checkout",
-  "version": "5.0.0",
+  "version": "4.3.0",
  "lockfileVersion": 3,
  "requires": true,
  "packages": {
    "": {
      "name": "checkout",
-      "version": "5.0.0",
+      "version": "4.3.0",
      "license": "MIT",
      "dependencies": {
        "@actions/core": "^1.10.1",
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
      },
      "devDependencies": {
        "@types/jest": "^29.5.12",
-        "@types/node": "^24.1.0",
+        "@types/node": "^20.12.12",
        "@types/uuid": "^9.0.8",
        "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^7.9.0",
        "@typescript-eslint/parser": "^7.9.0",
@@ -1515,12 +1515,12 @@
      "dev": true
    },
    "node_modules/@types/node": {
-      "version": "24.1.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-24.1.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-ut5FthK5moxFKH2T1CUOC6ctR67rQRvvHdFLCD2Ql6KXmMuCrjsSsRI9UsLCm9M18BMwClv4pn327UvB7eeO1w==",
+      "version": "20.12.12",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-20.12.12.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-eWLDGF/FOSPtAvEqeRAQ4C8LSA7M1I7i0ky1I8U7kD1J5ITyW3AsRhQrKVoWf5pFKZ2kILsEGJhsI9r93PYnOw==",
      "dev": true,
      "dependencies": {
-        "undici-types": "~7.8.0"
+        "undici-types": "~5.26.4"
      }
    },
    "node_modules/@types/stack-utils": {
@@ -6865,9 +6865,9 @@
      }
    },
    "node_modules/undici-types": {
-      "version": "7.8.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/undici-types/-/undici-types-7.8.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-9UJ2xGDvQ43tYyVMpuHlsgApydB8ZKfVYTsLDhXkFL/6gfkp+U8xTGdh8pMJv1SpZna0zxG1DwsKZsreLbXBxw==",
+      "version": "5.26.5",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/undici-types/-/undici-types-5.26.5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-JlCMO+ehdEIKqlFxk6IfVoAUVmgz7cU7zD/h9XZ0qzeosSHmUJVOzSQvvYSYWXkFXC+IfLKSIffhv0sVZup6pA==",
      "dev": true
    },
    "node_modules/universal-user-agent": {
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "checkout",
-  "version": "5.0.0",
+  "version": "4.3.0",
  "description": "checkout action",
  "main": "lib/main.js",
  "scripts": {
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@types/jest": "^29.5.12",
-    "@types/node": "^24.1.0",
+    "@types/node": "^20.12.12",
    "@types/uuid": "^9.0.8",
    "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^7.9.0",
    "@typescript-eslint/parser": "^7.9.0",
--- a/src/git-auth-helper.ts
+++ b/src/git-auth-helper.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
  private sshKeyPath = ''
  private sshKnownHostsPath = ''
  private temporaryHomePath = ''
-  private credentialsConfigPath = '' // Path to separate credentials config file in RUNNER_TEMP

  constructor(
    gitCommandManager: IGitCommandManager,
@@ -127,21 +126,16 @@ class GitAuthHelper {

  async configureGlobalAuth(): Promise<void> {
    // 'configureTempGlobalConfig' noops if already set, just returns the path
-    await this.configureTempGlobalConfig()
+    const newGitConfigPath = await this.configureTempGlobalConfig()
    try {
      // Configure the token
-      await this.configureToken(true)
+      await this.configureToken(newGitConfigPath, true)

      // Configure HTTPS instead of SSH
      await this.git.tryConfigUnset(this.insteadOfKey, true)
      if (!this.settings.sshKey) {
        for (const insteadOfValue of this.insteadOfValues) {
-          await this.git.config(
-            this.insteadOfKey,
-            insteadOfValue,
-            true, // globalConfig?
-            true // add?
-          )
+          await this.git.config(this.insteadOfKey, insteadOfValue, true, true)
        }
      }
    } catch (err) {
@@ -156,60 +150,24 @@ class GitAuthHelper {

  async configureSubmoduleAuth(): Promise<void> {
    // Remove possible previous HTTPS instead of SSH
-    await this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(this.insteadOfKey)
+    await this.removeGitConfig(this.insteadOfKey, true)

    if (this.settings.persistCredentials) {
-      // Get the credentials config file path in RUNNER_TEMP
-      const credentialsConfigPath = this.getCredentialsConfigPath()
-
-      // Container credentials config path
-      const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join(
-        '/github/runner_temp',
-        path.basename(credentialsConfigPath)
-      )
-
-      // Get submodule config file paths.
-      const configPaths = await this.git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths(
+      // Configure a placeholder value. This approach avoids the credential being captured
+      // by process creation audit events, which are commonly logged. For more information,
+      // refer to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
+      const output = await this.git.submoduleForeach(
+        // wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline
+        `sh -c "git config --local '${this.tokenConfigKey}' '${this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue}' && git config --local --show-origin --name-only --get-regexp remote.origin.url"`,
        this.settings.nestedSubmodules
      )

-      // For each submodule, configure includeIf entries pointing to the shared credentials file.
-      // Configure both host and container paths to support Docker container actions.
+      // Replace the placeholder
+      const configPaths: string[] =
+        output.match(/(?<=(^|\n)file:)[^\t]+(?=\tremote\.origin\.url)/g) || []
      for (const configPath of configPaths) {
-        // Submodule Git directory
-        let submoduleGitDir = path.dirname(configPath) // The config file is at .git/modules/submodule-name/config
-        submoduleGitDir = submoduleGitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/') // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
-
-        // Configure host includeIf
-        await this.git.config(
-          `includeIf.gitdir:${submoduleGitDir}.path`,
-          credentialsConfigPath,
-          false, // globalConfig?
-          false, // add?
-          configPath
-        )
-
-        // Container submodule git directory
-        const githubWorkspace = process.env['GITHUB_WORKSPACE']
-        assert.ok(githubWorkspace, 'GITHUB_WORKSPACE is not defined')
-        let relativeSubmoduleGitDir = path.relative(
-          githubWorkspace,
-          submoduleGitDir
-        )
-        relativeSubmoduleGitDir = relativeSubmoduleGitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/') // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
-        const containerSubmoduleGitDir = path.posix.join(
-          '/github/workspace',
-          relativeSubmoduleGitDir
-        )
-
-        // Configure container includeIf
-        await this.git.config(
-          `includeIf.gitdir:${containerSubmoduleGitDir}.path`,
-          containerCredentialsPath,
-          false, // globalConfig?
-          false, // add?
-          configPath
-        )
+        core.debug(`Replacing token placeholder in '${configPath}'`)
+        await this.replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath)
      }

      if (this.settings.sshKey) {
@@ -243,10 +201,6 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
    }
  }

-  /**
-   * Configures SSH authentication by writing the SSH key and known hosts,
-   * and setting up the GIT_SSH_COMMAND environment variable.
-   */
  private async configureSsh(): Promise<void> {
    if (!this.settings.sshKey) {
      return
@@ -318,127 +272,57 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
    }
  }

-  /**
-   * Configures token-based authentication by creating a credentials config file
-   * and setting up includeIf entries to reference it.
-   * @param globalConfig Whether to configure global config instead of local
-   */
-  private async configureToken(globalConfig?: boolean): Promise<void> {
-    // Get the credentials config file path in RUNNER_TEMP
-    const credentialsConfigPath = this.getCredentialsConfigPath()
+  private async configureToken(
+    configPath?: string,
+    globalConfig?: boolean
+  ): Promise<void> {
+    // Validate args
+    assert.ok(
+      (configPath && globalConfig) || (!configPath && !globalConfig),
+      'Unexpected configureToken parameter combinations'
+    )

-    // Write placeholder to the separate credentials config file using git config.
-    // This approach avoids the credential being captured by process creation audit events,
-    // which are commonly logged. For more information, refer to
-    // https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
+    // Default config path
+    if (!configPath && !globalConfig) {
+      configPath = path.join(this.git.getWorkingDirectory(), '.git', 'config')
+    }
+
+    // Configure a placeholder value. This approach avoids the credential being captured
+    // by process creation audit events, which are commonly logged. For more information,
+    // refer to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
    await this.git.config(
      this.tokenConfigKey,
      this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue,
-      false, // globalConfig?
-      false, // add?
-      credentialsConfigPath
+      globalConfig
    )

-    // Replace the placeholder in the credentials config file
-    let content = (await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)).toString()
+    // Replace the placeholder
+    await this.replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath || '')
+  }
+
+  private async replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath: string): Promise<void> {
+    assert.ok(configPath, 'configPath is not defined')
+    let content = (await fs.promises.readFile(configPath)).toString()
    const placeholderIndex = content.indexOf(this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue)
    if (
      placeholderIndex < 0 ||
      placeholderIndex != content.lastIndexOf(this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue)
    ) {
-      throw new Error(
-        `Unable to replace auth placeholder in ${credentialsConfigPath}`
-      )
+      throw new Error(`Unable to replace auth placeholder in ${configPath}`)
    }
    assert.ok(this.tokenConfigValue, 'tokenConfigValue is not defined')
    content = content.replace(
      this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue,
      this.tokenConfigValue
    )
-    await fs.promises.writeFile(credentialsConfigPath, content)
-
-    // Add include or includeIf to reference the credentials config
-    if (globalConfig) {
-      // Global config file is temporary
-      await this.git.config(
-        'include.path',
-        credentialsConfigPath,
-        true // globalConfig?
-      )
-    } else {
-      // Host git directory
-      let gitDir = path.join(this.git.getWorkingDirectory(), '.git')
-      gitDir = gitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/') // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
-
-      // Configure host includeIf
-      const hostIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${gitDir}.path`
-      await this.git.config(hostIncludeKey, credentialsConfigPath)
-
-      // Configure host includeIf for worktrees
-      const hostWorktreeIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${gitDir}/worktrees/*.path`
-      await this.git.config(hostWorktreeIncludeKey, credentialsConfigPath)
-
-      // Container git directory
-      const workingDirectory = this.git.getWorkingDirectory()
-      const githubWorkspace = process.env['GITHUB_WORKSPACE']
-      assert.ok(githubWorkspace, 'GITHUB_WORKSPACE is not defined')
-      let relativePath = path.relative(githubWorkspace, workingDirectory)
-      relativePath = relativePath.replace(/\\/g, '/') // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
-      const containerGitDir = path.posix.join(
-        '/github/workspace',
-        relativePath,
-        '.git'
-      )
-
-      // Container credentials config path
-      const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join(
-        '/github/runner_temp',
-        path.basename(credentialsConfigPath)
-      )
-
-      // Configure container includeIf
-      const containerIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${containerGitDir}.path`
-      await this.git.config(containerIncludeKey, containerCredentialsPath)
-
-      // Configure container includeIf for worktrees
-      const containerWorktreeIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${containerGitDir}/worktrees/*.path`
-      await this.git.config(
-        containerWorktreeIncludeKey,
-        containerCredentialsPath
-      )
-    }
+    await fs.promises.writeFile(configPath, content)
  }

-  /**
-   * Gets or creates the path to the credentials config file in RUNNER_TEMP.
-   * @returns The absolute path to the credentials config file
-   */
-  private getCredentialsConfigPath(): string {
-    if (this.credentialsConfigPath) {
-      return this.credentialsConfigPath
-    }
-
-    const runnerTemp = process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'] || ''
-    assert.ok(runnerTemp, 'RUNNER_TEMP is not defined')
-
-    // Create a unique filename for this checkout instance
-    const configFileName = `git-credentials-${uuid()}.config`
-    this.credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, configFileName)
-
-    core.debug(`Credentials config path: ${this.credentialsConfigPath}`)
-    return this.credentialsConfigPath
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Removes SSH authentication configuration by cleaning up SSH keys,
-   * known hosts files, and SSH command configurations.
-   */
  private async removeSsh(): Promise<void> {
    // SSH key
    const keyPath = this.sshKeyPath || stateHelper.SshKeyPath
    if (keyPath) {
      try {
-        core.info(`Removing SSH key '${keyPath}'`)
        await io.rmRF(keyPath)
      } catch (err) {
        core.debug(`${(err as any)?.message ?? err}`)
@@ -451,91 +335,88 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
      this.sshKnownHostsPath || stateHelper.SshKnownHostsPath
    if (knownHostsPath) {
      try {
-        core.info(`Removing SSH known hosts '${knownHostsPath}'`)
        await io.rmRF(knownHostsPath)
-      } catch (err) {
-        core.debug(`${(err as any)?.message ?? err}`)
-        core.warning(`Failed to remove SSH known hosts '${knownHostsPath}'`)
+      } catch {
+        // Intentionally empty
      }
    }

    // SSH command
-    core.info('Removing SSH command configuration')
    await this.removeGitConfig(SSH_COMMAND_KEY)
-    await this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(SSH_COMMAND_KEY)
  }

-  /**
-   * Removes token-based authentication by cleaning up HTTP headers,
-   * includeIf entries, and credentials config files.
-   */
  private async removeToken(): Promise<void> {
-    // Remove HTTP extra header
-    core.info('Removing HTTP extra header')
+    // Remove HTTP extra header from local git config and submodule configs
    await this.removeGitConfig(this.tokenConfigKey)
-    await this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(this.tokenConfigKey)

-    // Collect credentials config paths that need to be removed
-    const credentialsPaths = new Set<string>()
-
-    // Remove includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
-    core.info('Removing includeIf entries pointing to credentials config files')
-    const mainCredentialsPaths = await this.removeIncludeIfCredentials()
-    mainCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path))
-
-    // Remove submodule includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
-    const submoduleConfigPaths = await this.git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths(true)
-    for (const configPath of submoduleConfigPaths) {
-      const submoduleCredentialsPaths =
-        await this.removeIncludeIfCredentials(configPath)
-      submoduleCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path))
+    //
+    // Cleanup actions/checkout@v6 style credentials
+    //
+    const skipV6Cleanup = process.env['ACTIONS_CHECKOUT_SKIP_V6_CLEANUP']
+    if (skipV6Cleanup === '1' || skipV6Cleanup?.toLowerCase() === 'true') {
+      core.debug(
+        'Skipping v6 style cleanup due to ACTIONS_CHECKOUT_SKIP_V6_CLEANUP'
+      )
+      return
    }

-    // Remove credentials config files
-    for (const credentialsPath of credentialsPaths) {
-      // Only remove credentials config files if they are under RUNNER_TEMP
-      const runnerTemp = process.env['RUNNER_TEMP']
-      assert.ok(runnerTemp, 'RUNNER_TEMP is not defined')
-      if (credentialsPath.startsWith(runnerTemp)) {
-        try {
-          core.info(`Removing credentials config '${credentialsPath}'`)
-          await io.rmRF(credentialsPath)
-        } catch (err) {
-          core.debug(`${(err as any)?.message ?? err}`)
-          core.warning(
-            `Failed to remove credentials config '${credentialsPath}'`
-          )
+    try {
+      // Collect credentials config paths that need to be removed
+      const credentialsPaths = new Set<string>()
+
+      // Remove includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
+      const mainCredentialsPaths = await this.removeIncludeIfCredentials()
+      mainCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path))
+
+      // Remove submodule includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
+      try {
+        const submoduleConfigPaths =
+          await this.git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths(true)
+        for (const configPath of submoduleConfigPaths) {
+          const submoduleCredentialsPaths =
+            await this.removeIncludeIfCredentials(configPath)
+          submoduleCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path))
        }
-      } else {
-        core.debug(
-          `Skipping removal of credentials config '${credentialsPath}' - not under RUNNER_TEMP`
-        )
+      } catch (err) {
+        core.debug(`Unable to get submodule config paths: ${err}`)
+      }
+
+      // Remove credentials config files
+      for (const credentialsPath of credentialsPaths) {
+        // Only remove credentials config files if they are under RUNNER_TEMP
+        const runnerTemp = process.env['RUNNER_TEMP']
+        if (runnerTemp && credentialsPath.startsWith(runnerTemp)) {
+          try {
+            await io.rmRF(credentialsPath)
+          } catch (err) {
+            core.debug(
+              `Failed to remove credentials config '${credentialsPath}': ${err}`
+            )
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      core.debug(`Failed to cleanup v6 style credentials: ${err}`)
+    }
+  }
+
+  private async removeGitConfig(
+    configKey: string,
+    submoduleOnly: boolean = false
+  ): Promise<void> {
+    if (!submoduleOnly) {
+      if (
+        (await this.git.configExists(configKey)) &&
+        !(await this.git.tryConfigUnset(configKey))
+      ) {
+        // Load the config contents
+        core.warning(`Failed to remove '${configKey}' from the git config`)
      }
    }
-  }

-  /**
-   * Removes a git config key from the local repository config.
-   * @param configKey The git config key to remove
-   */
-  private async removeGitConfig(configKey: string): Promise<void> {
-    if (
-      (await this.git.configExists(configKey)) &&
-      !(await this.git.tryConfigUnset(configKey))
-    ) {
-      // Load the config contents
-      core.warning(`Failed to remove '${configKey}' from the git config`)
-    }
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Removes a git config key from all submodule configs.
-   * @param configKey The git config key to remove
-   */
-  private async removeSubmoduleGitConfig(configKey: string): Promise<void> {
    const pattern = regexpHelper.escape(configKey)
    await this.git.submoduleForeach(
-      // Wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline.
+      // wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline
      `sh -c "git config --local --name-only --get-regexp '${pattern}' && git config --local --unset-all '${configKey}' || :"`,
      true
    )
@@ -543,6 +424,7 @@ class GitAuthHelper {

  /**
   * Removes includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files.
+   * This handles cleanup of credentials configured by newer versions of the action.
   * @param configPath Optional path to a specific git config file to operate on
   * @returns Array of unique credentials config file paths that were found and removed
   */
@@ -578,18 +460,16 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
      }
    } catch (err) {
      // Ignore errors - this is cleanup code
-      if (configPath) {
-        core.debug(`Error during includeIf cleanup for ${configPath}: ${err}`)
-      } else {
-        core.debug(`Error during includeIf cleanup: ${err}`)
-      }
+      core.debug(
+        `Error during includeIf cleanup${configPath ? ` for ${configPath}` : ''}: ${err}`
+      )
    }

    return Array.from(credentialsPaths)
  }

  /**
-   * Tests if a path matches the git-credentials-*.config pattern.
+   * Tests if a path matches the git-credentials-*.config pattern used by newer versions.
   * @param path The path to test
   * @returns True if the path matches the credentials config pattern
   */
--- a/src/git-command-manager.ts
+++ b/src/git-command-manager.ts
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ export interface IGitCommandManager {
    configKey: string,
    configValue: string,
    globalConfig?: boolean,
-    add?: boolean,
-    configFile?: string
+    add?: boolean
  ): Promise<void>
  configExists(configKey: string, globalConfig?: boolean): Promise<boolean>
  fetch(
@@ -37,6 +36,7 @@ export interface IGitCommandManager {
    options: {
      filter?: string
      fetchDepth?: number
+      fetchTags?: boolean
      showProgress?: boolean
    }
  ): Promise<void>
@@ -240,15 +240,9 @@ class GitCommandManager {
    configKey: string,
    configValue: string,
    globalConfig?: boolean,
-    add?: boolean,
-    configFile?: string
+    add?: boolean
  ): Promise<void> {
-    const args: string[] = ['config']
-    if (configFile) {
-      args.push('--file', configFile)
-    } else {
-      args.push(globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local')
-    }
+    const args: string[] = ['config', globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local']
    if (add) {
      args.push('--add')
    }
@@ -279,13 +273,14 @@ class GitCommandManager {
    options: {
      filter?: string
      fetchDepth?: number
+      fetchTags?: boolean
      showProgress?: boolean
    }
  ): Promise<void> {
    const args = ['-c', 'protocol.version=2', 'fetch']
-    // Always use --no-tags for explicit control over tag fetching
-    // Tags are fetched explicitly via refspec when needed
-    args.push('--no-tags')
+    if (!refSpec.some(x => x === refHelper.tagsRefSpec) && !options.fetchTags) {
+      args.push('--no-tags')
+    }

    args.push('--prune', '--no-recurse-submodules')
    if (options.showProgress) {
@@ -728,19 +723,7 @@ class GitCommandManager {
      }
    }
    // Set the user agent
-    let gitHttpUserAgent = `git/${this.gitVersion} (github-actions-checkout)`
-
-    // Append orchestration ID if set
-    const orchId = process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID']
-    if (orchId) {
-      // Sanitize the orchestration ID to ensure it contains only valid characters
-      // Valid characters: 0-9, a-z, _, -, .
-      const sanitizedId = orchId.replace(/[^a-z0-9_.-]/gi, '_')
-      if (sanitizedId) {
-        gitHttpUserAgent = `${gitHttpUserAgent} actions_orchestration_id/${sanitizedId}`
-      }
-    }
-
+    const gitHttpUserAgent = `git/${this.gitVersion} (github-actions-checkout)`
    core.debug(`Set git useragent to: ${gitHttpUserAgent}`)
    this.gitEnv['GIT_HTTP_USER_AGENT'] = gitHttpUserAgent
  }
--- a/src/git-source-provider.ts
+++ b/src/git-source-provider.ts
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ export async function getSource(settings: IGitSourceSettings): Promise<void> {
    const fetchOptions: {
      filter?: string
      fetchDepth?: number
+      fetchTags?: boolean
      showProgress?: boolean
    } = {}

@@ -181,35 +182,12 @@ export async function getSource(settings: IGitSourceSettings): Promise<void> {
      if (!(await refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
        refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(settings.ref, settings.commit)
        await git.fetch(refSpec, fetchOptions)
-
-        // Verify the ref now matches. For branches, the targeted fetch above brings
-        // in the specific commit. For tags (fetched by ref), this will fail if
-        // the tag was moved after the workflow was triggered.
-        if (!(await refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
-          throw new Error(
-            `The ref '${settings.ref}' does not point to the expected commit '${settings.commit}'. ` +
-              `The ref may have been updated after the workflow was triggered.`
-          )
-        }
      }
    } else {
      fetchOptions.fetchDepth = settings.fetchDepth
-      const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(
-        settings.ref,
-        settings.commit,
-        settings.fetchTags
-      )
+      fetchOptions.fetchTags = settings.fetchTags
+      const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(settings.ref, settings.commit)
      await git.fetch(refSpec, fetchOptions)
-
-      // For tags, verify the ref still points to the expected commit.
-      // Tags are fetched by ref (not commit), so if a tag was moved after the
-      // workflow was triggered, we would silently check out the wrong commit.
-      if (!(await refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
-        throw new Error(
-          `The ref '${settings.ref}' does not point to the expected commit '${settings.commit}'. ` +
-            `The ref may have been updated after the workflow was triggered.`
-        )
-      }
    }
    core.endGroup()

--- a/src/misc/generate-docs.ts
+++ b/src/misc/generate-docs.ts
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ function updateUsage(
 }

 updateUsage(
-  'actions/checkout@v6',
+  'actions/checkout@v4',
  path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'action.yml'),
  path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'README.md')
 )
--- a/src/ref-helper.ts
+++ b/src/ref-helper.ts
@@ -76,75 +76,55 @@ export function getRefSpecForAllHistory(ref: string, commit: string): string[] {
  return result
 }

-export function getRefSpec(
-  ref: string,
-  commit: string,
-  fetchTags?: boolean
-): string[] {
+export function getRefSpec(ref: string, commit: string): string[] {
  if (!ref && !commit) {
    throw new Error('Args ref and commit cannot both be empty')
  }

  const upperRef = (ref || '').toUpperCase()
-  const result: string[] = []
-
-  // When fetchTags is true, always include the tags refspec
-  if (fetchTags) {
-    result.push(tagsRefSpec)
-  }

  // SHA
  if (commit) {
    // refs/heads
    if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/HEADS/')) {
      const branch = ref.substring('refs/heads/'.length)
-      result.push(`+${commit}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`)
+      return [`+${commit}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`]
    }
    // refs/pull/
    else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/PULL/')) {
      const branch = ref.substring('refs/pull/'.length)
-      result.push(`+${commit}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`)
+      return [`+${commit}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`]
    }
    // refs/tags/
    else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
-      if (!fetchTags) {
-        result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`)
-      }
+      return [`+${commit}:${ref}`]
    }
    // Otherwise no destination ref
    else {
-      result.push(commit)
+      return [commit]
    }
  }
  // Unqualified ref, check for a matching branch or tag
  else if (!upperRef.startsWith('REFS/')) {
-    result.push(`+refs/heads/${ref}*:refs/remotes/origin/${ref}*`)
-    if (!fetchTags) {
-      result.push(`+refs/tags/${ref}*:refs/tags/${ref}*`)
-    }
+    return [
+      `+refs/heads/${ref}*:refs/remotes/origin/${ref}*`,
+      `+refs/tags/${ref}*:refs/tags/${ref}*`
+    ]
  }
  // refs/heads/
  else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/HEADS/')) {
    const branch = ref.substring('refs/heads/'.length)
-    result.push(`+${ref}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`)
+    return [`+${ref}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`]
  }
  // refs/pull/
  else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/PULL/')) {
    const branch = ref.substring('refs/pull/'.length)
-    result.push(`+${ref}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`)
+    return [`+${ref}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`]
  }
  // refs/tags/
-  else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
-    if (!fetchTags) {
-      result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`)
-    }
-  }
-  // Other refs
  else {
-    result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`)
+    return [`+${ref}:${ref}`]
  }
-
-  return result
 }

 /**
@@ -190,10 +170,8 @@ export async function testRef(
  // refs/tags/
  else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
    const tagName = ref.substring('refs/tags/'.length)
-    // Use ^{commit} to dereference annotated tags to their underlying commit
    return (
-      (await git.tagExists(tagName)) &&
-      commit === (await git.revParse(`${ref}^{commit}`))
+      (await git.tagExists(tagName)) && commit === (await git.revParse(ref))
    )
  }
  // Unexpected