diff --git a/ci-automation/ci_automation_common.sh b/ci-automation/ci_automation_common.sh
index e98a44ca45..181821ad92 100644
--- a/ci-automation/ci_automation_common.sh
+++ b/ci-automation/ci_automation_common.sh
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ function update_submodules() {
 
 function update_and_push_version() {
     local version="$1"
+    local push_to_branch="${2:-false}"
 
     # set up author and email so git does not complain when tagging
     if ! git config --get user.name >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then
@@ -71,8 +72,9 @@ function update_and_push_version() {
 
     git tag -f "${TAG_ARGS[@]}" "${version}"
 
-    if [ "${PUSH-0}" = 1 ]; then
-      git push
+    if [ "${push_to_branch}" = "true" ]; then
+      local branch="$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)"
+      git push origin "${branch}"
     fi
 
     if git push origin "${version}" ; then
diff --git a/ci-automation/sdk_bootstrap.sh b/ci-automation/sdk_bootstrap.sh
index 085e67e5f5..d7b14effad 100644
--- a/ci-automation/sdk_bootstrap.sh
+++ b/ci-automation/sdk_bootstrap.sh
@@ -84,7 +84,13 @@ function sdk_bootstrap() {
     copy_to_buildcache "sdk/${ARCH}/${vernum}" "${dest_tarball}"*
     cd -
 
-    # Create new tag in scripts repo w/ updated versionfile + submodules
-    update_and_push_version "sdk-${git_vernum}"
+    # Create new tag in scripts repo w/ updated versionfile + submodules.
+    # When on the 'main' branch then also push to the branch so the versionfile
+    #  and git submodules stay up to date.
+    local push_branch="false"
+    if [ "$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)" = "main" ] ; then
+        push_branch="true"
+    fi
+    update_and_push_version "sdk-${git_vernum}" "${push_branch}"
 }
 # --