diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a396d7956fe424217080c45426f25dc4f376486b..40bef073dfd1742f78686cabbc4459e10853e6ea 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@
   - apt-get update
 
 .license_header_template: &license_header_definition
+  # configure git
+  - git config --global user.email "${CI_EMAIL}"
+  - git config --global user.name "${CI_USERNAME}"
+  - git checkout -b ci_processing # temporary branch
+
   - echo "current year of the headers:" ${LICENSE_HEADER_YEAR}
   - export LICENSE_HEADER_YEAR_NEW=$( date +'%Y' )
   # UPDATE: check if license headers have to be updated
@@ -35,16 +40,14 @@
   # ADD: add license headers 
   - else
   -   cd wolf_scripts
-  -   ./license_manager.sh --add --path=.. --license-header=license_header_${LICENSE_HEADER_YEAR}.txt
+  -   ./license_manager.sh --add --path=${PWD}/.. --license-header=license_header_${LICENSE_HEADER_YEAR}.txt
   - fi
   - cd ..
 
   # push changes (if any)
-  - git config --global user.email "${CI_EMAIL}"
-  - git config --global user.name "${CI_USERNAME}"
   - if git commit -u -m "[skip ci] license headers added or modified" ; then
   -   git remote set-url --push origin "ssh://git@gitlab.iri.upc.edu:2202/${CI_PROJECT_PATH}.git"
-  -   git push origin HEAD:${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME}
+  -   git push origin ci_processing:${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME}
   - else
   -   echo "No changes, nothing to commit!"
   - fi