diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs.yaml b/.github/workflows/docs.yaml
index 773dda6f2..3b13c9908 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs.yaml
@@ -60,5 +60,10 @@ jobs:
         git config --global user.name 'Github Actions'
         git config --global user.email 'not@mail.com'
         git remote set-url origin https://x-access-token:${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}@github.com/${{ github.repository }}
-        git commit -am "$last_commit"
-        git diff --quiet @{u} HEAD || git push
+        # Only commit and push if there are changes
+        if ! git diff --cached --quiet; then
+          git commit -m "$last_commit"
+          git push
+        else
+          echo "Branch is up to date with origin/gh-pages, no need to update docs. Skipping."
+        fi
diff --git a/tests/test_openml/test_config.py b/tests/test_openml/test_config.py
index f9ab5eb9f..53d4abe77 100644
--- a/tests/test_openml/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_openml/test_config.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def test_non_writable_home(self, log_handler_mock, warnings_mock):
         assert not log_handler_mock.call_args_list[0][1]["create_file_handler"]
         assert openml.config._root_cache_directory == Path(td) / "something-else"
 
-    @unittest.skipIf(platform.system() != "Linux","XDG only exists for Linux systems.")
+    @unittest.skipIf(platform.system() != "Linux", "XDG only exists for Linux systems.")
     def test_XDG_directories_do_not_exist(self):
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(dir=self.workdir) as td:
             # Save previous state
@@ -131,8 +131,11 @@ def test_switch_from_example_configuration(self):
         assert openml.config.server == self.production_server
 
     def test_example_configuration_stop_before_start(self):
-        """Verifies an error is raised is `stop_...` is called before `start_...`."""
+        """Verifies an error is raised if `stop_...` is called before `start_...`."""
         error_regex = ".*stop_use_example_configuration.*start_use_example_configuration.*first"
+        # Tests do not reset the state of this class. Thus, we ensure it is in
+        # the original state before the test.
+        openml.config.ConfigurationForExamples._start_last_called = False
         self.assertRaisesRegex(
             RuntimeError,
             error_regex,