diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
index ddf2895f55e..ff662c0e38e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ jobs:
           publish_dir: ./build
           cname: docs.publishing.service.gov.uk
           commit_message: ${{steps.commit_message_writer.outputs.commit_message}}
+          force_orphan: true
       - name: Notify failure
         uses: slackapi/slack-github-action@v1
         if: ${{ failure() }}