diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 2cbdcfd1..981107f6 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -76,18 +76,10 @@ runs:
 
     - name: Set git user
       shell: bash
+      env:
+        GIT_USER_NAME: ${{ inputs.git_user_name || github.actor }}
+        GIT_USER_EMAIL: ${{ inputs.git_user_email || format('{0}+{1}@users.noreply.github.com', github.actor_id, github.actor) }}
       run: |
-        # Use provided values or fall back to triggering actor
-        GIT_USER_NAME='${{ inputs.git_user_name }}'
-        GIT_USER_EMAIL='${{ inputs.git_user_email }}'
-
-        if [[ -z "$GIT_USER_NAME" ]]; then
-          GIT_USER_NAME="${GITHUB_ACTOR}"
-        fi
-        if [[ -z "$GIT_USER_EMAIL" ]]; then
-          GIT_USER_EMAIL="${GITHUB_ACTOR_ID}+${GITHUB_ACTOR}@users.noreply.github.com"
-        fi
-
         echo "GIT_COMMITTER_NAME=${GIT_USER_NAME}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
         echo "GIT_AUTHOR_NAME=${GIT_USER_NAME}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
         echo "EMAIL=${GIT_USER_EMAIL}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
@@ -194,33 +186,23 @@ runs:
     - name: Request publish
       id: request-publish
       shell: bash
+      env:
+        CHANGELOG: ${{ steps.craft.outputs.changelog }}
+        TARGETS: ${{ steps.craft-targets.outputs.targets }}
+        RESOLVED_VERSION: ${{ steps.craft.outputs.version }}
+        RELEASE_BRANCH: ${{ steps.craft.outputs.branch }}
+        RELEASE_SHA: ${{ steps.craft.outputs.sha }}
+        RELEASE_PREVIOUS_TAG: ${{ steps.craft.outputs.previous_tag || 'HEAD' }}
+        SUBDIRECTORY: ${{ inputs.path != '.' && format('/{0}', inputs.path) || '' }}
+        MERGE_TARGET: ${{ inputs.merge_target || '(default)' }}
+        PUBLISH_REPO: ${{ inputs.publish_repo || format('{0}/publish', github.repository_owner) }}
       run: |
-        if [[ '${{ inputs.path }}' == '.' ]]; then
-          subdirectory=''
-        else
-          subdirectory='/${{ inputs.path }}'
-        fi
-
-        if [[ -n '${{ inputs.merge_target }}' ]]; then
-          merge_target='${{ inputs.merge_target }}'
-        else
-          merge_target='(default)'
-        fi
-
-        # Use resolved version from Craft output
-        RESOLVED_VERSION="${{ steps.craft.outputs.version }}"
         if [[ -z "$RESOLVED_VERSION" ]]; then
           echo "::error::Craft did not output a version. This is unexpected."
           exit 1
         fi
 
-        title="publish: ${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}${subdirectory}@${RESOLVED_VERSION}"
-
-        # Determine publish repo
-        PUBLISH_REPO='${{ inputs.publish_repo }}'
-        if [[ -z "$PUBLISH_REPO" ]]; then
-          PUBLISH_REPO="${GITHUB_REPOSITORY_OWNER}/publish"
-        fi
+        title="publish: ${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}${SUBDIRECTORY}@${RESOLVED_VERSION}"
 
         # Check if issue already exists
         # GitHub only allows search with the "in" operator and this issue search can
@@ -233,18 +215,7 @@ runs:
           exit 0
         fi
 
-        # Use Craft outputs for git info
-        RELEASE_BRANCH="${{ steps.craft.outputs.branch }}"
-        RELEASE_SHA="${{ steps.craft.outputs.sha }}"
-        PREVIOUS_TAG="${{ steps.craft.outputs.previous_tag }}"
-
-        # Fall back to HEAD if no previous tag
-        if [[ -z "$PREVIOUS_TAG" ]]; then
-          PREVIOUS_TAG="HEAD"
-        fi
-
         # Build changelog section if available
-        CHANGELOG='${{ steps.craft.outputs.changelog }}'
         if [[ -n "$CHANGELOG" ]]; then
           CHANGELOG_SECTION="
         ---
@@ -261,10 +232,10 @@ runs:
 
         body="Requested by: @${GITHUB_ACTOR}
 
-        Merge target: ${merge_target}
+        Merge target: ${MERGE_TARGET}
 
         Quick links:
-        - [View changes](https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/compare/${PREVIOUS_TAG}...${RELEASE_BRANCH})
+        - [View changes](https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/compare/${RELEASE_PREVIOUS_TAG}...${RELEASE_BRANCH})
         - [View check runs](https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/commit/${RELEASE_SHA}/checks/)
 
         Assign the **accepted** label to this issue to approve the release.
@@ -272,7 +243,7 @@ runs:
 
         ### Targets
 
-        ${{ steps.craft-targets.outputs.targets }}
+        ${TARGETS}
 
         Checked targets will be skipped (either already published or user-requested skip). Uncheck to retry a target.
         ${CHANGELOG_SECTION}"