diff --git a/core/src/ldml/ldml_transforms.cpp b/core/src/ldml/ldml_transforms.cpp
index 270048ac211..973117f36b9 100644
--- a/core/src/ldml/ldml_transforms.cpp
+++ b/core/src/ldml/ldml_transforms.cpp
@@ -45,16 +45,16 @@ element::is_uset() const {
   return (flags & LDML_ELEM_FLAGS_TYPE) == LDML_ELEM_FLAGS_TYPE_USET;
 }
 
-signed char
+reorder_weight
 element::get_order() const {
   unsigned char uorder = ((flags & LDML_ELEM_FLAGS_ORDER_MASK) >> LDML_ELEM_FLAGS_ORDER_BITSHIFT);
-  return (signed char)uorder;
+  return (reorder_weight)uorder; // unsigned to signed
 }
 
-signed char
+reorder_weight
 element::get_tertiary() const {
   unsigned char uorder = ((flags & LDML_ELEM_FLAGS_TERTIARY_MASK) >> LDML_ELEM_FLAGS_TERTIARY_BITSHIFT);
-  return (signed char)uorder;
+  return (reorder_weight)uorder; // unsigned to signed
 }
 
 bool
@@ -93,19 +93,19 @@ element::dump() const {
 
 int
 reorder_sort_key::compare(const reorder_sort_key &other) const {
-  int primaryResult    = (int)primary    - (int)other.primary;
-  int secondaryResult  = (int)secondary  - (int)other.secondary;
-  int tertiaryResult   = (int)tertiary   - (int)other.tertiary;
-  int quaternaryResult = (int)quaternary - (int)other.quaternary;
+  auto primaryResult    = primary    - other.primary;
+  auto secondaryResult  = secondary  - other.secondary;
+  auto tertiaryResult   = tertiary   - other.tertiary;
+  auto quaternaryResult = quaternary - other.quaternary;
 
   if (primaryResult) {
-    return primaryResult;
+    return (int)primaryResult;
   } else if (secondaryResult) {
-    return secondaryResult;
+    return (int)secondaryResult;
   } else if (tertiaryResult) {
-    return tertiaryResult;
+    return (int)tertiaryResult;
   } else if (quaternaryResult) {
-    return quaternaryResult;
+    return (int)quaternaryResult;
   } else {
     // We don't expect to get here.  quaternaryResult is the string index, which
     // should be unequal.
@@ -131,8 +131,8 @@ reorder_sort_key::from(const std::u32string &str) {
   // construct a 'baseline' sort key, that is, in the absence of
   // any match rules.
   std::deque<reorder_sort_key> keylist;
-  auto s   = str.begin();  // str iterator
-  size_t c = 0;            // str index
+  auto s           = str.begin();  // str iterator
+  reorder_weight c = 0;            // str index
   for (auto e = str.begin(); e < str.end(); e++, s++, c++) {
     // primary    weight: 0
     // seconary   weight: c (the string index)
@@ -215,9 +215,9 @@ std::deque<reorder_sort_key> &
 element_list::update_sort_key(size_t offset, std::deque<reorder_sort_key> &key) const {
   /** string index */
   size_t c = 0;
-  bool have_last_base             = false;
-  signed char last_base_primary   = -1;
-  signed char last_base_secondary = -1;
+  bool have_last_base                = false;
+  reorder_weight last_base_primary   = -1;
+  reorder_weight last_base_secondary = -1;
   for (auto e = begin(); e < end(); e++, c++) {
     /** position in the key */
     auto n = offset + c;
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ reorder_group::apply(std::u32string &str) const {
   // recombine into a string by pulling out the 'ch' value
   // that's in each sortkey element.
   std::u32string newSuffix;
-  size_t q = sort_keys.begin()->quaternary; // start with the first quaternary
+  signed char q = sort_keys.begin()->quaternary; // start with the first quaternary
   for (auto e = sort_keys.begin(); e < sort_keys.end(); e++, q++) {
     if (q != e->quaternary) {
       // something rearranged in this subrange, because the quaternary values are out of order.
diff --git a/core/src/ldml/ldml_transforms.hpp b/core/src/ldml/ldml_transforms.hpp
index 582a7ba3a99..dd082895744 100644
--- a/core/src/ldml/ldml_transforms.hpp
+++ b/core/src/ldml/ldml_transforms.hpp
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ inline bool uassert_success(const char *file, int line, const char *function, UE
 
 using km::core::kmx::SimpleUSet;
 
+/** a reorder weight, such as primary, secondary, etc. */
+typedef signed char reorder_weight;
+
+
+
 /**
  * Type of a group
  */
@@ -71,9 +76,9 @@ class element {
   /** @returns true if tertiary base bit set */
   bool is_tertiary_base() const;
   /** @returns the primary order */
-  signed char get_order() const;
+  reorder_weight get_order() const;
   /** @returns the tertiary order */
-  signed char get_tertiary() const;
+  reorder_weight get_tertiary() const;
   /** @returns raw elem flags */
   KMX_DWORD get_flags() const;
   /** @returns true if matches this character*/
@@ -157,10 +162,10 @@ class transform_group : public std::deque<transform_entry> {
 /** a single char, categorized according to reorder rules*/
 struct reorder_sort_key {
   km_core_usv ch;        // the single char value
-  signed char primary;   // primary order value
-  size_t secondary;      // index position
-  signed char tertiary;  // tertiary value, defaults to 0
-  size_t quaternary;     // index again
+  reorder_weight primary;   // primary order value
+  reorder_weight secondary;      // index position
+  reorder_weight tertiary;  // tertiary value, defaults to 0
+  reorder_weight quaternary;     // index again
   bool is_tertiary_base;  // remember that this key was a tertiary base
 
   /** @returns -1, 0, 1 depending on ordering */
diff --git a/core/tests/unit/ldml/test_transforms.cpp b/core/tests/unit/ldml/test_transforms.cpp
index 29357071ac5..fe47f043950 100644
--- a/core/tests/unit/ldml/test_transforms.cpp
+++ b/core/tests/unit/ldml/test_transforms.cpp
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ test_reorder_standalone() {
       l.update_sort_key(0, keylist);
       std::cout << __FILE__ << ":" << __LINE__ << "  updated sortkey" << std::endl;
       assert_equal(keylist.size(), 2);
-      size_t secondary = 0;
+      reorder_weight secondary = 0;
       for (auto i = keylist.begin(); i < keylist.end(); i++) {
         i->dump();
         assert_equal(i->secondary, secondary);
diff --git a/resources/build/trigger-builds.inc.sh b/resources/build/trigger-builds.inc.sh
index cc01b49914f..d0ca586398a 100644
--- a/resources/build/trigger-builds.inc.sh
+++ b/resources/build/trigger-builds.inc.sh
@@ -81,12 +81,12 @@ function triggerGitHubActionsBuild() {
     GIT_BASE_REF="$(git rev-parse "${GIT_BUILD_SHA}^")"
     GIT_EVENT_TYPE="${GITHUB_ACTION}: release@${VERSION_WITH_TAG}"
   elif [[ $GIT_BRANCH != stable-* ]] && [[ $GIT_BRANCH =~ [0-9]+ ]]; then
-    GIT_BUILD_SHA="$(git rev-parse "refs/pull/${GIT_BRANCH}/head")"
-    GIT_EVENT_TYPE="${GITHUB_ACTION}: PR #${GIT_BRANCH}"
     JSON=$(curl -s "${GITHUB_SERVER}/pulls/${GIT_BRANCH}")
+    GIT_BUILD_SHA="$(echo "$JSON" | $JQ -r '.head.sha')"
+    GIT_EVENT_TYPE="${GITHUB_ACTION}: PR #${GIT_BRANCH}"
     GIT_USER="$(echo "$JSON" | $JQ -r '.user.login')"
     GIT_BASE_BRANCH="$(echo "$JSON" | $JQ -r '.base.ref')"
-    GIT_BASE_REF="$(git rev-parse "${GIT_BASE_BRANCH}")"
+    GIT_BASE_REF="$(echo "$JSON" | $JQ -r '.base.sha')"
     GIT_BRANCH="PR-${GIT_BRANCH}"
   else
     GIT_BUILD_SHA="$(git rev-parse "refs/heads/${GIT_BRANCH}")"