diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a1b5eecd6..738d2aecb 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -232,7 +232,9 @@ update_revision:
     - git pull
     - export VERSION=$(git describe ${CI_COMMIT_SHA})
     - echo ${VERSION} > python/damask/VERSION
-    - git commit python/damask/VERSION -m "[skip ci] updated version information after successful test of $VERSION"
+    - >
+       git diff-index --quiet HEAD ||
+       git commit python/damask/VERSION -m "[skip ci] updated version information after successful test of $VERSION"
     - if [ ${CI_COMMIT_SHA} == $(git rev-parse HEAD^) ]; then git push origin HEAD:master HEAD:development; fi
   only:
     - development
diff --git a/PRIVATE b/PRIVATE
index e663a548b..857b994fb 160000
--- a/PRIVATE
+++ b/PRIVATE
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit e663a548b10ee3f9ced35c5a5105bd6824d3eebf
+Subproject commit 857b994fb7222ab15a2b8c4ded2bba8787d7feb6