# How to Dry-Run a design-control-loop Workflow With No Prior Run History > Learn to dry run a design-control-loop workflow without prior history. This guide shows how to use a temporary push trigger and then remove it, preserving your workflow's integrity. - Repository: [HumanLayer/skills](https://github.com/humanlayer/skills) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-09-13 --- **The design-control-loop skill recommends adding a temporary `push` trigger to your workflow YAML, executing the run on your branch, and then immediately removing the trigger to restore `workflow_dispatch`-only mode.** The **design-control-loop** skill in the `humanlayer/skills` repository provides a structured approach for implementing control loops in GitHub Actions. When you create a new workflow that relies on `workflow_dispatch` triggers, you face a catch-22: GitHub does not permit manual dispatch until the workflow has executed at least once. The skill solves this through a specific **Phase H** validation protocol that enables safe testing without polluting your CI configuration. ## Why Workflows Require a First Run Before Manual Dispatch GitHub Actions restricts manual workflow dispatch to files that exist on the default branch and have recorded at least one execution. When you bootstrap a new design-control-loop workflow from [`plugins/design-control-loop/skills/design-control-loop/references/workflow-template.yml`](https://github.com/humanlayer/skills/blob/main/plugins/design-control-loop/skills/design-control-loop/references/workflow-template.yml), the file may be valid YAML but remains undispatchable until it has historical run data. This creates a deployment barrier for fresh implementations that need validation before merging to `main`. ## The Phase H Dry-Run Strategy The skill documentation in [`plugins/design-control-loop/skills/design-control-loop/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/humanlayer/skills/blob/main/plugins/design-control-loop/skills/design-control-loop/SKILL.md) (lines 151-155) defines **Phase H** as the validation and iteration phase. Within this phase, the skill prescribes a four-step procedure for **dry-running a workflow with no prior run history** without leaving permanent trigger artifacts. ### Step 1: Add a Transient Push Trigger Edit your workflow file to include a temporary `push` event limited strictly to your current feature branch. This modification belongs in the `on:` block alongside the permanent `workflow_dispatch` trigger. ```yaml # .github/workflows/design-loop.yml on: workflow_dispatch: {} # Permanent manual trigger # --- Temporary injection for dry-run --- push: branches: - my-feature-branch # Isolate to current branch only ``` Add this block only to the branch you are testing. Never commit this change to `main` or other long-lived branches. ### Step 2: Execute the Workflow Commit the temporary trigger and push to trigger the workflow automatically: ```bash git add .github/workflows/design-loop.yml git commit -m "Add temporary push trigger for dry-run" git push origin my-feature-branch ``` Navigate to the Actions tab in your repository to observe the execution. Verify that the workflow correctly processes the sensor, controller, and actuator steps as defined in your design-control-loop implementation. ### Step 3: Remove the Trigger Immediately Once the run succeeds and you have confirmed the behavior, revert the temporary trigger to restore the intended `workflow_dispatch`-only configuration: ```bash git revert HEAD # Removes the temporary push block git push origin my-feature-branch ``` Alternatively, manually edit the file to delete the `push:` block and commit the change. The repository now contains a validated workflow with clean history, ready for merge without lingering event listeners. ## Code Implementation Reference The following example demonstrates the complete lifecycle of the temporary trigger technique as implemented in the skill template: ```yaml # File: plugins/design-control-loop/skills/design-control-loop/references/workflow-template.yml # Excerpt showing trigger configuration name: Design Control Loop on: workflow_dispatch: inputs: dry_run: description: 'Execute without side effects' default: false # Temporary addition for first-run validation: # push: # branches: [ 'feature/initial-test' ] ``` When executing the dry-run, monitor the workflow logs to ensure the control loop correctly identifies state transitions before you remove the push trigger. ## Summary - **design-control-loop** uses **Phase H** specifically for validating and iterating on workflow logic before production deployment. - **Temporary push triggers** bypass the GitHub Actions requirement for prior run history without modifying the default branch. - **Branch-scoped events** ensure the trigger fires only on your feature branch, preventing unintended executions on other contributors' work. - **Immediate cleanup** after successful validation maintains repository hygiene and adheres to the principle of minimal CI surface area. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Why can't I use workflow_dispatch on a new workflow file? GitHub Actions requires at least one successful execution record before enabling the manual dispatch interface. This security measure prevents execution of unvalidated code, but it creates a bootstrap problem for fresh workflows. The temporary push trigger technique documented in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/humanlayer/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) provides the initial execution required to activate `workflow_dispatch` functionality. ### What happens if I forget to remove the temporary push trigger? Leaving the push trigger in place causes the workflow to execute on every commit to that branch, which violates the design-control-loop's event-driven architecture intended for `workflow_dispatch`. This can generate noise in your Actions logs and potentially trigger unintended side effects if the workflow contains state-modifying actuators. ### Can I use this technique for workflows other than design-control-loop? Yes. While the pattern is explicitly documented in [`plugins/design-control-loop/skills/design-control-loop/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/humanlayer/skills/blob/main/plugins/design-control-loop/skills/design-control-loop/SKILL.md), the temporary push trigger method applies to any GitHub Actions workflow that requires `workflow_dispatch` validation before the first official run. The key constraint remains isolating the trigger to a specific branch and removing it immediately after verification. ### How do I validate the workflow behavior during the dry-run? During the temporary push execution, verify that the workflow completes all three design-control-loop phases: sensor data collection, controller decision logic, and actuator execution (or dry-run simulation). Check that environment variables, secrets injection, and conditional logic perform as expected before you revert the trigger commit.