diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index ebf48ff..ca36e33 100644
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -277,11 +277,11 @@ function createOrUpdateBranch(git, commitMessage, base, branch, branchRemoteName
             // Check if the pull request branch is ahead of the base
             result.hasDiffWithBase = yield isAhead(git, base, branch);
         }
-        // Build the branch commits
-        result.branchCommits = yield buildBranchCommits(git, base, branch);
         // Get the base and head SHAs
         result.baseSha = yield git.revParse(base);
         result.headSha = yield git.revParse(branch);
+        // Build the branch commits
+        result.branchCommits = yield buildBranchCommits(git, base, branch);
         // Delete the temporary branch
         yield git.exec(['branch', '--delete', '--force', tempBranch]);
         // Checkout the working base to leave the local repository as it was found
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ function createPullRequest(inputs) {
                 // The branch was created or updated
                 core.startGroup(`Pushing pull request branch to '${branchRemoteName}/${inputs.branch}'`);
                 if (inputs.signCommit) {
-                    // Stash any uncommitted tracked and untracked changes
+                    // Create signed commits via the GitHub API
                     const stashed = yield git.stashPush(['--include-untracked']);
                     yield git.checkout(inputs.branch);
                     yield githubHelper.pushSignedCommits(result.branchCommits, result.baseSha, repoPath, branchRepository, inputs.branch);
@@ -1279,12 +1279,7 @@ class GitHubHelper {
     pushSignedCommits(branchCommits, baseSha, repoPath, branchRepository, branch) {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             let headSha = baseSha;
-            // testing
-            if (branchCommits.length > 0 && branchCommits[0].parents[0] !== baseSha) {
-                throw new Error(`The base commit ${baseSha} does not match the first commit's parent ${branchCommits[0].parents[0]}`);
-            }
             for (const commit of branchCommits) {
-                // TODO: The headSha of the previous commit should be passed and used as the parent.
                 headSha = yield this.createCommit(commit, [headSha], repoPath, branchRepository);
             }
             yield this.createOrUpdateRef(branchRepository, branch, headSha);
@@ -1317,7 +1312,7 @@ class GitHubHelper {
             }
             const { data: remoteCommit } = yield this.octokit.rest.git.createCommit(Object.assign(Object.assign({}, repository), { parents: parents, tree: treeSha, message: `${commit.subject}\n\n${commit.body}` }));
             core.info(`Created commit ${remoteCommit.sha} for local commit ${commit.sha}`);
-            core.debug(`Commit verified: ${remoteCommit.verification.verified}; reason: ${remoteCommit.verification.reason}`);
+            core.info(`Commit verified: ${remoteCommit.verification.verified}; reason: ${remoteCommit.verification.reason}`);
             return remoteCommit.sha;
         });
     }
diff --git a/src/create-or-update-branch.ts b/src/create-or-update-branch.ts
index 643ea47..d70188b 100644
--- a/src/create-or-update-branch.ts
+++ b/src/create-or-update-branch.ts
@@ -321,13 +321,13 @@ export async function createOrUpdateBranch(
     result.hasDiffWithBase = await isAhead(git, base, branch)
   }
 
-  // Build the branch commits
-  result.branchCommits = await buildBranchCommits(git, base, branch)
-
   // Get the base and head SHAs
   result.baseSha = await git.revParse(base)
   result.headSha = await git.revParse(branch)
 
+  // Build the branch commits
+  result.branchCommits = await buildBranchCommits(git, base, branch)
+
   // Delete the temporary branch
   await git.exec(['branch', '--delete', '--force', tempBranch])
 
diff --git a/src/create-pull-request.ts b/src/create-pull-request.ts
index 4600935..c44674d 100644
--- a/src/create-pull-request.ts
+++ b/src/create-pull-request.ts
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ export async function createPullRequest(inputs: Inputs): Promise<void> {
         `Pushing pull request branch to '${branchRemoteName}/${inputs.branch}'`
       )
       if (inputs.signCommit) {
-        // Stash any uncommitted tracked and untracked changes
+        // Create signed commits via the GitHub API
         const stashed = await git.stashPush(['--include-untracked'])
         await git.checkout(inputs.branch)
         await githubHelper.pushSignedCommits(
diff --git a/src/github-helper.ts b/src/github-helper.ts
index 6a46010..ca23961 100644
--- a/src/github-helper.ts
+++ b/src/github-helper.ts
@@ -201,16 +201,7 @@ export class GitHubHelper {
     branch: string
   ): Promise<void> {
     let headSha = baseSha
-
-    // testing
-    if (branchCommits.length > 0 && branchCommits[0].parents[0] !== baseSha) {
-      throw new Error(
-        `The base commit ${baseSha} does not match the first commit's parent ${branchCommits[0].parents[0]}`
-      )
-    }
-
     for (const commit of branchCommits) {
-      // TODO: The headSha of the previous commit should be passed and used as the parent.
       headSha = await this.createCommit(
         commit,
         [headSha],
@@ -270,7 +261,9 @@ export class GitHubHelper {
     core.info(
       `Created commit ${remoteCommit.sha} for local commit ${commit.sha}`
     )
-    core.debug(`Commit verified: ${remoteCommit.verification.verified}; reason: ${remoteCommit.verification.reason}`)
+    core.info(
+      `Commit verified: ${remoteCommit.verification.verified}; reason: ${remoteCommit.verification.reason}`
+    )
     return remoteCommit.sha
   }