diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index e1a6acd..e515fbf 100644
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -315,6 +315,12 @@ function createPullRequest(inputs) {
             if (branchRemoteName == 'origin' && base == inputs.branch) {
                 throw new Error(`The 'base' and 'branch' for a pull request must be different branches. Unable to continue.`);
             }
+            // For self-hosted runners the repository state persists between runs.
+            // This command prunes the stale remote ref when the pull request branch was
+            // deleted after being merged or closed. Without this the push using
+            // '--force-with-lease' fails due to "stale info."
+            // https://github.com/peter-evans/create-pull-request/issues/633
+            yield git.exec(['remote', 'prune', branchRemoteName]);
             core.endGroup();
             // Apply the branch suffix if set
             if (inputs.branchSuffix) {
diff --git a/report.txt b/report.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..74ee2b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/report.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1606189036