diff --git a/.github/workflows/starting-course.yml b/.github/workflows/starting-course.yml
index 97309b3f..76eb3f87 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/starting-course.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/starting-course.yml
@@ -4,16 +4,14 @@
 name: Starting a new course
 
 on:
-  push:
-    branches: [ main, staging ]
-  workflow_dispatch:
+  create:
 
 jobs:
-  # Run cleaning process only if workflow is triggered by not being in the Bookdown template anymore
-  template-cleanup:
-    name: Template Cleanup
+  first-time-setup:
+    # ensure run only once, when repo generated
+    if: github.run_number == 1
+
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: github.event.repository.name != 'OTTR_Template'
     steps:
       - name: checkout repo
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -54,39 +52,10 @@ jobs:
             docs/*.md \
             manuscript/*
 
-
-      # Commit modified files
-      - name: Commit deleted files
-        id: commit_it
-        run: |
-          git config --global --add safe.directory $GITHUB_WORKSPACE
-          git config --global user.name 'github-actions[bot]'
-          git config --global user.email 'github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com'
-          git add .
-          git commit -m "Template cleanup"
-          pushed_it=true
-          git push || pushed_it=false
-          echo "pushed_it=$pushed_it" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-
-      # If main is already protected, then file a PR
-      - name: Create PR with deleted files
-        if: steps.commit_it.outputs.pushed_it == 'false'
-        uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v3
-        id: pr
+      - name: Commit changed files
+        uses: stefanzweifel/git-auto-commit-action@v4
         with:
-          commit-message: Delete unnecessary files
-          signoff: false
-          branch: auto_copy_rendered_files
-          delete-branch: true
-          title: 'Automatic course set up'
-          body: |
-            ### Description:
-             This PR was initiated by the github actions. It helps set up this repository to be ready to write your course.
-             It deletes some remnant files you don't need for your course but were used when this was a template.
-          labels: |
-            automated
-          reviewers: $GITHUB_ACTOR
-          token: ${{secrets.GH_PAT}}
+          commit_message: "Setup repo"
 
 ##### Filing issues!