diff --git a/acceptance_tests/basic.sh b/acceptance_tests/basic.sh
index 55f1234c58..aeb453d105 100755
--- a/acceptance_tests/basic.sh
+++ b/acceptance_tests/basic.sh
@@ -86,6 +86,12 @@ testBasicCatWithFilesNoDash() {
   assertEquals "$Y" "$X"
 }
 
+# when the nullinput flag is used
+# dont automatically read STDIN (this breaks github actions)
+testBasicCreateFileGithubAction() {
+  cat /dev/null | ./yq -n ".a = 123" > test.yml
+}
+
 testBasicEvalAllCatWithFilesNoDash() {
   ./yq -n ".a = 123" > test.yml
   ./yq -n ".a = 124" > test2.yml
diff --git a/cmd/utils.go b/cmd/utils.go
index 0354037ce5..1a3086b87c 100644
--- a/cmd/utils.go
+++ b/cmd/utils.go
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ func processStdInArgs(args []string) []string {
 	// read from stdin.
 	// this happens if there is more than one argument
 	// or only one argument and its a file
-	if !pipingStdin || len(args) > 1 || (len(args) > 0 && maybeFile(args[0])) {
+	if nullInput || !pipingStdin || len(args) > 1 || (len(args) > 0 && maybeFile(args[0])) {
 		return args
 	}