diff --git a/src/sync_template.sh b/src/sync_template.sh
index 123dfcb3..d6c9135d 100755
--- a/src/sync_template.sh
+++ b/src/sync_template.sh
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ SHORT_TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH=$(git rev-parse --short "${TEMPLATE_REMOTE_GIT_HASH}")
 
 TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH=${SHORT_TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}
 NEW_BRANCH="${PR_BRANCH_NAME_PREFIX}_${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"
-"${PR_BODY:=Merge ${SOURCE_REPO_PATH} ${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}}"
+: "${PR_BODY:=Merge ${SOURCE_REPO_PATH} ${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}}"
 PR_BODY_TMP=${PR_BODY}
 
 debug "TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH ${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"