diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9490044..2e541df 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ jobs:
 | source_repo_ssh_private_key | `[optional]` private ssh key for the source repository. [see](#private-template-repository)                   | `false`  |                                                                       |
 | pr_branch_name_prefix       | `[optional]` the prefix of branches created by this action                                                    | `false`  | `chore/template_sync`                                                 |
 | pr_title                    | `[optional]` the title of PRs opened by this action. Must be already created.                                 | `false`  | `upstream merge template repository`                                  |
-| pr_body                     | `[optional]` the body of PRs opened by this action. | `false` | `Merge ${SOURCE_REPO_PATH} ${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}` |
+| pr_body                     | `[optional]` the body of PRs opened by this action. | `false` | `Merge ${SOURCE_REPO} ${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}` |
 | pr_labels                   | `[optional]` comma separated list. [pull request labels][pr-labels].                                          | `false`  | `sync_template`                                                       |
 | pr_reviewers                | `[optional]` comma separated list of pull request reviewers.                                                  | `false`  |                                                                       |
 | pr_commit_msg               | `[optional]` commit message in the created pull request                                                       | `false`  | `chore(template): merge template changes :up:`                        |
diff --git a/src/sync_template.sh b/src/sync_template.sh
index 2959afc..4f15061 100755
--- a/src/sync_template.sh
+++ b/src/sync_template.sh
@@ -50,21 +50,29 @@ TEMPLATE_REMOTE_GIT_HASH=$(git ls-remote "${SOURCE_REPO}" HEAD | awk '{print $1}
 SHORT_TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH=$(git rev-parse --short "${TEMPLATE_REMOTE_GIT_HASH}")
 
 export TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH=${SHORT_TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}
-export NEW_BRANCH="${PR_BRANCH_NAME_PREFIX}_${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"
-# : "${PR_BODY:="Merge ${SOURCE_REPO_PATH} ${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"}"
-PR_TITLE_TMP="${PR_TITLE:-"upstream merge template repository"}"
+export PR_BRANCH="${PR_BRANCH_NAME_PREFIX}_${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"
+: "${PR_BODY:="Merge ${SOURCE_REPO} ${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"}"
+: "${PR_TITLE:-"upstream merge template repository"}"
 
-debug "TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH ${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"
-debug "NEW_BRANCH ${NEW_BRANCH}"
-info "PR_BODY ${PR_BODY}"
-# info "PR_BODY_TMP ${PR_BODY_TMP}"
+# for some reasons the substitution is not working as expected
+# so we substitute manually
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016
+PR_BODY=${PR_BODY//'${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}'/"${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"}
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016
+PR_BODY=${PR_BODY//'${SOURCE_REPO}'/"${SOURCE_REPO}"}
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016
+PR_BODY=${PR_BODY//'${PR_BRANCH}'/"${PR_BRANCH}"}
 
 # shellcheck disable=SC2016
-# PR_BODY=${PR_BODY//'${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}'/"${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"}
-# PR_BODY=${PR_BODY//'${SOURCE_REPO}'/"${SOURCE_REPO}"}
-# info "SOURCE_REPO ${SOURCE_REPO}"
-# export TMP="${PR_BODY}"
-# info "TMP ${TMP}"
+PR_TITLE=${PR_TITLE//'${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}'/"${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"}
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016
+PR_TITLE=${PR_TITLE//'${SOURCE_REPO}'/"${SOURCE_REPO}"}
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016
+PR_TITLE=${PR_TITLE//'${PR_BRANCH}'/"${PR_BRANCH}"}
+
+debug "TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH ${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"
+debug "PR_BRANCH ${PR_BRANCH}"
+debug "PR_BODY ${PR_BODY}"
 
 # Check if the Ignore File exists inside .github folder or if it doesn't exist at all
 if [[ -f ".github/${TEMPLATE_SYNC_IGNORE_FILE_PATH}" || ! -f "${TEMPLATE_SYNC_IGNORE_FILE_PATH}" ]]; then
@@ -85,6 +93,7 @@ function set_github_action_outputs() {
   echo "::group::set gh action outputs"
 
   local pr_branch=$1
+
   info "set github action outputs"
 
   if [[ -z "${GITHUB_RUN_ID}" ]]; then
@@ -371,7 +380,7 @@ function prechecks() {
     warn "skipping prechecks because we force push and pr"
     return 0
   fi
-  check_branch_remote_existing "${NEW_BRANCH}"
+  check_branch_remote_existing "${PR_BRANCH}"
 
   check_if_commit_already_in_hist_graceful_exit "${TEMPLATE_REMOTE_GIT_HASH}"
 
@@ -385,8 +394,8 @@ function checkout_branch_and_pull() {
 
   echo "::group::checkout branch and pull"
 
-  debug "create new branch from default branch with name ${NEW_BRANCH}"
-  git checkout -b "${NEW_BRANCH}"
+  debug "create new branch from default branch with name ${PR_BRANCH}"
+  git checkout -b "${PR_BRANCH}"
   debug "pull changes from template"
 
   pull_source_changes "${SOURCE_REPO}" "${GIT_REMOTE_PULL_PARAMS}"
@@ -449,7 +458,7 @@ function push_prepare_pr_create_pr() {
   echo "::group::push changes and create PR"
 
   cmd_from_yml "prepush"
-  push "${NEW_BRANCH}" "${IS_FORCE_PUSH_PR}"
+  push "${PR_BRANCH}" "${IS_FORCE_PUSH_PR}"
   cmd_from_yml "prepr"
   if [ "$IS_FORCE_PUSH_PR" == true ] ; then
     create_or_edit_pr "${PR_TITLE}" "${PR_BODY}" "${UPSTREAM_BRANCH}" "${PR_LABELS}" "${PR_REVIEWERS}"
@@ -470,4 +479,4 @@ commit
 
 push_prepare_pr_create_pr
 
-set_github_action_outputs "${NEW_BRANCH}"
+set_github_action_outputs "${PR_BRANCH}"