diff --git a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check-suggests.yaml b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check-suggests.yaml
index 24479d88cd..274987dff9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check-suggests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check-suggests.yaml
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
 
     name: ${{ matrix.package }}
 
-    if: ${{ matrix.package != '' }}
+    if: ${{ needs.matrix.outputs.matrix != '' }}
 
     # Begin custom: services
     # End custom: services
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dep-matrix-suggests/action.yml b/.github/workflows/dep-matrix-suggests/action.yml
index 320f64a8d9..65562b9f5f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dep-matrix-suggests/action.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dep-matrix-suggests/action.yml
@@ -34,5 +34,7 @@ runs:
           ']}'
         )
         writeLines(json)
-        writeLines(paste0("matrix=", json), Sys.getenv("GITHUB_OUTPUT"))
+        if (length(packages) > 0) {
+          writeLines(paste0("matrix=", json), Sys.getenv("GITHUB_OUTPUT"))
+        }
       shell: Rscript {0}