diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 78b17b4000060ad208486a64c5d04c54dd6fc49e..4475cef0fdd65454409aa1e1014d049097f54d34 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ update_publications:
     - git checkout -B ${CI_BUILD_REF_NAME}
     - git submodule update --init --remote
     - git add publications
-    - git commit -m "[AUTO] Updating publications submodule\n\n[ci skip]" || exit 0
+    - git commit -m "[AUTO] Updating publications submodule" -m "[ci skip]" || exit 0
     - git remote rm rw || true
     - git remote add rw git@gitlab.doc.ic.ac.uk:${CI_PROJECT_PATH}.git
     - eval `ssh-agent`