diff --git a/kernel_patches_daemon/branch_worker.py b/kernel_patches_daemon/branch_worker.py
index f6a6a0a..1386544 100644
--- a/kernel_patches_daemon/branch_worker.py
+++ b/kernel_patches_daemon/branch_worker.py
@@ -979,6 +979,7 @@ async def checkout_and_patch(
         Patch in place and push.
         Returns true if whole series applied.
         Return None if at least one patch in series failed.
+        Raises NewPRWithNoChangeException if series would not result in any changes.
         If at least one patch in series failed nothing gets pushed.
         """
         if await self._pr_closed(branch_name, series_to_apply):
diff --git a/kernel_patches_daemon/github_sync.py b/kernel_patches_daemon/github_sync.py
index e539992..7be23ee 100644
--- a/kernel_patches_daemon/github_sync.py
+++ b/kernel_patches_daemon/github_sync.py
@@ -168,6 +168,24 @@ def close_existing_prs_with_same_base(
                 if pr_to_close.title in worker.prs:
                     del worker.prs[pr_to_close.title]
 
+    async def checkout_and_patch_safe(
+        self, worker, branch_name: str, series_to_apply: Series
+    ) -> Optional[PullRequest]:
+        try:
+            self.increment_counter("all_known_subjects")
+            pr = await worker.checkout_and_patch(branch_name, series_to_apply)
+            if pr is None:
+                logging.info(
+                    f"PR associated with branch {branch_name} for series {series_to_apply.id} is closed; ignoring"
+                )
+            return pr
+        except NewPRWithNoChangeException as e:
+            self.increment_counter("empty_pr")
+            logger.exception(
+                f"Could not create PR for series {series_to_apply.id} merging {e.base_branch} into {e.target_branch} as PR would introduce no changes"
+            )
+            return None
+
     async def sync_patches(self) -> None:
         """
         One subject = one branch
@@ -239,17 +257,8 @@ async def sync_patches(self) -> None:
                     else:
                         logging.info(msg + "no more next, staying.")
                 logging.info(f"Choosing branch {branch} to create/update PR.")
-                try:
-                    self.increment_counter("all_known_subjects")
-                    pr = await worker.checkout_and_patch(pr_branch_name, series)
-                    if pr is None:
-                        logging.info(
-                            "PR associated with branch {pr_branch_name} for series {series.id} is closed; ignoring"
-                        )
-                        continue
-                except NewPRWithNoChangeException:
-                    self.increment_counter("empty_pr")
-                    logger.exception("Could not create PR with no changes")
+                pr = await self.checkout_and_patch_safe(worker, pr_branch_name, series)
+                if pr is None:
                     continue
 
                 logging.info(
@@ -283,8 +292,11 @@ async def sync_patches(self) -> None:
                         pr.edit(title=subject.subject)
                     branch_name = f"{await subject.branch}{HEAD_BASE_SEPARATOR}{worker.repo_branch}"
                     latest_series = await subject.latest_series or series
-                    self.increment_counter("all_known_subjects")
-                    await worker.checkout_and_patch(branch_name, latest_series)
+                    pr = await self.checkout_and_patch_safe(
+                        worker, branch_name, latest_series
+                    )
+                    if pr is None:
+                        continue
                     await worker.sync_checks(pr, latest_series)
 
             await loop.run_in_executor(None, worker.expire_branches)
diff --git a/tests/test_github_sync.py b/tests/test_github_sync.py
index 568d6a8..3690dc2 100644
--- a/tests/test_github_sync.py
+++ b/tests/test_github_sync.py
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@
 import unittest
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
-from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
 
+from kernel_patches_daemon.branch_worker import NewPRWithNoChangeException
 from kernel_patches_daemon.config import KPDConfig
 from kernel_patches_daemon.github_sync import GithubSync
 
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ def __init__(
         super().__init__(*args, **presets)
 
 
-class TestGihubSync(unittest.TestCase):
+class TestGihubSync(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
     def setUp(self) -> None:
         patcher = patch("kernel_patches_daemon.github_connector.Github")
         self._gh_mock = patcher.start()
@@ -128,3 +129,37 @@ def test_close_existing_prs_with_same_base(self) -> None:
             self.assertTrue("matching" not in worker.prs)
 
         matching_pr_mock.edit.assert_called_with(state="close")
+
+    async def test_checkout_and_patch_safe(self) -> None:
+        pr_branch_name = "fake_pr_branch"
+        series = MagicMock()
+        pr = MagicMock()
+        branch_worker_mock = MagicMock()
+        branch_worker_mock.checkout_and_patch = AsyncMock()
+
+        # PR generated
+        branch_worker_mock.checkout_and_patch.return_value = pr
+        self.assertEqual(
+            await self._gh.checkout_and_patch_safe(
+                branch_worker_mock, pr_branch_name, series
+            ),
+            pr,
+        )
+
+        # One patch in series failed to apply
+        branch_worker_mock.checkout_and_patch.return_value = None
+        self.assertIsNone(
+            await self._gh.checkout_and_patch_safe(
+                branch_worker_mock, pr_branch_name, series
+            )
+        )
+
+        # Series generates no changes vs target branch, likely already merged
+        branch_worker_mock.checkout_and_patch.side_effect = NewPRWithNoChangeException(
+            pr_branch_name, "target"
+        )
+        self.assertIsNone(
+            await self._gh.checkout_and_patch_safe(
+                branch_worker_mock, pr_branch_name, series
+            )
+        )