diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 5903b34955ad3af828714061f43c648b8042b71a..3c0aa68c065c8a42fcc36e8843f1b6ca9c3748c1 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ deploy:
   script:
     - git add -f public
     - CHANGES=$(git status --porcelain | wc -l)
-    - if ["$CHANGES" -gt "0"]; then 
+    # following command comes from https://dev.to/ranb2002/how-to-push-to-a-git-repository-from-a-gitlab-ci-pipeline-4ikp
+    - if [ "$CHANGES" -gt "0" ]; then 
         git status;
         git commit -m "Update public from ${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}";
         git push origin "master" -o ci.skip;