diff --git a/.github/workflows/openMINDS_upstream.yml b/.github/workflows/openMINDS_upstream.yml
index e757989..16c9306 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/openMINDS_upstream.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/openMINDS_upstream.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ jobs:
         include:
           - repo: openMetadataInitiative/openMINDS_json-schema
             workflow: build.yml
+            inputs: '{"branch":"${{ github.ref_name }}","repository":"${{ github.repository }}"}'
 
           - repo: openMetadataInitiative/openMINDS_MATLAB
             workflow: build.yml
@@ -28,9 +29,11 @@ jobs:
 
           - repo: openMetadataInitiative/openMINDS_Java
             workflow: build.yml
+            inputs: '{"branch":"${{ github.ref_name }}","repository":"${{ github.repository }}"}'
 
           - repo: openMetadataInitiative/openMINDS_LinkML
             workflow: build.yml
+            inputs: '{"branch":"${{ github.ref_name }}","repository":"${{ github.repository }}"}'
 
           - repo: openMetadataInitiative/openMINDS_documentation
             workflow: build.yml
@@ -41,16 +44,16 @@ jobs:
     steps:
     - name: Trigger target repositories
       run: |
+        if [ -n "${{ matrix.inputs }}" ]; then
+          DATA='{"ref":"pipeline","inputs":'${{ matrix.inputs }}'}'
+        else
+          DATA='{"ref":"pipeline"}'
+        fi
+        
         curl -s -w "\n${{ matrix.repo }}: %{http_code}\n" \
           -X POST \
           -u "${{ secrets.PAT_USERNAME }}:${{ secrets.PAT_TOKEN }}" \
           -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
           -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
           https://api.github.com/repos/${{ matrix.repo }}/actions/workflows/${{ matrix.workflow }}/dispatches \
-          --data "{
-            \"ref\": \"pipeline\",
-            \"inputs\": {
-              \"branch\": \"${{ github.ref_name }}\",
-              \"repository\": \"${{ github.repository }}\"
-            }
-          }"
+          --data "$DATA"