diff --git a/.github/workflows/cooker-selfhosted.yml b/.github/workflows/cooker-selfhosted.yml
index 827d0912..9c9f4f29 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cooker-selfhosted.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cooker-selfhosted.yml
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Generate cooker build ID
         run: "/bin/bash ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/automation_tools/cooker_build_id.sh"
 
+      # backing up manifest in case download fails and hashes must be recalculated
+      - name: Manifest backup
+        run: "cp ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/net.retrodeck.retrodeck.yml ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/net.retrodeck.retrodeck.yml.bak"
+
       - name: Run pre-build automation tasks
         run : "/bin/bash ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/automation_tools/pre_build_automation.sh"
 
@@ -66,8 +70,9 @@ jobs:
         if: steps.flatpak-download.outcome == 'failure'
         run: |
           echo "Download failed, maybe some hash changed since the build start."
-          git checkout -- net.retrodeck.retrodeck.yml
           echo "Recalculating hashes and retrying download..."
+          rm -f "{GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/net.retrodeck.retrodeck.yml"
+          cp "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/net.retrodeck.retrodeck.yml.bak" "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/net.retrodeck.retrodeck.yml"
           ls -lah "/bin/bash ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}" # DEBUG
           ls -lah "/bin/bash ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/automation_tools" # DEBUG
           "/bin/bash ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/automation_tools/pre_build_automation.sh"