diff --git a/scripts/zola.sh b/scripts/zola.sh
index c116d4f..1d10272 100755
--- a/scripts/zola.sh
+++ b/scripts/zola.sh
@@ -98,12 +98,12 @@ deploy() {
 	tmp_dir=$(mktemp -d)
 	cp -r $2/* $tmp_dir
 
-	if [[ -z $(git branch --list $1) ]]
+	if [[ -z $(git ls-remote --heads origin ${1}) ]]
 	then
-		"[*] Creating deployment branch $1"
+		echo "[*] Creating deployment branch $1"
 		git checkout --orphan $1
 	else
-		"[*] Deployment branch $1 exists, pulling changes from remote"
+		echo "[*] Deployment branch $1 exists, pulling changes from remote"
 		git pull origin $1 --force
 		git checkout $1 
 	fi