"fatal: malformed object name main" when releasing `next` branch

[davenewza]

Describe the bug When running semantic release on my next branch, I get the error fatal: malformed object name main:

[4:50:00 AM] [semantic-release] › ℹ  Running semantic-release version 21.1.1
[4:50:00 AM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "verifyConditions" from "@semantic-release/git"
[4:50:00 AM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "analyzeCommits" from "@semantic-release/commit-analyzer"
[4:50:00 AM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "prepare" from "@semantic-release/git"
[4:50:01 AM] [semantic-release] › ✘  An error occurred while running semantic-release: Error: Command failed with exit code 128: git tag --merged main
fatal: malformed object name main
    at makeError (file:///home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v4/node_modules/semantic-release/node_modules/execa/lib/error.js:60:11)
    at handlePromise (file:///home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v4/node_modules/semantic-release/node_modules/execa/index.js:124:[26](https://github.com/teamkeel/keel/actions/runs/10660950567/job/29545714149#step:5:27))
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
    at async getTags (file:///home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v4/node_modules/semantic-release/lib/git.js:33:11)
    at async file:///home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v4/node_modules/semantic-release/lib/branches/get-tags.js:20:9
    at async Promise.all (index 0)
    at async next (file:///home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v4/node_modules/semantic-release/node_modules/p-reduce/index.js:15:44) {
  shortMessage: 'Command failed with exit code 1[28](https://github.com/teamkeel/keel/actions/runs/10660950567/job/29545714149#step:5:29): git tag --merged main',
  command: 'git tag --merged main',
  escapedCommand: 'git tag --merged main',
  exitCode: 128,
  signal: undefined,
  signalDescription: undefined,
  stdout: '',
  stderr: 'fatal: malformed object name main',
  cwd: '/home/runner/work/keel/keel',
  failed: true,
  timedOut: false,
  isCanceled: false,
  killed: false
}
Error: Error: Command failed with exit code 128: git tag --merged main
fatal: malformed object name main

I am checking out the next branch in the prior step. Here is my full yaml spec:

  semantic-release:
    needs: instantiate
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    outputs:
      is_published: ${{ steps.semantic.outputs.new_release_published }}
      new_version: ${{ steps.semantic.outputs.new_release_version }}
    steps:
    - name: With branch
      shell: bash
      run: |
        echo ${{ needs.instantiate.outputs.branch }}
    - name: Instantiation check
      if: ${{ needs.instantiate.outputs.branch == '' || needs.instantiate.outputs.channel == '' }}
      uses: actions/github-script@v6
      with:
        script: |
          core.setFailed('branch or channel not set')
    - name: Checkout
      uses: actions/checkout@v4
      with:
        persist-credentials: false
        ref: ${{ needs.instantiate.outputs.branch }}
        fetch-depth: 0
    - name: Semantic Release
      id: semantic
      uses: cycjimmy/semantic-release-action@v4
      with:
        semantic_version: 21.1.1
        extra_plugins: |
          @semantic-release/git
      env:
        GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.KEEL_CI_SEMANTIC_RELEASE }}
    - name: Version tag created
      if: ${{ steps.semantic.outputs.is_published == 'true' }}
      run: |
        echo v${{ steps.semantic.outputs.new_release_version }}

And the .releaserc file in the root of my repo looks like this:

{
  "branches": [
    { "name": "main" }, 
    { "name": "next", "prerelease": true }, 
    { "name": "prerelease", "prerelease": true }
  ],
  "repositoryUrl": "https://github.com/teamkeel/keel",
  "debug": true,
  "dryRun": false,
  "plugins": [
    "@semantic-release/commit-analyzer",
    "@semantic-release/git"
  ]
} 

The GITHUB_TOKEN definitely has read and write access to the repo branches and content.

Expected behavior I expect the next branch to be released and tagged with the new version number.