diff --git a/.github/workflows/kickstart-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/kickstart-tests.yml
index 713b48ed1cd..52214260de0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kickstart-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kickstart-tests.yml
@@ -53,9 +53,12 @@ jobs:
           BODY: ${{ github.event.comment.body }}
         run: |
           set -eux
+          # extract first line and cut out the "/kickstart-tests" first word
+          ARGS=$(echo "$BODY" | sed -n '1 s/^[^ ]* *//p' | sed 's/[[:space:]]*$//')
+
           # detect and remove --run-disabled option
-          BODY=$(echo "$BODY" | head -1 | sed 's/--run-disabled//; t; q1')
-          if [ $? == 0 ]; then
+          LAUNCH_ARGS=$(echo "$ARGS" | sed 's/--run-disabled//')
+          if [ ${LAUNCH_ARGS} == ${ARGS} ]; then
             SKIP_DISABLED=false
           else
             SKIP_DISABLED=true
@@ -63,11 +66,10 @@ jobs:
           echo "skip disabled tests: ${SKIP_DISABLED}"
           echo "skip_disabled=${SKIP_DISABLED}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
-          # extract first line and cut out the "/kickstart-tests" first word
-          LAUNCH_ARGS=$(echo "$BODY" | sed -n '1 s/^[^ ]* *//p' | sed 's/[[:space:]]*$//')
           echo "launch arguments are: $LAUNCH_ARGS"
           echo "launch_args=${LAUNCH_ARGS}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
+
       - name: Set KS test arguments
         id: ks_test_args
         run: |