diff --git a/github_files.tf b/github_files.tf
index 37aacbf..d9abe44 100644
--- a/github_files.tf
+++ b/github_files.tf
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ data "github_ref" "ref" {
   count      = local.lookup_sha
   owner      = var.template_repo_org
   repository = var.template_repo
-  ref        = "heads/${element(data.github_repository.template_repo, 0).default_branch}"
+  ref        = "heads/${local.lookup_sha > 0 && length(data.github_repository.template_repo) > 0 ? coalesce(lookup(data.github_repository.template_repo[0], "default_branch", "main"), "main") : "main"}"
 }
 
 locals {
diff --git a/outputs.tf b/outputs.tf
index 2b04b55..d3ce572 100644
--- a/outputs.tf
+++ b/outputs.tf
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@ output "visibility" {
 
 output "default_branch" {
   description = "Default branch of the repository"
-  value       = var.create_repo ? var.github_default_branch : data.github_repository.existing[0].default_branch
+  value       = var.create_repo ? var.github_default_branch : (
+    length(data.github_repository.existing) > 0 ? lookup(data.github_repository.existing[0], "default_branch", "main") : "main"
+  )
 }
 
 # resource "github_branch_default" "default_main_branch" {