diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 9676c97..2e2d972 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@ runs:
   - name: validate yaml headings in md files
     shell: bash
     id: validate_yml
-    run: python ${{ github.action_path }}/validate.py
+    run: |
+        rm -f _data/validation.yml
+        python ${{ github.action_path }}/validate.py
 
   - name: build RDF data files
     id: build_rdf_data_files
@@ -134,6 +136,7 @@ runs:
     id: build_citation_data_file
     shell: bash
     run: |
+      rm -f _data/cite.yml
       pip install pysparql-anything
       python ${{ github.action_path }}/build_citation_data_file.py