diff --git a/.github/workflows/website_update.yml b/.github/workflows/website_update.yml
index 5969d6931a..8689143d21 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/website_update.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/website_update.yml
@@ -52,13 +52,20 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           ls -lrt docs
       - name: checkout archived forum
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
-        with:
-          path: contrib/mkdocs/docs/archivedforum
-          repository: nwchemgit/archivedforum
-          persist-credentials: false
-          fetch-depth: 1
-      - name: check archiveforum source
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: contrib/mkdocs/docs
+        run: |
+          git clone  --depth 1  --filter=blob:none --sparse \
+          https://github.com/nwchemgit/archivedforum
+          cd archivedforum
+          git sparse-checkout set Special_AWCforum
+#        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+#        with:
+#          path: contrib/mkdocs/docs/archivedforum
+#          repository: nwchemgit/archivedforum
+#          persist-credentials: false
+#          fetch-depth: 1
+      - name: soft-link archiveforum source
         shell: bash
         working-directory: contrib/mkdocs/docs/
         run: |