diff --git a/.github/workflows/cygwin.yml b/.github/workflows/cygwin.yml
index 1034495e6..378d1d14a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cygwin.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cygwin.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 name: cygwin
 
-on: push
+on:
+ push:
+   # since master is a symbolic reference to main, don't run for both
+   branches-ignore:
+     - 'master'
 
 jobs:
   fedora-build: