diff --git a/.github/workflows/ensureSCCoreDevApproval.yml b/.github/workflows/ensureSCCoreDevApproval.yml
index 3651382e..ce95e814 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ensureSCCoreDevApproval.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ensureSCCoreDevApproval.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GH_PAT: ${{ secrets.GIT_TOKEN }}
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          CONTINUE: false # makes sure that variable is correctly initialized in all cases
         run: |
 
           ##### unset the default git token (does not have sufficient rights to get team members)
diff --git a/.github/workflows/protectAuditLabels.yml b/.github/workflows/protectAuditLabels.yml
index de2a3935..d7e78d3f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/protectAuditLabels.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/protectAuditLabels.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ on:
 jobs:
   protect_audit_labels:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      CONTINUE: false # makes sure that variable is correctly initialized in all cases
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
@@ -46,7 +48,6 @@ jobs:
             echo "CONTINUE=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
             exit 0
           fi
-          echo "CONTINUE=true" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "This action was triggered by: ${{ github.actor }}"
 
       - name: Protect Audit Labels
diff --git a/.github/workflows/protectSecurityRelevantCode.yml b/.github/workflows/protectSecurityRelevantCode.yml
index 39046bda..e35d331d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/protectSecurityRelevantCode.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/protectSecurityRelevantCode.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ jobs:
   protect-critical-code:
     if: ${{ github.event.pull_request.draft == false }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      CONTINUE: false # makes sure that variable is correctly initialized in all cases
     permissions:
       pull-requests: write
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/verifyAudit.yml b/.github/workflows/verifyAudit.yml
index d2746338..96afc40e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verifyAudit.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verifyAudit.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ jobs:
       GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GIT_ACTIONS_BOT_PAT_CLASSIC }}
       AUDIT_LOG_PATH: 'audit/auditLog.json'
       PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
+      CONTINUE: false # makes sure that variable is correctly initialized in all cases
 
     permissions:
       pull-requests: write
@@ -45,7 +46,8 @@ jobs:
           ##### Make sure that there are modified files
           if [[ -z $FILES ]]; then
             echo -e "\033[31mNo files found. This should not happen. Please check the code of the Github action. Aborting now.\033[0m"
-            echo "CONTINUE=false" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+            echo "CONTINUE=false" >> "$GITHUB_ENV" # explicit assignment, even though already initialized with false
+            exit 1
           fi
 
           ##### Initialize empty variables
@@ -67,7 +69,6 @@ jobs:
             echo -e "\033[31mProtected contracts found in this PR.\033[0m"
             echo "PROTECTED_CONTRACTS: $PROTECTED_CONTRACTS"
             echo "AUDIT_REQUIRED=true" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
-            echo "$AUDIT_REQUIRED" > audit_required.txt
             echo -e "$PROTECTED_CONTRACTS" > protected_contracts.txt
           fi
 
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/github-script@v7
         env:
           AUDIT_REQUIRED: ${{ env.AUDIT_REQUIRED }}
+          CONTINUE: ${{ env.CONTINUE }}
         with:
           script: |
             const { execSync } = require('child_process');
@@ -126,6 +128,12 @@ jobs:
               console.log(`${colors.green}Opposite label "${oppositeLabel}" is not assigned. No action needed.${colors.reset}`);
             }
 
+            // Remove the AuditCompleted label if it is present
+            if (assignedLabels.includes('AuditCompleted')) {
+              console.log(`Now removing AuditCompleted label`);
+              execSync(`gh pr edit ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --remove-label "AuditCompleted"`, { stdio: 'inherit' });
+            }
+
             // fetch all currently assigned labels again
             assignedLabels = []
             try {
@@ -154,17 +162,23 @@ jobs:
               core.exportVariable('AUDIT_COMPLETED_ASSIGNED', 'true');
             }
             else
-              console.log(`Label 'AuditCompleted' is currently not assigned`);
+              console.log(`${colors.green}Label 'AuditCompleted' is currently not assigned${colors.reset}`);
+
+            // set CONTINUE to true to make sure the following steps are executed
+            core.exportVariable('CONTINUE', 'true');
 
       - name: Check Audit Log
         continue-on-error: true
         id: check-audit-log
-        if: env.AUDIT_REQUIRED == 'true'
+        if: ${{ always() && env.AUDIT_REQUIRED == 'true' && env.CONTINUE == 'true' }} # always() ensures that validation is always executed, even if env variable is not set
         run: |
 
           echo "This step will make sure that an audit is logged for each contract modified/added by this PR."
           echo "It will also make sure that no information is missing in the audit log and that the information is meaningful."
 
+          # set CONTINUE to false to ensure that action fails (correctly) if an error occurs unexpectedly
+          echo "CONTINUE=false" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
           # load list of protected contracts
           PROTECTED_CONTRACTS=$(cat protected_contracts.txt)
 
@@ -381,7 +395,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "Assigning label 'AuditCompleted' next"
 
       - name: Assign label "AuditCompleted" if all checks passed
-        if: ${{ env.AUDIT_REQUIRED == 'true' && env.CONTINUE == 'true' }}
+        if: ${{ always() && env.AUDIT_REQUIRED == 'true' && env.CONTINUE == 'true' }}
         uses: actions-ecosystem/action-add-labels@v1
         id: assign_label
         with:
@@ -392,14 +406,14 @@ jobs:
       - name: Remove label "AuditCompleted" in case check was not successful but label was assigned in earlier checks
         continue-on-error: true # This ensures the step will execute even if the job has a failed status.
         uses: actions-ecosystem/action-remove-labels@v1
-        if: ${{ env.AUDIT_COMPLETED_ASSIGNED && (env.CONTINUE == 'false' || (env.CONTINUE == 'true' && env.AUDIT_REQUIRED == 'false'))}}
+        if: ${{ always() && env.AUDIT_COMPLETED_ASSIGNED && (env.CONTINUE == 'false' || (env.CONTINUE == 'true' && env.AUDIT_REQUIRED == 'false'))}}
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.GIT_ACTIONS_BOT_PAT_CLASSIC }} # we use the token of the lifi-action-bot so the label protection check will pass
           labels: 'AuditCompleted'
           number: ${{ env.PR_NUMBER }}
 
       - name: Fail the git action if any critical step failed
-        if: env.CONTINUE == 'false' # This step runs only if a failure was recorded
+        if: always() && env.CONTINUE == 'false' # This step runs only if a failure was recorded
         run: |
 
           echo -e "\033[31mError: One or more critical steps failed. Failing the job.\033[0m"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/versionCheck.yml b/.github/workflows/versionCheck.yml
index a7c42f3f..7245cfac 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/versionCheck.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/versionCheck.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ jobs:
     # will only run once the PR is in "Ready for Review" state
     if: ${{ github.event.pull_request.draft == false }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      CONTINUE: false # makes sure that variable is correctly initialized in all cases
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/.github/workflows_deactivated/enforceTestCoverage.yml b/.github/workflows_deactivated/enforceTestCoverage.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 1fff0d78..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows_deactivated/enforceTestCoverage.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,141 +0,0 @@
-name: Enforce Min Test Coverage
-
-# - will make sure that (Foundry) unit test coverage is above min threshold
-# - we start with 75%, planning to increase to 100% until EOY 2024
-# - Only the 'lines' coverage counts as 'branch' coverage is not reliable
-
-on:
-  pull_request:
-    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
-
-jobs:
-  enforce-min-test-coverage:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    # will only run once the PR is in "Ready for Review" state
-    if: ${{ github.event.pull_request.draft == false }}
-
-    permissions:
-      pull-requests: write
-      contents: read
-    env:
-      ETH_NODE_URI_MAINNET: ${{ secrets.ETH_NODE_URI_MAINNET }}
-      ETH_NODE_URI_POLYGON: ${{ secrets.ETH_NODE_URI_POLYGON }}
-      ETH_NODE_URI_GOERLI: ${{ secrets.ETH_NODE_URI_GOERLI }}
-      ETH_NODE_URI_ARBITRUM: ${{ secrets.ETH_NODE_URI_ARBITRUM }}
-      ETH_NODE_URI_BSC: ${{ secrets.ETH_NODE_URI_BSC }}
-      ETH_NODE_URI_GNOSIS: ${{ secrets.ETH_NODE_URI_GNOSIS }}
-      GIT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GIT_TOKEN }}
-      MIN_TEST_COVERAGE: 75 # 75 percent for now, will be increased to 100% gradually until the end of 2024
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.7
-
-      - name: Set up Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v4.1.0
-        with:
-          node-version: '20'
-
-      - name: Install dev dependencies
-        run: yarn install
-
-      - name: Install Foundry
-        uses: foundry-rs/foundry-toolchain@v1.2.0
-        with:
-          version: nightly
-
-      - name: Install Dependencies
-        run: forge install
-
-      - name: Install Git Submodules
-        run: |
-          git config --global url."https://github.com/".insteadOf "git@github.com:"
-          git submodule update --init --recursive
-
-      - name: Generate Coverage Report
-        run: |
-          forge coverage --report lcov --force
-          echo "Filtering coverage report to only contain coverage info about src/ folder now"
-          npx ts-node script/utils/filter_lcov.ts lcov.info lcov-filtered.info 'test/' 'script/'
-          echo "Coverage report filtered"
-
-      - name: Generate Coverage Summary
-        run: |
-          # Path to the lcov info file
-          LCOV_FILE="lcov-filtered.info"
-
-          # Initialize counters
-          TOTAL_LINES_FOUND=0
-          TOTAL_LINES_HIT=0
-          TOTAL_FUNCTIONS_FOUND=0
-          TOTAL_FUNCTIONS_HIT=0
-          TOTAL_BRANCHES_FOUND=0
-          TOTAL_BRANCHES_HIT=0
-
-          # Read through the lcov file
-          while IFS= read -r line; do
-              case $line in
-                  LF:*)
-                      TOTAL_LINES_FOUND=$((TOTAL_LINES_FOUND + ${line#LF:}))
-                      ;;
-                  LH:*)
-                      TOTAL_LINES_HIT=$((TOTAL_LINES_HIT + ${line#LH:}))
-                      ;;
-                  FNF:*)
-                      TOTAL_FUNCTIONS_FOUND=$((TOTAL_FUNCTIONS_FOUND + ${line#FNF:}))
-                      ;;
-                  FNH:*)
-                      TOTAL_FUNCTIONS_HIT=$((TOTAL_FUNCTIONS_HIT + ${line#FNH:}))
-                      ;;
-                  BRF:*)
-                      TOTAL_BRANCHES_FOUND=$((TOTAL_BRANCHES_FOUND + ${line#BRF:}))
-                      ;;
-                  BRH:*)
-                      TOTAL_BRANCHES_HIT=$((TOTAL_BRANCHES_HIT + ${line#BRH:}))
-                      ;;
-              esac
-          done < "$LCOV_FILE"
-
-          # Calculate percentages with high precision
-          LINE_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE=$(echo "scale=4; $TOTAL_LINES_HIT / $TOTAL_LINES_FOUND * 100" | bc)
-          FUNCTION_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE=$(echo "scale=4; $TOTAL_FUNCTIONS_HIT / $TOTAL_FUNCTIONS_FOUND * 100" | bc)
-          BRANCH_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE=$(echo "scale=4; $TOTAL_BRANCHES_HIT / $TOTAL_BRANCHES_FOUND * 100" | bc)
-
-          # Format results with two decimal places and alignment
-          LINE_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE=$(printf "%.2f" "$LINE_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE")
-          FUNCTION_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE=$(printf "%.2f" "$FUNCTION_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE")
-          BRANCH_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE=$(printf "%.2f" "$BRANCH_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE")
-
-          # Prepare aligned output
-          LINE_COVERAGE_REPORT=$(printf "Line Coverage:      %6s%% (%4d / %4d lines)" "$LINE_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE" "$TOTAL_LINES_HIT" "$TOTAL_LINES_FOUND")
-          FUNCTION_COVERAGE_REPORT=$(printf "Function Coverage:  %6s%% (%4d / %4d functions)" "$FUNCTION_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE" "$TOTAL_FUNCTIONS_HIT" "$TOTAL_FUNCTIONS_FOUND")
-          BRANCH_COVERAGE_REPORT=$(printf "Branch Coverage:    %6s%% (%4d / %4d branches)" "$BRANCH_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE" "$TOTAL_BRANCHES_HIT" "$TOTAL_BRANCHES_FOUND")
-
-          # Check against minimum threshold
-          if (( $(echo "$LINE_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE >= $MIN_TEST_COVERAGE" | bc -l) )); then
-            RESULT_COVERAGE_REPORT="Test coverage ($LINE_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE%) is above min threshold ($MIN_TEST_COVERAGE%). Check passed."
-          else
-            RESULT_COVERAGE_REPORT="Test coverage ($LINE_COVERAGE_PERCENTAGE%) is below min threshold ($MIN_TEST_COVERAGE%). Check failed."
-            echo $RESULT_COVERAGE_REPORT
-            exit 1
-          fi
-
-          # Output result_COVERAGE_REPORTs
-          echo "$LINE_COVERAGE_REPORT"
-          echo "$FUNCTION_COVERAGE_REPORT"
-          echo "$BRANCH_COVERAGE_REPORT"
-          echo "$RESULT_COVERAGE_REPORT"
-
-          # Store in GitHub environment variables
-          echo "LINE_COVERAGE_REPORT=$LINE_COVERAGE_REPORT" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "FUNCTION_COVERAGE_REPORT=$FUNCTION_COVERAGE_REPORT" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "BRANCH_COVERAGE_REPORT=$BRANCH_COVERAGE_REPORT" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "RESULT_COVERAGE_REPORT=$RESULT_COVERAGE_REPORT" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-
-      - name: Comment with Coverage Summary in PR
-        uses: mshick/add-pr-comment@v2
-        with:
-          message: |
-            ## Test Coverage Report
-            ${{ env.LINE_COVERAGE_REPORT }}
-            ${{ env.FUNCTION_COVERAGE_REPORT }}
-            ${{ env.BRANCH_COVERAGE_REPORT }}
-            ${{ env.RESULT_COVERAGE_REPORT }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows_deactivated/ensureDeployProcessIntegrity.yml b/.github/workflows_deactivated/ensureDeployProcessIntegrity.yml
index 6ae3bb93..5e2d1837 100644
--- a/.github/workflows_deactivated/ensureDeployProcessIntegrity.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows_deactivated/ensureDeployProcessIntegrity.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ on:
 jobs:
   protect-security-system:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      CONTINUE: false # makes sure that variable is correctly initialized in all cases
     permissions:
       pull-requests: write
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows_deactivated/ensureSCCoreDevApproval.yml b/.github/workflows_deactivated/ensureSCCoreDevApproval.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index db633e50..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows_deactivated/ensureSCCoreDevApproval.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,121 +0,0 @@
-# - Smart Contract Core Dev Approval checker
-# - makes sure that every pull_request is at least reviewed by one Smart Contract Core Dev
-#   (member of group https://github.com/orgs/lifinance/teams/smart-contract-core)
-
-name: SC Core Dev Approval Check
-
-on:
-  pull_request:
-    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
-  pull_request_review:
-    types: [submitted]
-
-jobs:
-  core-dev-approval:
-    if: ${{ github.event.pull_request.draft == false }} # will only run once the PR is in "Ready for Review" state
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Get smart-contract-core Team Members
-        env:
-          GH_PAT: ${{ secrets.GIT_TOKEN }}
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-        run: |
-
-          ##### unset the default git token (does not have sufficient rights to get team members)
-          unset GITHUB_TOKEN
-          ##### use the Personal Access Token to log into git CLI
-          echo $GH_PAT | gh auth login --with-token
-
-          ##### Function that uses github's REST API via CLI to get team members
-          getTeamMembers() {
-            local org=$1
-            local team=$2
-            gh api \
-              -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-              -H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28" \
-              "/orgs/$org/teams/$team/members" | jq -r '.[].login'
-          }
-
-          ORG_NAME="lifinance"
-          TEAM_SLUG="smart-contract-core"
-
-          # Get members of each group
-          echo "Fetching members of $TEAM_SLUG..."
-          MEMBERS=$(getTeamMembers $ORG_NAME $TEAM_SLUG)
-
-          #### check if any members were returned
-          if [[ -z $MEMBERS ]]; then
-            echo -e "\033[31mERROR: Could not retrieve team members of group $TEAM_SLUG\033[0m"
-            echo "CONTINUE=false" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
-            exit 1
-          fi
-
-          echo "The following Github users are members of team smart-contract-core: "
-          echo "$MEMBERS"
-
-          echo -e "$MEMBERS" > sc_core_dev_members.txt
-          echo "CONTINUE=true" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
-
-      - name: Check if PR is approved by at least one SC core dev
-        id: check-core-dev-approval
-        if: env.CONTINUE == 'true'
-        uses: actions/github-script@v7
-        env:
-          PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.number }}
-        with:
-          script: |
-            const fs = require('fs');
-            // ANSI escape codes for colors (used for colored output in Git action console)
-            const colors = {
-              reset: "\033[0m",
-              red: "\033[31m",
-              green: "\033[32m",
-            };
-
-            const coreDevsFile = 'sc_core_dev_members.txt';
-            // Read handles from file
-            const coreDevs = fs.readFileSync(coreDevsFile, 'utf-8').split(/\r?\n/).filter(Boolean);
-
-            // get all reviewers that have approved this PR
-            const { data: reviews } = await github.rest.pulls.listReviews({
-              owner: context.repo.owner,
-              repo: context.repo.repo,
-              pull_number: process.env.PR_NUMBER,
-            });
-
-            // make sure that reviews are available
-            if(!reviews || reviews.length === 0) {
-              console.log(`${colors.red}Could not get reviewers of this PR from Github. Are there any reviews yet?${colors.reset}`);
-              console.log(`${colors.red}Check failed.${colors.reset}`);
-              core.setFailed("Required approval is missing");
-              return
-            }
-
-            // Filter to only include reviews that have "APPROVED" status
-            const approvedReviews = reviews.filter(review => review.state === 'APPROVED');
-
-            if(!approvedReviews.length === 0) {
-              console.log(`${colors.red}Could not find any reviews with approval.${colors.reset}`);
-              console.log(`${colors.red}Cannot continue. Check failed.${colors.reset}`);
-              core.setFailed("Required approval is missing");
-              return
-            }
-
-            // extract the git login handles of all reviewers that approved this PR
-            const reviewerHandles = approvedReviews.map(review => review.user.login);
-
-            if(approvedReviews.length === 0)
-              console.log(`${colors.red}This PR has no approvals${colors.reset}`);
-            else
-              console.log(`This PR has been approved by the following git members: ${reviewerHandles}`);
-
-            // check if at least one of these reviewers is member in smart-contract-core group
-            if (reviewerHandles.some((handle) => coreDevs.includes(handle))) {
-              console.log(`${colors.green}The current PR is approved by a member of the smart-contract-core group.${colors.reset}`);
-              console.log(`${colors.green}Check passed.${colors.reset}`);
-              core.setOutput('approved', 'true');
-              } else {
-              console.log(`${colors.red}The PR requires a missing approval by a member of the smart-contract-core group (https://github.com/orgs/lifinance/teams/smart-contract-core).${colors.reset}`);
-              console.log(`${colors.red}Check failed.${colors.reset}`);
-              core.setFailed("Required approval is missing");
-            }
diff --git a/.github/workflows_deactivated/protectAuditCompletedLabel.yml b/.github/workflows_deactivated/protectAuditCompletedLabel.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 8a2b8e47..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows_deactivated/protectAuditCompletedLabel.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,78 +0,0 @@
-# - Protect "AuditCompleted" Label
-# - makes sure that the label "AuditCompleted" can only be assigned by a Github action and not by a human actor
-# - will undo any unauthorized change of this label
-# - will fail if it runs into an error, otherwise pass
-
-name: Protect "AuditCompleted" Label
-
-on:
-  pull_request_target: #### << needs to be changed to 'pull_request' to activate it
-    types: [labeled, unlabeled]
-
-jobs:
-  protect_audit_label:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Log Event Payload
-        run: |
-          if [[ "${{ github.actor }}" == "github-actions" ]]; then
-            echo "This action was triggered by another GitHub Action."
-          else
-            echo "This action was triggered by a user: ${{ github.actor }}."
-          fi
-          echo "${{ github.event }}"
-
-      - name: Check if "AuditCompleted" label was modified
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.LIFI_GIT_ACTIONS_TOKEN }}
-          GH_PAT: ${{ secrets.LIFI_GIT_ACTIONS_TOKEN }}
-        run: |
-          # The label being monitored
-          TARGET_LABEL="AuditCompleted"
-
-          # Check if the event was triggered by any other github action
-          if [[ "${{ github.actor }}" != "lifiGitActions" ]]; then #### TODO: REPLACE WITH GITHUB_ACTIONS_PAT and USERNAME <<<<<-----------
-            echo "This event was triggered by ${{ github.actor }}. Checking label..."
-
-            # Determine if the label was added or removed
-            ACTION_TYPE="none"
-            if [[ "${{ github.event.action }}" == "labeled" && "${{ github.event.label.name }}" == "$TARGET_LABEL" ]]; then
-              ACTION_TYPE="added"
-            elif [[ "${{ github.event.action }}" == "unlabeled" && "${{ github.event.label.name }}" == "$TARGET_LABEL" ]]; then
-              ACTION_TYPE="removed"
-            fi
-
-            # Revert the label change if necessary
-            if [[ "$ACTION_TYPE" != "none" ]]; then
-              echo -e "\033[31mUnauthorized modification of '$TARGET_LABEL' by ${{ github.actor }}. Reverting change...\033[0m"
-
-              ##### remove or re-add label, depending on the case
-              if [[ "$ACTION_TYPE" == "added" ]]; then
-                # Remove the unauthorized label addition
-                gh pr edit ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --remove-label "$TARGET_LABEL"
-              elif [[ "$ACTION_TYPE" == "removed" ]]; then
-                # Re-add the unauthorized label removal
-                 gh pr edit ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --add-label "$TARGET_LABEL"
-              fi
-
-              # make sure that the label change was undone
-              CURRENT_LABELS=$(gh pr view ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --json labels --jq '.labels[].name')
-              if [[ "$ACTION_TYPE" == "added" && "$CURRENT_LABELS" == *"$TARGET_LABEL"* ]]; then
-                echo -e "\033[31Failed to remove the unauthorized 'AuditCompleted' label.\033[0m"
-                exit 1
-                elif [[ "$ACTION_TYPE" == "removed" && "$CURRENT_LABELS" != *"$TARGET_LABEL"* ]]; then
-                echo -e "\033[31Failed to re-add the 'AuditCompleted' label.\033[0m"
-                exit 1
-              fi
-
-              echo -e "\033[32Unauthorized label modification was successfully prevented and undone.\033[0m"
-            else
-              echo -e "\033[32mNo unauthorized modifications detected.\033[0m"
-            fi
-          else
-            echo -e "\033[32mLabel change initiated by GitHub Action. No checks required.\033[0m"
-          fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows_deactivated/protectAuditFolder.yml b/.github/workflows_deactivated/protectAuditFolder.yml
index d97390a0..c5860db6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows_deactivated/protectAuditFolder.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows_deactivated/protectAuditFolder.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ on:
 jobs:
   protect-audit-folder:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      CONTINUE: false # makes sure that variable is correctly initialized in all cases
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code