diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eef5c1e..5ca5928 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ not exist, it is created.
 | destination-token | a token with write permission on destination-repo | `true` |  |
 | update | path to the script to update the content of the cascading PR | `true` |  |
 | prefix | prefix of the branch from which the cascading PR is created on {destination-repo} or {destination-fork-repo} (default to {origin-repo}) | `false` |  |
-| close-merge | if true the cascading PR will be closed and the branch deleted when the PR is merged | `false` | false |
+| close | if true the cascading PR will be closed and the branch deleted when the PR is merged | `false` | false |
 | verbose | if true print verbose information | `false` | false |
 | debug | if true print debug information | `false` | false |
 <!-- action-docs-inputs -->
@@ -220,18 +220,21 @@ For instance:
 * `./cascading-pr.sh --debug --origin-url ... upsert_branch` will only call the `upsert_branch`
   function found in `cascading-pr.sh`.
 
-## directories
-
-The `tests/run.sh` script stores all its files in
-`/tmp/cascading-pr-test`. The temporary directories created by
-`cascading-pr.sh` are disposed of when the script ends.
-
 ## logging
 
 If `--debug` is used a full debug log is displayed, very complete and
 very verbose. Otherwise it is stashed in a temporary file and only
 displayed if an error happens.
 
+If all goes well, the runner logs are not displayed even with `--debug`. They
+can be looked at in the web UI.
+
+## directories
+
+The `tests/run.sh` script stores all its files in
+`/tmp/cascading-pr-test`. The temporary directories created by
+`cascading-pr.sh` are disposed of when the script ends.
+
 ## snippets for copy/pasting
 
 ```sh
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 7897e12..b13fbd0 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ inputs:
     required: true
   prefix:
     description: 'prefix of the branch from which the cascading PR is created on {destination-repo} or {destination-fork-repo} (default to {origin-repo})'
-  close-merge:
-    description: 'if true the cascading PR will be closed and the branch deleted when the PR is merged'
+  close:
+    description: 'if true the cascading PR will be closed and the branch deleted when (i) the {origin-pr} is merged or (ii) when the cascading PR status is success if {origin-ref} is set'
     default: false
   verbose:
     description: 'if true print verbose information'
@@ -145,5 +145,5 @@ runs:
                         --destination-branch "${{ inputs.destination-branch }}" \
                         --update "${{ inputs.update }}" \
                         --prefix "${{ inputs.prefix }}" \
-                        --close-merge "${{ inputs.close-merge }}" \
+                        --close "${{ inputs.close }}" \
                         run
diff --git a/cascading-pr.sh b/cascading-pr.sh
index 34722b5..f2ec3db 100755
--- a/cascading-pr.sh
+++ b/cascading-pr.sh
@@ -44,21 +44,22 @@ function destination_updated_at() {
     jq --raw-output .updated_at < $TMPDIR/updated_at.json
 }
 
-function exists_branch() {
-    local direction=$1
+function delete_branch_destination() {
+    local branch=${options[destination_head]}
+    local repo=${options[destination_repo]}
+    local api=${options[destination_api]}
 
-    repo_curl ${options[${direction}_repo]} api_json ${options[${direction}_api]}/branches/${options[${direction}_head]} >& /dev/null
-}
+    if ${options[destination_is_fork]} ; then
+	repo=${options[destination_fork_repo]}
+	api=${options[destination_fork_api]}
+    fi
 
-function delete_branch() {
-    local direction=$1
-
-    if ! $(exists_branch $direction) ; then
-	log_info "branch ${options[${direction}_head]} does not exists"
+    if ! repo_curl ${options[destination_repo]} api_json $api/branches/$branch >& /dev/null ; then
+	log_info "branch $branch does not exists in $repo"
 	return
     fi
-    repo_curl ${options[${direction}_repo]} api_json -X DELETE ${options[${direction}_api]}/branches/${options[${direction}_head]}
-    log_info "branch ${options[${direction}_head]} deleted"
+    repo_curl ${options[destination_repo]} api_json -X DELETE $api/branches/$branch
+    log_info "branch $branch deleted in $repo"
 }
 
 function pr_origin_comment_body() {
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ function close_pr() {
 	log_info "closing $(pr_url ${direction})"
 	local number=$(pr_number $direction)
 	repo_curl ${options[${direction}_repo]} api_json -X PATCH --data '{"state":"closed"}' ${options[${direction}_api]}/issues/$number
-	delete_branch ${direction}
+	delete_branch_destination
     else
 	log_info "no open PR found"
     fi
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ function finalize_options() {
 	options[destination_is_fork]=false
     fi
 
-    : ${options[close_merge]:=false}
+    : ${options[close]:=false}
 }
 
 function run() {
@@ -414,7 +415,10 @@ function run_origin_ref() {
 	    log_info "cascade PR status failed"
 	    status=1
 	fi
-	close_pr
+	if "${options[close]}" ; then
+	    log_info "close the cascade PR and remove the branch"
+	    close_pr
+	fi
 	return $status
     fi
 }
@@ -436,7 +440,7 @@ function run_origin_pr() {
 	    ;;
 	closed)
 	    if "$(pr_merged origin)"; then
-		if "${options[close_merge]}" ; then
+		if "${options[close]}" ; then
 		    log_info "PR is merged, close the cascade PR and remove the branch"
 		    close_pr
 		else
@@ -528,9 +532,9 @@ function main() {
 		options[prefix]=$1
 		shift
 		;;
-	    --close-merge)
+	    --close)
 		shift
-		options[close_merge]=$1
+		options[close]=$1
 		shift
 		;;
 	    *)
diff --git a/tests/origin-branch/.forgejo/workflows/test.yml b/tests/origin-branch/.forgejo/workflows/test.yml
index 2d1ce52..acb584b 100644
--- a/tests/origin-branch/.forgejo/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/tests/origin-branch/.forgejo/workflows/test.yml
@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@ jobs:
           destination-repo: user2/destinationrepo
           destination-branch: main
           destination-token: ${{ secrets.DESTINATION_TOKEN }}
+          close: true
           update: ./upgraded
           debug: true
diff --git a/tests/originrepo-close-merge/.forgejo/workflows/test.yml b/tests/originrepo-close-merge/.forgejo/workflows/test.yml
index a12cb81..fa2c959 100644
--- a/tests/originrepo-close-merge/.forgejo/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/tests/originrepo-close-merge/.forgejo/workflows/test.yml
@@ -21,5 +21,5 @@ jobs:
           destination-branch: main
           destination-token: ${{ secrets.DESTINATION_TOKEN }}
           update: ./upgraded
-          close-merge: true
+          close: true
           debug: true
diff --git a/tests/run.sh b/tests/run.sh
index 8b116e0..8215336 100755
--- a/tests/run.sh
+++ b/tests/run.sh
@@ -110,6 +110,12 @@ function cascade_pull_request() {
     forgejo-curl.sh api_json ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user2/${repo}/pulls
 }
 
+function branches_count() {
+    local owner="$1" repo="$2"
+
+    forgejo-curl.sh api_json ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/${owner}/${repo}/branches | jq '. | length'
+}
+
 function create_branch1() {
     local owner=$1 repo=$2 modify=$3
 
@@ -282,7 +288,9 @@ function branch_and_success() {
     create_branch1 user1 ${origin_repo}
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/${origin_repo} $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-${origin_repo}.sha)
     test $(cascade_pull_request_count ${destination_repo}) = 1
+    # origin-branch-fail/.forgejo/workflows/test.yml has `close: true`
     has_no_cascade_pull_request ${destination_repo}
+    test 1 = "$(branches_count user2 ${destination_repo})"
 }
 
 function branch_and_fail() {
@@ -296,7 +304,9 @@ function branch_and_fail() {
     create_branch1 user1 ${origin_repo}
     wait_failure ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/${origin_repo} $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-${origin_repo}.sha)
     test $(cascade_pull_request_count ${destination_repo}) = 1
-    has_no_cascade_pull_request ${destination_repo}
+    # origin-branch-fail/.forgejo/workflows/test.yml has `close: false`
+    has_cascade_pull_request ${destination_repo}
+    test 2 = "$(branches_count user2 ${destination_repo})"
 }
 
 function create_and_close() {
@@ -306,8 +316,10 @@ function create_and_close() {
     create_pull_request_case1 user1 user1 originrepo
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/originrepo $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-originrepo.sha)
     has_cascade_pull_request
+    test 2 = "$(branches_count user2 destinationrepo)"
     close_pull_request originrepo
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/originrepo $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-originrepo.sha)
+    test 1 = "$(branches_count user2 destinationrepo)"
 }
 
 function taint_update() {
@@ -340,9 +352,11 @@ function create_and_merge() {
 
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/originrepo $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-originrepo.sha)
     has_cascade_pull_request
+    test 2 = "$(branches_count user2 destinationrepo)"
     merge_pull_request originrepo
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/originrepo $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-originrepo.sha)
     has_cascade_pull_request
+    test 2 = "$(branches_count user2 destinationrepo)"
 }
 
 function create_in_destination_fork_and_close() {
@@ -353,8 +367,10 @@ function create_in_destination_fork_and_close() {
 
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/origin-fork-destination $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-origin-fork-destination.sha)
     has_cascade_pull_request
+    test 2 = "$(branches_count user3 destinationrepo)"
     close_pull_request origin-fork-destination
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/origin-fork-destination $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-origin-fork-destination.sha)
+    test 1 = "$(branches_count user3 destinationrepo)"
 }
 
 function create_in_existing_destination_fork_and_close() {
@@ -367,8 +383,10 @@ function create_in_existing_destination_fork_and_close() {
 
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/origin-organization-fork-destination $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-origin-organization-fork-destination.sha)
     has_cascade_pull_request
+    test 2 = "$(branches_count destination-fork destinationrepo)"
     close_pull_request origin-organization-fork-destination
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/origin-organization-fork-destination $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-origin-organization-fork-destination.sha)
+    test 1 = "$(branches_count destination-fork destinationrepo)"
 }
 
 function create_in_organization_destination_fork_and_close() {
@@ -379,8 +397,10 @@ function create_in_organization_destination_fork_and_close() {
 
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/origin-organization-fork-destination $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-origin-organization-fork-destination.sha)
     has_cascade_pull_request
+    test 2 = "$(branches_count destination-fork destinationrepo)"
     close_pull_request origin-organization-fork-destination
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/origin-organization-fork-destination $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-origin-organization-fork-destination.sha)
+    test 1 = "$(branches_count destination-fork destinationrepo)"
 }
 
 function create_and_merge_close() {
@@ -391,9 +411,11 @@ function create_and_merge_close() {
 
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/originrepo-close-merge $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-originrepo-close-merge.sha)
     has_cascade_pull_request
+    test 2 = "$(branches_count user2 destinationrepo)"
     merge_pull_request originrepo-close-merge
     wait_success ${options[url]}/api/v1/repos/user1/originrepo-close-merge $(cat $TMPDIR/user1-originrepo-close-merge.sha)
     has_no_cascade_pull_request
+    test 1 = "$(branches_count user2 destinationrepo)"
 }
 
 function run() {
@@ -421,6 +443,7 @@ function run() {
 
 function integration() {
     run branch_and_success
+    run branch_and_fail
     run no_change_no_cascade_pr
     run create_in_destination_fork_and_close
     run create_and_close