diff --git a/src/backport.ts b/src/backport.ts
index 8a6fee9..e65928d 100644
--- a/src/backport.ts
+++ b/src/backport.ts
@@ -378,10 +378,13 @@ export function findTargetBranches(
   console.log(
     `Found target branches in \`target_branches\` input: ${configuredTargetBranches}`
   );
+  console.log(
+    `Exclude pull request's headref from target branches: ${headref}`
+  );
 
   const targetBranches = [
     ...new Set([...targetBranchesFromLabels, ...configuredTargetBranches]),
-  ];
+  ].filter((t) => t !== headref);
 
   console.log(`Determined target branches: ${targetBranches}`);
 
diff --git a/src/test/backport.test.ts b/src/test/backport.test.ts
index f2ee36a..e39f266 100644
--- a/src/test/backport.test.ts
+++ b/src/test/backport.test.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,26 @@ describe("find target branches", () => {
         )
       ).toEqual([]);
     });
+
+    it("when the label pattern only matches the headref", () => {
+      expect(
+        findTargetBranches(
+          { labels: { pattern: default_pattern } },
+          ["backport feature/one"],
+          "feature/one"
+        )
+      ).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it("when target_branches only contains the headref", () => {
+      expect(
+        findTargetBranches(
+          { labels: {}, target_branches: "feature/one" },
+          [],
+          "feature/one"
+        )
+      ).toEqual([]);
+    });
   });
 
   describe("returns selected branches", () => {
@@ -118,5 +138,25 @@ describe("find target branches", () => {
         )
       ).toEqual(["release-1"]);
     });
+
+    it("when several labels match the pattern the headref is excluded", () => {
+      expect(
+        findTargetBranches(
+          { labels: { pattern: default_pattern } },
+          ["backport feature/one", "backport feature/two"],
+          "feature/one"
+        )
+      ).toEqual(["feature/two"]);
+    });
+
+    it("when several target branches are specified the headref is excluded", () => {
+      expect(
+        findTargetBranches(
+          { labels: {}, target_branches: "feature/one feature/two" },
+          [],
+          "feature/one"
+        )
+      ).toEqual(["feature/two"]);
+    });
   });
 });