diff --git a/lib/github-issue.js b/lib/github-issue.js
index facb901..445285b 100644
--- a/lib/github-issue.js
+++ b/lib/github-issue.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ var __importStar = (this && this.__importStar) || function (mod) {
 };
 Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
 exports.GitHubIssue = void 0;
+const core = __importStar(require("@actions/core"));
 const github = __importStar(require("@actions/github"));
 // our opinionated view of a GitHub Issue.
 // https://docs.github.com/en/rest/issues/issues#get-an-issue
@@ -75,7 +76,9 @@ class GitHubIssue {
         return this.getLabels().includes("kind/bug");
     }
     hasLabelRegexp(regexp) {
-        return this.getLabels().find((label) => regexp.test(label)) !== undefined;
+        const labels = this.getLabels();
+        core.debug(`Looking for label matching regexp ${regexp.toString()} in ${labels}`);
+        return labels.find((label) => regexp.test(label)) !== undefined;
     }
     isTriageAccepted() {
         return this.getLabels().includes("triage/accepted");
@@ -135,14 +138,17 @@ class GitHubIssue {
             labels: labels,
         });
     }
-    // remove a particular label from an issue
+    // remove a particular label from an issue, but only if it has the label
     async removeLabel(label) {
-        await github.getOctokit(this.token).rest.issues.removeLabel({
-            owner: this.owner,
-            repo: this.repo,
-            issue_number: this.number,
-            name: label,
-        });
+        const labels = this.getLabels();
+        if (labels.includes(label)) {
+            await github.getOctokit(this.token).rest.issues.removeLabel({
+                owner: this.owner,
+                repo: this.repo,
+                issue_number: this.number,
+                name: label,
+            });
+        }
     }
 }
 exports.GitHubIssue = GitHubIssue;
diff --git a/src/github-issue.ts b/src/github-issue.ts
index 8fe8150..9dbec7b 100644
--- a/src/github-issue.ts
+++ b/src/github-issue.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import * as core from "@actions/core";
 import { components } from "@octokit/openapi-types";
 import * as github from "@actions/github";
 
@@ -74,7 +75,9 @@ class GitHubIssue {
   }
 
   hasLabelRegexp(regexp: RegExp): boolean {
-    return this.getLabels().find((label) => regexp.test(label)) !== undefined;
+    const labels = this.getLabels();
+    core.debug(`Looking for label matching regexp ${regexp.toString()} in ${labels}`);
+    return labels.find((label) => regexp.test(label)) !== undefined;
   }
 
   isTriageAccepted(): boolean {
@@ -150,14 +153,17 @@ class GitHubIssue {
     });
   }
 
-  // remove a particular label from an issue
+  // remove a particular label from an issue, but only if it has the label
   async removeLabel(label: string) {
-    await github.getOctokit(this.token).rest.issues.removeLabel({
-      owner: this.owner,
-      repo: this.repo,
-      issue_number: this.number,
-      name: label,
-    });
+    const labels = this.getLabels();
+    if (labels.includes(label)) {
+      await github.getOctokit(this.token).rest.issues.removeLabel({
+        owner: this.owner,
+        repo: this.repo,
+        issue_number: this.number,
+        name: label,
+      });
+    }
   }
 
 }