diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index 40641006..7de99ff9 100644
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -847,14 +847,14 @@ class IssuesProcessor {
     _hasReactionsSince(issue, sinceDate, ignoreReactions) {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             const issueLogger = new issue_logger_1.IssueLogger(issue);
-            let reactions = [];
             if (!sinceDate) {
                 return true;
             }
-            if (ignoreReactions === false) {
-                issueLogger.info(`Checking for reactions on $$type since: ${logger_service_1.LoggerService.cyan(sinceDate)}`);
-                reactions = yield this.listIssueReactions(issue, sinceDate);
+            if (ignoreReactions === true || ignoreReactions === undefined) {
+                return false;
             }
+            issueLogger.info(`Checking for reactions on $$type since: ${logger_service_1.LoggerService.cyan(sinceDate)}`);
+            const reactions = yield this.listIssueReactions(issue, sinceDate);
             return reactions.length > 0;
         });
     }
diff --git a/src/classes/issues-processor.ts b/src/classes/issues-processor.ts
index 159f6e3e..6980fcbc 100644
--- a/src/classes/issues-processor.ts
+++ b/src/classes/issues-processor.ts
@@ -862,21 +862,20 @@ export class IssuesProcessor {
     ignoreReactions: boolean | undefined
   ): Promise<boolean> {
     const issueLogger: IssueLogger = new IssueLogger(issue);
-    let reactions: IReaction[] = [];
 
     if (!sinceDate) {
       return true;
     }
 
-    if (ignoreReactions === false) {
-      issueLogger.info(
-        `Checking for reactions on $$type since: ${LoggerService.cyan(
-          sinceDate
-        )}`
-      );
-      reactions = await this.listIssueReactions(issue, sinceDate);
+    if (ignoreReactions === true || ignoreReactions === undefined) {
+      return false;
     }
 
+    issueLogger.info(
+      `Checking for reactions on $$type since: ${LoggerService.cyan(sinceDate)}`
+    );
+    const reactions = await this.listIssueReactions(issue, sinceDate);
+
     return reactions.length > 0;
   }