diff --git a/hack/actions/gen/main.go b/hack/actions/gen/main.go
index 89e4af296a..d5b771511f 100644
--- a/hack/actions/gen/main.go
+++ b/hack/actions/gen/main.go
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ func (data *Data) initPullRequestPaths() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (data *Data) initData() {
+func (data *Data) initData() *Data {
 	data.initPullRequestPaths()
 
 	if data.AliasImage {
@@ -463,6 +463,7 @@ func (data *Data) initData() {
 	} else {
 		data.Maintainer = defaultMaintainer
 	}
+ 	return data
 }
 
 func (data *Data) generateWorkflowStruct() (*Workflow, error) {