diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/container.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/container.yaml
index 5b7f6b6..eec3798 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/container.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/container.yaml
@@ -92,7 +92,15 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           mkdir -p private_deps
           cd private_deps
-          cat ../requirements_private.txt | xargs -L 1 git clone
+          while IFS=$" " read -r -a dependency_spec
+          do
+            if test -n "${dependency_spec[1]}"
+            then
+              git clone --single-branch --no-tags "${dependency_spec[0]}" --branch "${dependency_spec[1]}"
+            else
+              git clone --single-branch --no-tags "${dependency_spec[0]}"
+            fi
+          done < ../requirements_private.txt
 
       - name: Set up QEMU
         uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v2