diff --git a/backend/scripts/deploy.sh b/backend/scripts/deploy.sh
index 2a8dbcc..419edbf 100755
--- a/backend/scripts/deploy.sh
+++ b/backend/scripts/deploy.sh
@@ -96,8 +96,13 @@ fi
 echo "Target:  $TARGET_SHORT  $(git log -1 --format='%s' "$TARGET_REF")"
 echo ""
 echo "Commits to apply:"
-git log --oneline "$CURRENT_REV..$TARGET_REV" | head -20
-CHANGE_COUNT=$(git log --oneline "$CURRENT_REV..$TARGET_REV" | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
+# Use git's own line limit (`-n 20`) rather than `| head -20`: piping to head
+# closes the pipe after 20 lines and makes git log exit with SIGPIPE (141),
+# which `set -o pipefail` propagates and `set -e` then uses to kill the
+# script silently. Only bites when the deploy batch is >20 commits — i.e.
+# real prod releases. First hit observed on the v1.3.0 prod deploy.
+git log --oneline -n 20 "$CURRENT_REV..$TARGET_REV"
+CHANGE_COUNT=$(git rev-list --count "$CURRENT_REV..$TARGET_REV")
 if [[ $CHANGE_COUNT -gt 20 ]]; then
     echo "  ... and $((CHANGE_COUNT - 20)) more"
 fi