diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index 006d6fe3a..12314784c 100644
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -399,13 +399,14 @@ def enter(agent_name, branch):
             click.echo(click.style(f"⚠️  The agent '{agent_name}' has already entered the arena. Use './run arena submit' to update your submission.", fg='yellow'))
             return
     
-    # Check if there are staged or unstaged changes
-    changes = subprocess.check_output(['git', 'status', '--porcelain']).decode('utf-8').strip()
-    if changes:
-        click.echo(click.style(f"❌ There are staged or unstaged changes. Please commit or unstage them and run the command again.", fg='red'))
+    # Check if there are staged changes
+    staged_changes = [line for line in subprocess.check_output(['git', 'status', '--porcelain']).decode('utf-8').split('\n') if line and line[0] in ('A', 'M', 'D', 'R', 'C')]
+    if staged_changes:
+        click.echo(click.style(f"❌ There are staged changes. Please commit or stash them and run the command again.", fg='red'))
         return
 
 
+
     try:
         # Load GitHub access token from file
         with open('.github_access_token', 'r') as file:
@@ -500,12 +501,13 @@ def submit(agent_name, branch):
             click.echo(click.style(f"❌ The agent '{agent_name}' has not yet entered the arena. Please enter the arena with './run arena enter'", fg='red'))
             return
 
-    # Check if there are staged or unstaged changes
-    changes = subprocess.check_output(['git', 'status', '--porcelain']).decode('utf-8').strip()
-    if changes:
-        click.echo(click.style(f"❌ There are staged or unstaged changes. Please commit or unstage them and run the command again.", fg='red'))
+    # Check if there are staged changes
+    staged_changes = [line for line in subprocess.check_output(['git', 'status', '--porcelain']).decode('utf-8').split('\n') if line and line[0] in ('A', 'M', 'D', 'R', 'C')]
+    if staged_changes:
+        click.echo(click.style(f"❌ There are staged changes. Please commit or stash them and run the command again.", fg='red'))
         return
 
+
     
     try:
         # Load GitHub access token from file