diff --git a/.github/workflows/links.yml b/.github/workflows/links.yml
index 9bd67928..1d59fda4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/links.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/links.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Link Checker
         id: lychee
-        uses: lycheeverse/lychee-action@82202e5e9c2f4ef1a55a3d02563e1cb6041e5332 # v2.4.1
+        uses: lycheeverse/lychee-action@885c65f3dc543b57c898c8099f4e08c8afd178a2 # v2.6.1
         with:
           # Exclude the image.sc forum and stackoverflow (which both work) but return 403 from
           # github runners and exclude relative links to other pages. Ignore
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ jobs:
             --exclude http://fsf.org
             --exclude docs/pages
             --exclude docs/_includes
-            --exclude-path '{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/README.md'
+            --exclude-path '\\{\\{cookiecutter.project_slug\\}\\}/README.md'
             --exclude-path 'tests/data'
             -- ."
           fail: true