diff --git a/garden_ai/model_connectors/github_conn.py b/garden_ai/model_connectors/github_conn.py
index ff5e41b1..59c67d2a 100644
--- a/garden_ai/model_connectors/github_conn.py
+++ b/garden_ai/model_connectors/github_conn.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 from git import Repo  # type: ignore
+from git.repo.fun import is_git_dir
 from garden_ai.mlmodel import ModelMetadata
 from garden_ai.utils.misc import trackcalls
 from requests.exceptions import HTTPError
-import os
 import sys
 import requests
 
@@ -35,8 +35,19 @@ def __init__(
 
     @trackcalls
     def stage(self) -> str:
-        if not os.path.exists(self.local_dir):
-            os.mkdir(self.local_dir)
+
+        if is_git_dir(f"{self.local_dir}/.git"):
+            # double check the existing repo in local_dir refers to the same
+            # repo as this connector before pulling
+            found_repo = Repo(self.local_dir)
+            if self.repo_url not in found_repo.remotes.origin.url:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"Failed to clone {self.repo_url} to {self.local_dir} "
+                    f"({found_repo.remotes.origin.url} already cloned here)."
+                )
+            else:
+                found_repo.remotes.origin.pull(self.branch)
+                return self.local_dir
 
         Repo.clone_from(f"{self.repo_url}.git", self.local_dir, branch=self.branch)
 
diff --git a/garden_ai/utils/misc.py b/garden_ai/utils/misc.py
index 69d534c9..1714cd08 100644
--- a/garden_ai/utils/misc.py
+++ b/garden_ai/utils/misc.py
@@ -84,8 +84,12 @@ def clean_identifier(name: str) -> str:
 def trackcalls(func):
     @functools.wraps(func)
     def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
-        wrapper.has_been_called = True
-        return func(*args, **kwargs)
+        # note: attribute set only after func completes execution
+        # so that func itself can determine if it's been called
+        try:
+            return func(*args, **kwargs)
+        finally:
+            wrapper.has_been_called = True
 
     wrapper.has_been_called = False
     return wrapper
diff --git a/tests/test_models.py b/tests/test_models.py
index ae602e6b..218c7041 100644
--- a/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/tests/test_models.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     EntrypointMetadata,
 )
 from garden_ai.model_connectors import HFConnector, GitHubConnector
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
 
 def test_create_empty_garden(garden_client):
@@ -108,3 +109,60 @@ def my_step():
 
     assert my_step._garden_step.function_name == "my_step"
     assert my_step._garden_step.description == "My nifty step"
+
+
+def test_GHconnector_idempotent(mocker):
+    # Mock os.path.exists and os.mkdir
+    mocker.patch("os.path.exists", return_value=True)
+    mocker.patch("os.mkdir")
+
+    # Mock Repo to simulate both clone and pull scenarios
+    mock_repo_class = mocker.patch("garden_ai.model_connectors.github_conn.Repo")
+    mock_repo_instance = MagicMock()
+    mock_repo_class.return_value = mock_repo_instance
+    mock_repo_instance.remotes.origin.pull = MagicMock()
+    # Set up the mock to return a URL that matches the connector's repo_url
+    mock_repo_instance.remotes.origin.url = "https://github.com/fake/repo.git"
+
+    # Mock Repo.clone_from method to track calls without actually cloning
+    mock_clone_from = mocker.patch(
+        "garden_ai.model_connectors.github_conn.Repo.clone_from"
+    )
+
+    # Mock is_git_dir to control the flow in the stage method
+    mocker.patch(
+        "garden_ai.model_connectors.github_conn.is_git_dir",
+        side_effect=[
+            False,
+            True,
+            True,
+        ],  # First call: not a git dir, then it is a git dir
+    )
+
+    # enable_imports=False just bc mocking sys.path.append was hard
+    connector = GitHubConnector(
+        repo_url="https://github.com/fake/repo",
+        local_dir="gh_model",
+        branch="main",
+        enable_imports=False,
+    )
+
+    # First call should trigger clone since it's not a git dir yet
+    connector.stage()
+    mock_clone_from.assert_called_once_with(
+        "https://github.com/fake/repo.git", "gh_model", branch="main"
+    )
+
+    # Reset mock to test idempotency on subsequent calls
+    mock_clone_from.reset_mock()
+
+    # Subsequent calls should not trigger clone_from again, but should pull
+    connector.stage()
+    connector.stage()
+
+    # Assert that Repo.clone_from was not called again after the first time
+    mock_clone_from.assert_not_called()
+    # Assert that pull was called on subsequent invocations
+    assert (
+        mock_repo_instance.remotes.origin.pull.call_count == 2
+    ), "Pull should be called on subsequent calls"