diff --git a/.github/helpers/github-api/create-and-close-existing-issue.mjs b/.github/helpers/github-api/create-and-close-existing-issue.mjs
index e520b911a..a2d732831 100644
--- a/.github/helpers/github-api/create-and-close-existing-issue.mjs
+++ b/.github/helpers/github-api/create-and-close-existing-issue.mjs
@@ -9,9 +9,6 @@ export const createAndCloseExistingIssue = async (issueTitle, issueBody, issueCo
   // Check for existing Issue.
   const existingIssueNumber = await findIssueByTitle(issueTitle);
 
-  console.log(typeof issueComment);
-  console.log(issueComment);
-
   if (existingIssueNumber && !Number.isNaN(Number(existingIssueNumber))) {
     // Close old Issue.
     await closeIssue(Number(existingIssueNumber));
@@ -20,12 +17,13 @@ export const createAndCloseExistingIssue = async (issueTitle, issueBody, issueCo
   // Create new Issue.
   await createIssue(issueTitle, decodeURIComponent(issueBody));
 
-  setTimeout(() => console.log("pausing for issue to be created..."), 2000);
+  setTimeout(() => console.log("pausing for issue to be created..."), 1500);
 
+  // get the issue number for the issue just created
   const newIssueNumber = await findIssueByTitle(issueTitle);
 
   // Add comment to Issue.
-  await addComment(newIssueNumber, issueComment);
+  await addComment(newIssueNumber, JSON.stringify(issueComment));
 };
 
 export default createAndCloseExistingIssue;
diff --git a/.github/helpers/npm-deps/create-report-issues.cjs b/.github/helpers/npm-deps/create-report-issues.cjs
index 778a807c6..5c7afbe7d 100644
--- a/.github/helpers/npm-deps/create-report-issues.cjs
+++ b/.github/helpers/npm-deps/create-report-issues.cjs
@@ -8,13 +8,16 @@ const outputText = require(path.resolve(__dirname, `../../../outputText.json`));
 
 // Get package.json paths and comment contents from env.
 const packageJsonPaths = JSON.parse(process.env.packageJsonPaths);
-const comment = process.env.commentContents;
+const commentIn = JSON.parse(process.env.commentContents);
 
 (async () => {
   const module = await import('../github-api/create-and-close-existing-issue.mjs');
   const createAndCloseExistingIssue = module.default;
   // Create an array of promises for each packageJsonPath.
   const promises = packageJsonPaths.map(async (packagePath) => {
+    // get the comment for this folder
+    const comment = commentIn[packagePath];
+    // create title
     const issueTitle =
       packagePath !== '.' ? `${packagePath} NPM Dependency Report` : 'NPM Dependency Report';
     // Await the completion of create and close existing issue.
diff --git a/.github/helpers/npm-deps/parse_to_comment.py b/.github/helpers/npm-deps/parse_to_comment.py
index 669106a29..6c4ddcf0b 100644
--- a/.github/helpers/npm-deps/parse_to_comment.py
+++ b/.github/helpers/npm-deps/parse_to_comment.py
@@ -15,15 +15,14 @@
 }
 
 Sample Output:
-{ "folder1": { "count": <number_folder1_deps>,
-               "patch": { "count": <num_patch_deps>,
+{ "folder1": { "patch": { "count": <num_patch_deps>,
                           "updateCmd": <string to update all patch deps>,
                           "detailedList":[ "Update <dep1_name> from <cur_ver> to <update_to>",
                                            ... ,
                                            "Update <depN_name> from <cur_ver> to <update_to>"
                                          ] },
                "minor": { ... },
-               "major": { ... } },
+               "major": { ... } ],
   ... ,
   "folderN": { ... } }
 
@@ -280,7 +279,7 @@ def create_update_dict(folder, outdated_json):
         return WARNING
 
     # define return dictionary and set count
-    return_dict = {"count": len(patch_li) + len(minor_li) + len(major_li)}
+    return_dict = {}
 
     if S_PATCH in LEVELS and len(patch_li) > 0:
         # if we are reporting on patch and there are updates include that section