diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-release.yml b/.github/workflows/create-release.yml
index 0547b90..c64ad5d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-release.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ jobs:
         with:
           ref: main
           fetch-depth: 0
+          # ACTIONS_TOKEN required to push to protected main branch
+          token: ${{ secrets.ACTIONS_TOKEN || github.token }}
 
       - name: Setup Python
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tag-release.yml b/.github/workflows/tag-release.yml
index 4fd8aab..b559ef8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tag-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tag-release.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           ref: ${{ inputs.branch_ref }}
-          token: ${{ github.token }}
+          # ACTIONS_TOKEN required to push tags to protected repo
+          token: ${{ secrets.ACTIONS_TOKEN || github.token }}
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Get Version from pyproject.toml
@@ -256,7 +257,8 @@ jobs:
           draft: false
           prerelease: false
         env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          # ACTIONS_TOKEN preferred for release creation
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.ACTIONS_TOKEN || github.token }}
 
       - name: Create release summary
         if: steps.check-tag.outputs.tag_exists == 'false'