diff --git a/.github/workflows/initial_release.yml b/.github/workflows/initial_release.yml
index 0cc514b..bf20e9b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/initial_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/initial_release.yml
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ jobs:
     with:
       variables: "MAIN_BRANCH,MINOR_BUMP_LABEL,PATCH_BUMP_LABEL,PROJECT_NAME"
       repo: ${{ github.repository }}
+    secrets:
+      gh_token: ${{ secrets.token }}
 
 
   # TODO Move release query logic into github action
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release_trigger.yml b/.github/workflows/release_trigger.yml
index d107c07..57770a1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release_trigger.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release_trigger.yml
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ jobs:
     with:
       variables: "MAIN_BRANCH,MINOR_BUMP_LABEL,PATCH_BUMP_LABEL,PROJECT_NAME"
       repo: ${{ github.repository }}
+    secrets:
+      gh_token: ${{ secrets.token }}
 
 
   # TODO Move release query logic into github action
diff --git a/.github/workflows/verify_secrets.yml b/.github/workflows/verify_secrets.yml
index ec50535..a2d5752 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verify_secrets.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verify_secrets.yml
@@ -30,22 +30,22 @@ jobs:
     # TODO only check if no inputs provided
 
     steps:
-      - name: 🔎 Verify secret 'GH_TOKEN' for ${{ env.GH_REPO }}
+      - name: Verify secret 'GH_TOKEN' for ${{ env.GH_REPO }}
         if: ${{ !env.GH_TOKEN }}
         run: |
           echo "::error::Secret 'GH_TOKEN' is not set or empty"
 
-      - name: 🔎 Verify secret 'GH_USER' for ${{ env.GH_REPO }}
+      - name: Verify secret 'GH_USER' for ${{ env.GH_REPO }}
         if: ${{ !env.GH_USER }}
         run: |
           echo "::error::Secret 'GH_USER' is not set or empty"
 
-      - name: 🔎 Verify secret 'GH_EMAIL' for ${{ env.GH_REPO }}
+      - name: Verify secret 'GH_EMAIL' for ${{ env.GH_REPO }}
         if: ${{ !env.GH_EMAIL }}
         run: |
           echo "::error::Secret 'GH_EMAIL' is not set or empty"
 
-      - name: 🔎 Secrets verified
+      - name: Secrets verified
         if: ${{ env.GH_TOKEN && env.GH_USER && env.GH_EMAIL }} 
         run: |
           echo "::notice::All required secrets are present."
diff --git a/.github/workflows/verify_variables.yml b/.github/workflows/verify_variables.yml
index d8fabc4..e33dadc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verify_variables.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verify_variables.yml
@@ -10,17 +10,22 @@ on:
       repo:
         type: string
         required: false
+      
+    secrets:
+      gh_token:
+        required: true
 
 env:
   REPO_VARS: ${{ secrets.gh_token || false }}
   GH_REPO : ${{ inputs.repo || github.repository }}
+  GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.gh_token }}
 
 jobs:
   verify_variables:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
-      - name: 🔎 Verify repo variables for ${{ env.GH_REPO }}
+      - name: Verify repo variables for ${{ env.GH_REPO }}
         run: |
           missing_vars=$(echo ${{ env.REPO_VARS }} | tr ',' '\n' | while read var; do
             gh variable list --repo ${{ env.GH_REPO }} --json name --jq '.[].name' | grep -qx "$var" || echo "$var"