diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index c9d6b90d..09fd3f5e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ jobs:
       LD_RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ inputs.releaseVersion }}
       DRY_RUN: ${{ inputs.dryRun || 'false' }}
       CHANGELOG_ENTRY: ${{ inputs.changeLog }}
-      GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
       HOMEBREW_GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.LAUNCHDARKLY_HOMEBREW_TAP_DEPLOY_KEY }}
       ARTIFACT_DIRECTORY: "/tmp/release-artifacts"
     steps:
@@ -37,7 +36,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: launchdarkly/gh-actions/actions/release-secrets@release-secrets-v1.2.0
         with:
           aws_assume_role: ${{ vars.AWS_ROLE_ARN }}
-          ssm_parameter_pairs: '/global/services/docker/public/username = DOCKER_USERNAME, /global/services/docker/public/token = DOCKER_TOKEN, /production/common/releasing/circleci/orb-token= CIRCLECI_CLI_TOKEN, /production/common/releasing/bitbucket/username = BITBUCKET_USERNAME, /production/common/releasing/bitbucket/token = BITBUCKET_TOKEN'
+          ssm_parameter_pairs: '/global/services/docker/public/username = DOCKER_USERNAME, /global/services/docker/public/token = DOCKER_TOKEN, /production/common/releasing/circleci/orb-token= CIRCLECI_CLI_TOKEN, /production/common/releasing/bitbucket/username = BITBUCKET_USERNAME, /production/common/releasing/bitbucket/token = BITBUCKET_TOKEN, /production/common/releasing/ld-find-code-refs/github-release-token = GITHUB_RELEASE_TOKEN'
+      - name: set release token
+        run: echo "GITHUB_TOKEN=$GITHUB_RELEASE_TOKEN" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: setup access for find-code-references
         uses: launchdarkly/gh-actions/actions/ssh-key-by-repo@main
         with:
@@ -72,7 +73,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: ncipollo/release-action@v1.14.0
         if: ${{ !inputs.dryRun }}
         with:
-          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           tag: v${{ inputs.releaseVersion }}
           body: ${{ inputs.changeLog }}
           artifacts: ${{ env.ARTIFACT_DIRECTORY }}/*