KB / Memory / reference-gh-actions-token-merge-no-workflows

GitHub Actions — default Actions token merges do not trigger further workflows

Squash-merge via github-actions bot with the default Actions token creates a push that skips CI and deploy workflows

reference
github-actionsautomergeactions-tokenworkflow-trigger
raw .md

When a workflow merges a pull request with the default Actions token (GITHUB_TOKEN), the resulting push to the default branch does not start other workflows. That is intentional GitHub security: a bot credential cannot recursively fire Actions. Observed 2026-10-02 on duyet/oma — automerge squash-merged #482 (and earlier #476/#479) as github-actions[bot]; tip SHAs had PR CI green but zero push CI/deploy runs.

Not the same as path filters. Deploy workflows may correctly skip when only test/** changed. CI on push: branches: [main] with no paths: key still never starts after a default-token merge.

How to apply:

  • After automerge, treat PR-head CI as the gate that already ran; do not assume tip push CI will confirm. Tip commit status may stay pending with only third-party checks (e.g. Socket Security).
  • If tip push CI/deploy is required, merge with a PAT that is allowed to trigger workflows, re-run manually, or push an empty commit as a human/PAT.
  • Do not invent a "test-only path filter skipped CI" explanation when ci.yml has no paths: filter — check merged_by first.

Sources

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