GitHub Actions "Unrecognized named-value" - Fix Expression/Context Errors
An expression references a context or value that is not available where you used it. The most common case is using the secrets or env context in a place the workflow parser does not allow it.
What this error means
The workflow fails to compile with "Unrecognized named-value" or "Unexpected symbol", naming the context (such as secrets, env, or matrix) that is not valid in that position.
The workflow is not valid. .github/workflows/ci.yml (Line: 5, Col: 9):
Unrecognized named-value: 'secrets'. Located at position 1 within expression: secrets.TOKENCommon causes
Context not available in that scope
The secrets context cannot be used in a job-level if condition or in runs-on. The env context is not available in some keys, and matrix only exists inside a matrix job.
Malformed expression syntax
A missing brace in ${{ }}, an unquoted string, or mixing literal text with an expression without the correct delimiters produces an "Unexpected symbol" error.
How to fix it
Move the context to where it is allowed
Reference secrets inside a step env or with block, not in runs-on or a job-level conditional that the parser evaluates early.
steps:
- run: ./deploy.sh
env:
TOKEN: ${{ secrets.TOKEN }}Check expression delimiters and quoting
- Wrap every context reference in ${{ ... }} with matching braces.
- Quote string literals inside expressions with single quotes.
- Validate the file with actionlint, which parses expressions and flags invalid contexts.
How to prevent it
- Consult the context availability table for each key before referencing a context.
- Run actionlint to validate expressions, not just YAML structure.
- Pass secrets through step env rather than embedding them in conditionals.