ncipollo/release-action "missing token" / 401 on release create

By Kaveh Alemi·Latchkey

ncipollo/release-action needs a token to call the releases API. When none is passed and the environment has none, the action errors before contacting GitHub.

What this error means

A release step using ncipollo/release-action fails with "missing token" or a 401 from the API.

Error: missing token
##[error]Error: missing token

Common causes

No token input and no env token

The action could not find a token via the token input or GITHUB_TOKEN in the environment.

Token expired on a long job

A custom PAT expired before the release step ran, surfacing as an auth failure.

How to fix it

Pass the GITHUB_TOKEN to the action

1. Set the token input to secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN.
2. Grant contents: write so the token can create releases.
3. Re-run the workflow.

permissions:
  contents: write
steps:
  - uses: ncipollo/release-action@v1
    with:
      token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
      tag: ${{ github.ref_name }}

How to prevent it

• Always pass token explicitly to release actions; defaults vary by action version.
• Use GITHUB_TOKEN over a PAT unless cross-repo release is required.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

References

• GitHub Actions documentation
• Workflow syntax for GitHub Actions