diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yaml
index 3947578..c1dc3ce 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yaml
@@ -42,7 +42,10 @@ jobs:
           repository: neuron-technologies/engram-lang
           path: engram-lang
           fetch-depth: 1
-          token: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          # Gitea Actions auto-issues GITHUB_TOKEN scoped to the workflow run.
+          # That token has read access to other repos in the same org by
+          # default, so cross-repo checkout just works.
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
       - name: Stage engram-lang as foundation/el for build-stage.sh
         run: |