diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index f86cdc1..c4105ea 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ inputs:
     description: "An API token for the PyPI repository specified by `pypi_repository`"
     required: true
   github_token:
-    description: "A GitHub API token (to publish GitHub releases and comment on resolved issues)"
-    required: true
+    description: "A GitHub API token to publish GitHub releases and comment on resolved issues"
+    default: ${{ github.token }}
+    required: false
 
   pypi_repository:
     description: "The repository to upload your Python package to (e.g., `https://upload.pypi.org/legacy/` for PyPI, or `https://test.pypi.org/legacy/` for Test PyPI)"
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 9d53b5e..b49fdf9 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ A shareable semantic-release configuration and composite GitHub Action for Pytho
         - uses: bjoluc/semantic-release-config-poetry@v2
           with:
             pypi_token: ${{ secrets.PYPI_TOKEN }}
-            github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
   ```
 
 - If you are not using GitHub Actions, configure a release job in your CI like this:
@@ -49,10 +48,10 @@ A shareable semantic-release configuration and composite GitHub Action for Pytho
 The shareable semantic-release configuration exposed by this package requires the following environment variables.
 When using the GitHub action, each environment variable can be set via its corresponding lower-case input variable (e.g., `pypi_token` for `PYPI_TOKEN`).
 
-| Environment variable | Description                                                                    |
-| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
-| `PYPI_TOKEN`         | An API token for the PyPI repository specified by `PYPI_REPOSITORY`            |
-| `GITHUB_TOKEN`       | A GitHub API token (to publish GitHub releases and comment on resolved issues) |
+| Environment variable | Description                                                                                                                                                                       |
+| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `PYPI_TOKEN`         | An API token for the PyPI repository specified by `PYPI_REPOSITORY`                                                                                                               |
+| `GITHUB_TOKEN`       | A GitHub API token to publish GitHub releases and comment on resolved issues. The `github_token` Action input is optional and defaults to the value of the `GITHUB_TOKEN` secret. |
 
 Furthermore, the following optional environment variables can be set: