Error: refusing to allow a GitHub App to create or update workflow

[Bullrich]

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Bug

Body

This task is similar to #35410 but its reproduction environment is not related to GitHub actions but to GitHub's api

Problem

A GitHub app fails to call the endpoint Update a pull request branch (/repos/{owner}/{repo}/pulls/{pull_number}/update-branch) if the PR has the following conditions:

• It is a fork
• It is modifying a file inside .github/workflows

If the PR has these two conditions, and a GitHub app calls the Update a pull request branch method for that PR number, it will fail with the following error:

HttpError: refusing to allow a GitHub App to create or update workflow .github/workflows/up-to-date.yml without workflows permission

The GitHub app has the following permissions:

• Repository permissions:
  • Pull Requests
    • Write
  • Contents
    • Write
  • Workflows
    • Write

Steps to reproduce:

• Have two GitHub accounts (main and staging).
• Create a repo and add a workflow file with main.
• Create a GitHub app in main.
  • Add the following permissions:
    • Repository permissions:
      • Pull Requests
        • Write
      • Contents
        • Write
      • Workflows
        • Write
  • Install it in main
• Fork the repo into staging.
  • Modify a file inside .github/workflows/
  • Create a Pull Request to the base located in main
• From main modify the target/main branch
• Using the credentials from the GitHub app, call the method: Update a pull request branch

---

Is there any way to overcame this issue? This is problematic as we are trying to keep all the PRs that are ready to merge up to date (and, because of some other reasons we can't use merge queues yet).

Any suggestions/ideas?

Thanks!

[rwader-swi]

I'm facing the same issue. @Bullrich did you find any possible solution? 😢

[Bullrich]

No, I had to manually press the button myself.

Luckily I made it so if the app fails, it would comment on the PR so people would be notified.

[ganesh03go]

hello any solution for this issue?