diff --git a/.drone.yml b/.drone.yml
index d39d832e288..67ce5ff55f3 100644
--- a/.drone.yml
+++ b/.drone.yml
@@ -4591,13 +4591,15 @@ steps:
   - mv bin/grabpl /tmp/
   - rmdir bin
   - mv grafana-enterprise /tmp/
-  - /tmp/grabpl init-enterprise  /tmp/grafana-enterprise
+  - /tmp/grabpl init-enterprise --github-token $${GITHUB_TOKEN} /tmp/grafana-enterprise
   - mv /tmp/grafana-enterprise/deployment_tools_config.json deployment_tools_config.json
   - mkdir bin
   - mv /tmp/grabpl bin/
   depends_on:
   - clone-enterprise
-  environment: {}
+  environment:
+    GITHUB_TOKEN:
+      from_secret: github_token
   image: grafana/build-container:1.6.3
   name: init-enterprise
 - commands:
@@ -4920,13 +4922,15 @@ steps:
   - mv bin/grabpl /tmp/
   - rmdir bin
   - mv grafana-enterprise /tmp/
-  - /tmp/grabpl init-enterprise  /tmp/grafana-enterprise
+  - /tmp/grabpl init-enterprise --github-token $${GITHUB_TOKEN} /tmp/grafana-enterprise
   - mv /tmp/grafana-enterprise/deployment_tools_config.json deployment_tools_config.json
   - mkdir bin
   - mv /tmp/grabpl bin/
   depends_on:
   - clone-enterprise
-  environment: {}
+  environment:
+    GITHUB_TOKEN:
+      from_secret: github_token
   image: grafana/build-container:1.6.3
   name: init-enterprise
 - commands:
@@ -5005,13 +5009,15 @@ steps:
   - mv bin/grabpl /tmp/
   - rmdir bin
   - mv grafana-enterprise /tmp/
-  - /tmp/grabpl init-enterprise  /tmp/grafana-enterprise
+  - /tmp/grabpl init-enterprise --github-token $${GITHUB_TOKEN} /tmp/grafana-enterprise
   - mv /tmp/grafana-enterprise/deployment_tools_config.json deployment_tools_config.json
   - mkdir bin
   - mv /tmp/grabpl bin/
   depends_on:
   - clone-enterprise
-  environment: {}
+  environment:
+    GITHUB_TOKEN:
+      from_secret: github_token
   image: grafana/build-container:1.6.3
   name: init-enterprise
 - commands:
@@ -5098,13 +5104,15 @@ steps:
   - mv bin/grabpl /tmp/
   - rmdir bin
   - mv grafana-enterprise /tmp/
-  - /tmp/grabpl init-enterprise  /tmp/grafana-enterprise
+  - /tmp/grabpl init-enterprise --github-token $${GITHUB_TOKEN} /tmp/grafana-enterprise
   - mv /tmp/grafana-enterprise/deployment_tools_config.json deployment_tools_config.json
   - mkdir bin
   - mv /tmp/grabpl bin/
   depends_on:
   - clone-enterprise
-  environment: {}
+  environment:
+    GITHUB_TOKEN:
+      from_secret: github_token
   image: grafana/build-container:1.6.3
   name: init-enterprise
 - commands:
@@ -5221,13 +5229,15 @@ steps:
   - mv bin/grabpl /tmp/
   - rmdir bin
   - mv grafana-enterprise /tmp/
-  - /tmp/grabpl init-enterprise  /tmp/grafana-enterprise
+  - /tmp/grabpl init-enterprise --github-token $${GITHUB_TOKEN} /tmp/grafana-enterprise
   - mv /tmp/grafana-enterprise/deployment_tools_config.json deployment_tools_config.json
   - mkdir bin
   - mv /tmp/grabpl bin/
   depends_on:
   - clone-enterprise
-  environment: {}
+  environment:
+    GITHUB_TOKEN:
+      from_secret: github_token
   image: grafana/build-container:1.6.3
   name: init-enterprise
 - commands:
@@ -5608,6 +5618,6 @@ kind: secret
 name: packages_secret_access_key
 ---
 kind: signature
-hmac: f74313ae5345e0a4bc07b46794ba73ef902d5f651e81f45e07bfba2390208644
+hmac: 015389b7bbd46fbb8042817bd41a320c71744023710a1bdfb815b9cb28ddd7e3
 
 ...
diff --git a/scripts/drone/steps/lib.star b/scripts/drone/steps/lib.star
index 5dd41aac905..de0de989a54 100644
--- a/scripts/drone/steps/lib.star
+++ b/scripts/drone/steps/lib.star
@@ -111,8 +111,10 @@ def init_enterprise_step(ver_mode):
         }
         token = "--github-token $${GITHUB_TOKEN}"
     elif ver_mode == 'release-branch':
-        environment = {}
-        token = ""
+        environment = {
+            'GITHUB_TOKEN': from_secret(github_token),
+        }
+        token = "--github-token $${GITHUB_TOKEN}"
     else:
         environment = {}
         token = ""