diff --git a/.github/workflows/issue-classifier.lock.yml b/.github/workflows/issue-classifier.lock.yml
index c6293c0108..f0aeaeef41 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/issue-classifier.lock.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/issue-classifier.lock.yml
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ jobs:
             const awInfo = {
               engine_id: "custom",
               engine_name: "Custom Steps",
-              model: process.env. || "",
+              model: process.env.GH_AW_MODEL_AGENT_CUSTOM || "",
               version: "",
               agent_version: "",
               workflow_name: "Issue Classifier",
diff --git a/.github/workflows/poem-bot.lock.yml b/.github/workflows/poem-bot.lock.yml
index 19f182c8f7..4f4c2cfb47 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/poem-bot.lock.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/poem-bot.lock.yml
@@ -1808,6 +1808,8 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT: ${{ env.GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT }}
           GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_STAGED: "true"
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN || secrets.GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          GITHUB_AW_AGENT_SESSION_BASE: "main"
         with:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN || secrets.GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           script: |
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/create_agent_session.cjs b/actions/setup/js/create_agent_session.cjs
index 2eb51ffe8d..26905d8b9f 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/create_agent_session.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/create_agent_session.cjs
@@ -81,6 +81,13 @@ async function main() {
   const baseBranch = process.env.GITHUB_AW_AGENT_SESSION_BASE || process.env.GITHUB_REF_NAME || "main";
   const targetRepo = process.env.GITHUB_AW_TARGET_REPO;
 
+  // Get GH_TOKEN for gh CLI authentication
+  const ghToken = process.env.GH_TOKEN;
+  if (!ghToken) {
+    core.setFailed("GH_TOKEN environment variable is required for gh CLI authentication");
+    return;
+  }
+
   // Process all agent session items
   const createdTasks = [];
   let summaryContent = "## ✅ Agent Sessions Created\n\n";
@@ -119,6 +126,7 @@ async function main() {
         taskOutput = await exec.getExecOutput("gh", ghArgs, {
           silent: false,
           ignoreReturnCode: false,
+          env: { ...process.env, GH_TOKEN: ghToken },
         });
       } catch (execError) {
         const errorMessage = execError instanceof Error ? execError.message : String(execError);
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_specialized.go b/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_specialized.go
index 7f63477b0c..c0f271f9b3 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_specialized.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_specialized.go
@@ -59,6 +59,23 @@ func (c *Compiler) buildCreateAgentSessionStepConfig(data *WorkflowData, mainJob
 	var customEnvVars []string
 	customEnvVars = append(customEnvVars, c.buildStepLevelSafeOutputEnvVars(data, "")...)
 
+	// Add GH_TOKEN environment variable for gh CLI authentication
+	// Get the safe-outputs token (if configured) or use top-level token
+	var safeOutputsToken string
+	if data.SafeOutputs != nil {
+		safeOutputsToken = data.SafeOutputs.GitHubToken
+	}
+	// Use Copilot token chain: customToken > safeOutputsToken > data.GitHubToken > COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN || GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN
+	effectiveToken := getEffectiveCopilotGitHubToken(cfg.GitHubToken, getEffectiveCopilotGitHubToken(safeOutputsToken, data.GitHubToken))
+	customEnvVars = append(customEnvVars, fmt.Sprintf("          GH_TOKEN: %s\n", effectiveToken))
+
+	// Add GITHUB_AW_AGENT_SESSION_BASE environment variable
+	if cfg.Base != "" {
+		customEnvVars = append(customEnvVars, fmt.Sprintf("          GITHUB_AW_AGENT_SESSION_BASE: %q\n", cfg.Base))
+	} else {
+		customEnvVars = append(customEnvVars, "          GITHUB_AW_AGENT_SESSION_BASE: ${{ github.ref_name }}\n")
+	}
+
 	condition := BuildSafeOutputType("create_agent_session")
 
 	return SafeOutputStepConfig{