diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-model-manifest.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-model-manifest.yml
index 485cc4f90..702bc80cd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-model-manifest.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-model-manifest.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@d23441a48e516b6c34aea4fa41551a30e30af803 # v6
         with:
           ref: ${{ github.sha }}
-          persist-credentials: false
+          # Removing checkout auth traverses vendored gitlinks without .gitmodules.
+          # Keep the job-scoped, read-only token until checkout post-job cleanup.
+          persist-credentials: true
           sparse-checkout: |
             /*
             !/.repos/