diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 1eff46c..928a1de 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -5,13 +5,16 @@ on:
     branches: [main, v7]
   pull_request:
     branches: [main, v7]
-  # Lets another workflow start this one against a specific ref.
+  # Re-run CI against a ref by hand. Convenience only.
   #
-  # The spec-drift job opens its PR with GITHUB_TOKEN, and GitHub does not
-  # start workflow runs from GITHUB_TOKEN-raised events — so the required
-  # checks never report and the PR is blocked on a report it can never get.
-  # workflow_dispatch and repository_dispatch are the two documented
-  # exceptions to that rule, so drift can dispatch this run itself.
+  # This was added to let the spec-drift job start its own CI, on the reasoning
+  # that workflow_dispatch is a documented exception to "GITHUB_TOKEN-raised
+  # events do not start workflow runs". The run does start — but measured
+  # against a real PR, its check runs do not satisfy branch protection, even
+  # sitting on the PR head SHA with the exact required names and a check suite
+  # reporting as linked to the PR. A push-event run on the next commit cleared
+  # the same PR immediately. Drift therefore pushes as a GitHub App instead;
+  # see spec-drift.yml. Kept because dispatching CI by hand is still useful.
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/spec-drift.yml b/.github/workflows/spec-drift.yml
index b1f4ca8..fef6331 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/spec-drift.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/spec-drift.yml
@@ -37,9 +37,27 @@ jobs:
         continue-on-error: true
         run: npm run test:live
 
+      # The PR must not be opened with GITHUB_TOKEN. GitHub does not start
+      # workflow runs from GITHUB_TOKEN-raised events, so a PR opened that way
+      # never gets its required checks and can never be merged, however good
+      # the diff is. Both drift PRs sat blocked for days on exactly that.
+      #
+      # workflow_dispatch is documented as an exception to the no-runs rule and
+      # does start a run — but measured against a real PR, those check runs do
+      # not satisfy branch protection even on the right SHA under the right
+      # names. A push-event run does. So the push has to come from an identity
+      # that is not GITHUB_TOKEN, and this app is that identity.
+      - name: Mint an installation token for the drift bot
+        id: app-token
+        uses: actions/create-github-app-token@v2
+        with:
+          app-id: ${{ secrets.DRIFT_APP_ID }}
+          private-key: ${{ secrets.DRIFT_APP_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+
       - name: Open PR if schema changed
         uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v8
         with:
+          token: ${{ steps.app-token.outputs.token }}
           add-paths: src/_generated/schema.ts
           branch: automated/spec-drift
           commit-message: 'chore: regenerate schema from upstream spec'