diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-site.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-site.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1b7822246
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-site.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+name: Publish Site
+on:
+  push:
+    tags: ["*"]
+jobs:
+  publish:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      # setup build environment
+      - uses: coursier/cache-action@v5
+      - uses: olafurpg/setup-scala@v12
+
+      # this setup is all for the github pages deployment to work
+      - name: install sphinx
+        run: |
+          pip3 install --user sphinx sphinx_rtd_theme
+          which sphinx-build
+
+      - name: setup git
+        run: |
+          git config --global user.name github-actions
+          git config --global user.email github-actions@github.com
+
+      - name: Publish Site
+        run: sbt ghpagesPushSite
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index ad24bd6ca..3ea0099ec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -20,24 +20,6 @@ jobs:
           SONATYPE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.SONATYPE_PASSWORD }}
           SONATYPE_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.SONATYPE_USERNAME }}
 
-      # this setup is all for the github pages deployment to work
-      - name: install sphinx
-        run: |
-          pip3 install --user sphinx sphinx_rtd_theme
-          which sphinx-build
-
-      - name: setup git
-        run: |
-          git config user.name github-actions
-          git config user.email github-actions@github.com
-
-      - name: Install SSH key
-        uses: shimataro/ssh-key-action@v2
-        with:
-          key: ${{ secrets.SSH_KEY }}
-          known_hosts: ${{ secrets.KNOWN_HOSTS }}
-      - run: sbt ghpagesPushSite
-
       # generate a github release
       - name: Generate release changelog
         id: changelog
diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index 4e82b1d5a..dd75d7ed1 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ libraryDependencies ++= {
 // configure github page
 enablePlugins(SphinxPlugin, SiteScaladocPlugin, GhpagesPlugin, SbtPlugin)
 
-git.remoteRepo := "git@github.com:sbt/sbt-native-packager.git"
+git.remoteRepo := {
+  sys.env.get("GITHUB_TOKEN") match {
+    case Some(token) => s"https://x-access-token:$token@github.com/sbt/sbt-native-packager"
+    case None        => "git@github.com:sbt/sbt-native-packager.git"
+  }
+}
 
 // scripted test settings
 scriptedLaunchOpts += "-Dproject.version=" + version.value