# Environment protection "Required reviewers" blocks a deploy in CI

> Fix a deployment job waiting on environment "Required reviewers" in CI - the environment protection rule holds the job until an approver acts.

Source: https://latchkey.dev/learn/github-actions/environment-required-reviewers-blocks-deploy-in-ci  
Updated: 2026-06-30

A job that targets a protected environment with Required reviewers pauses until a designated reviewer approves the deployment. The job is not failing; it is intentionally held by the environment protection rule.

## Diagnose it: what token do you actually have?

Permission failures in Actions are almost never about your repository settings alone. Three things combine: the default `GITHUB_TOKEN` permission set for the repo or organization, the `permissions:` block in the workflow, and whether the event is a fork pull request, which downgrades the token to read-only regardless of everything else.

```.github/workflows/ci.yml
- name: Show the token scopes actually granted
  run: |
    curl -sI -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
      https://api.github.com/ | grep -i "^x-oauth-scopes\|^x-accepted"
    echo "event: ${{ github.event_name }}"
    echo "fork PR: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.fork }}"
  env:
    GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
```

> If `fork PR` prints `true`, stop looking at `permissions:`. A fork pull request gets a read-only token by design, and no workflow-level grant can raise it.

## Grant the narrowest permission that works

Declaring a `permissions:` block switches the job from the repository default to exactly what you list, so an incomplete block is a common cause of a new failure right after someone tightened security. List every scope the job needs, not just the one that failed.

```.github/workflows/ci.yml
permissions:
  contents: read        # checkout
  packages: write       # push to GHCR
  id-token: write       # OIDC to a cloud provider
  pull-requests: write  # comment on or label a PR
  checks: write         # publish check runs
```

> Set `permissions` at the job level rather than the workflow level where you can. A workflow-level grant applies to every job, including ones that only run tests.

## FAQ

### What causes Environment protection "Required reviewers" blocks a deploy in CI?

There are 2 common causes: the environment requires manual approval and no eligible reviewer is available. The environment lists Required reviewers, so any job targeting it waits until an approver clicks Approve.

### How do I fix Environment protection "Required reviewers" blocks a deploy in CI?

There are 2 fixes depending on which cause you have: approve the deployment and adjust reviewers or rules if approvals stall. Work through them in order, since the first is the most common.

### What does Environment protection "Required reviewers" blocks a deploy in CI actually mean?

The job shows "Waiting for review" / "Deployment protection rules" and does not proceed.

### How do I stop Environment protection "Required reviewers" blocks a deploy in CI happening again?

Keep an adequate set of available required reviewers. The prevention section lists 3 changes that keep it from recurring.

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Latchkey runs CI/CD that repairs its own failures. Agent entry points: https://latchkey.dev/agent.txt, https://latchkey.dev/openapi.json, https://latchkey.dev/llms.txt