diff --git a/bin/install-latest.sh b/bin/install-latest.sh
index 56da8437..47a3ed19 100755
--- a/bin/install-latest.sh
+++ b/bin/install-latest.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@ case "${ARCH}" in
     aarch64) ARCH="arm64" ;;
 esac
 
+# GitHub API token: GITHUB_TOKEN env, else gh auth token.
+GITHUB_TOKEN="${GITHUB_TOKEN:-}"
+if [ -z "${GITHUB_TOKEN}" ] && command -v gh >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    GITHUB_TOKEN="$(gh auth token 2>/dev/null || true)"
+fi
+
 # Fetch release metadata from GitHub API
 API_RESPONSE="$(curl -sf ${GITHUB_TOKEN:+-H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}"} https://api.github.com/repos/brevdev/brev-cli/releases/latest)" || {
     echo "Error: Failed to fetch release info from GitHub API." >&2
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/agentskill/agentskill.go b/pkg/cmd/agentskill/agentskill.go
index 4153ff8d..2496aa81 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/agentskill/agentskill.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/agentskill/agentskill.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	breverrors "github.com/brevdev/brev-cli/pkg/errors"
+	"github.com/brevdev/brev-cli/pkg/store"
 	"github.com/brevdev/brev-cli/pkg/terminal"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
@@ -58,6 +59,9 @@ func resolveCommitSHA(client *http.Client, ref string) (string, error) {
 		return "", breverrors.WrapAndTrace(err)
 	}
 	req.Header.Set("Accept", "application/vnd.github.v3+json")
+	if token := store.GitHubAPIToken(); token != "" {
+		req.Header.Set("Authorization", "token "+token)
+	}
 
 	resp, err := client.Do(req) //nolint:bodyclose // closed below
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/store/release.go b/pkg/store/release.go
index 657140a9..5e000902 100644
--- a/pkg/store/release.go
+++ b/pkg/store/release.go
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 package store
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
 	breverrors "github.com/brevdev/brev-cli/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/go-resty/resty/v2"
 )
@@ -14,15 +20,36 @@ type GithubReleaseMetadata struct {
 }
 
 const (
-	cliReleaseURL = "https://api.github.com/repos/brevdev/brev-cli/releases/latest"
+	cliReleaseURL      = "https://api.github.com/repos/brevdev/brev-cli/releases/latest"
+	ghAuthTokenTimeout = 60 * time.Second
 )
 
+// GitHubAPIToken returns GITHUB_TOKEN from the environment, or "gh auth token" with a timeout.
+func GitHubAPIToken() string {
+	if token := strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv("GITHUB_TOKEN")); token != "" {
+		return token
+	}
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), ghAuthTokenTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	out, err := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "gh", "auth", "token").Output() //nolint:gosec // intentional gh probe
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+}
+
 func (n NoAuthHTTPStore) GetLatestReleaseMetadata() (*GithubReleaseMetadata, error) {
 	var result GithubReleaseMetadata
 
 	client := resty.New()
+	req := client.R().SetResult(&result)
+	if token := GitHubAPIToken(); token != "" {
+		req.SetHeader("Authorization", "token "+token)
+	}
 
-	res, err := client.R().SetResult(&result).Get(cliReleaseURL)
+	res, err := req.Get(cliReleaseURL)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, breverrors.WrapAndTrace(err)
 	}
diff --git a/scripts/install-agent-skill.sh b/scripts/install-agent-skill.sh
index 247a64ca..648a1b4b 100755
--- a/scripts/install-agent-skill.sh
+++ b/scripts/install-agent-skill.sh
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@
 
 set -e
 
+# GitHub API token: GITHUB_TOKEN env, else gh auth token.
+GITHUB_TOKEN="${GITHUB_TOKEN:-}"
+if [ -z "${GITHUB_TOKEN}" ] && command -v gh >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    GITHUB_TOKEN="$(gh auth token 2>/dev/null || true)"
+fi
+
 # Configuration
 REPO="brevdev/brev-cli"
 BRANCH="main"
@@ -116,7 +122,7 @@ done
 rm -rf "$TMPDIR"
 
 # Resolve commit SHA and write .version file
-VERSION_RESPONSE=$(curl -fsSL "https://api.github.com/repos/$REPO/commits/$BRANCH" 2>&1) || true
+VERSION_RESPONSE=$(curl -fsSL ${GITHUB_TOKEN:+-H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}"} "https://api.github.com/repos/$REPO/commits/$BRANCH" 2>&1) || true
 if echo "$VERSION_RESPONSE" | grep -q "API rate limit exceeded"; then
     echo -e "  ${YELLOW}⚠${NC} .version (skipped — GitHub API rate limit exceeded)"
     echo -e "  ${YELLOW}If you are using a VPN, try turning it off and running this script again.${NC}"