diff --git a/.github/workflows/manual-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/manual-release.yaml
index fc03a100..2d92a986 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/manual-release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/manual-release.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
-          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.GH_PAT }}
 
       - name: Setup Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a530e209..0dd228f1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "$schema": "https://json.schemastore.org/package.json",
   "name": "bmad-method",
-  "version": "4.43.0",
+  "version": "4.44.0",
   "description": "Breakthrough Method of Agile AI-driven Development",
   "keywords": [
     "agile",