diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
index 95e1cffc..69e723b6 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ steps:
 
   - label: release
     commands:
-      - if [ -z "$BUILDKITE_TAG" ]; then echo "Not a tag, not releasing"; else git tag -f "$BUILDKITE_TAG" && GITHUB_TOKEN=$GITHUB_TOKEN_TROUBLESHOOT make release; fi
+      - if [ -z "$BUILDKITE_TAG" ]; then echo "Not a tag, not releasing"; else git tag -f "$BUILDKITE_TAG" && export GITHUB_TOKEN=$GITHUB_TOKEN_TROUBLESHOOT && make release; fi
     plugins:
       - docker#v3.2.0:
           always-pull: true