diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 5cea506f0..36fa47aea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -298,23 +298,32 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Create PR to merge release back to main
         if: ${{ !inputs.dry_run }}
+        continue-on-error: true
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
           BRANCH: ${{ needs.validate-version.outputs.branch }}
           VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
         run: |
-          EXISTING_PR=$(gh pr list --base main --head "$BRANCH" --state open --json number --jq '.[0].number')
+          # Non-fatal: repos that disable "Allow GitHub Actions to create and
+          # approve pull requests" cause this step to fail with GraphQL 403.
+          # The release itself (tag + npm publish + GitHub Release) must still
+          # proceed. Open the merge-back PR manually afterwards with:
+          #   gh pr create --base main --head release/${VERSION} \
+          #     --title "chore: merge release v${VERSION} to main"
+          EXISTING_PR=$(gh pr list --base main --head "$BRANCH" --state open --json number --jq '.[0].number' 2>/dev/null || echo "")
           if [ -n "$EXISTING_PR" ]; then
             echo "PR #$EXISTING_PR already exists; updating"
             gh pr edit "$EXISTING_PR" \
               --title "chore: merge release v${VERSION} to main" \
-              --body "Merge release branch back to main after v${VERSION} stable release."
+              --body "Merge release branch back to main after v${VERSION} stable release." \
+              || echo "::warning::Could not update merge-back PR (likely PR-creation policy disabled). Open it manually after release."
           else
             gh pr create \
               --base main \
               --head "$BRANCH" \
               --title "chore: merge release v${VERSION} to main" \
-              --body "Merge release branch back to main after v${VERSION} stable release."
+              --body "Merge release branch back to main after v${VERSION} stable release." \
+              || echo "::warning::Could not create merge-back PR (likely PR-creation policy disabled). Open it manually after release."
           fi
 
       - name: Tag and push