diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy.yaml b/.github/workflows/deploy.yaml
index 84e6130..8887f38 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy.yaml
@@ -47,3 +47,4 @@ jobs:
           APP_ID: ${{ secrets.APP_ID }}
           WEBHOOK_SECRET: ${{ secrets.WEBHOOK_SECRET }}
           PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.PRIVATE_KEY }}
+          GPUTESTER_PAT: ${{ secrets.GPUTESTER_PAT }}
diff --git a/serverless.yaml b/serverless.yaml
index dd18508..c4d7e96 100644
--- a/serverless.yaml
+++ b/serverless.yaml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ provider:
     APP_ID: ${env:APP_ID}
     WEBHOOK_SECRET: ${env:WEBHOOK_SECRET}
     PRIVATE_KEY: ${env:PRIVATE_KEY}
+    GPUTESTER_PAT: ${env:GPUTESTER_PAT}
   iam:
     role:
       statements:
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index bcccc28..5318da1 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { initBranchChecker } from "./plugins/BranchChecker";
 import { initLabelChecker } from "./plugins/LabelChecker";
 import { initRecentlyUpdated } from "./plugins/RecentlyUpdated";
 import { initReleaseDrafter } from "./plugins/ReleaseDrafter";
-// import { initForwardMerger } from "./plugins/ForwardMerger";
+import { initForwardMerger } from "./plugins/ForwardMerger";
 
 export = (app: Probot) => {
   initBranchChecker(app);
@@ -28,6 +28,5 @@ export = (app: Probot) => {
   initReleaseDrafter(app);
   initAutoMerger(app);
   initRecentlyUpdated(app);
-  // TODO: Re-enable ForwardMerger once branch protection blocker is resolved
-  // initForwardMerger(app);
+  initForwardMerger(app);
 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/ForwardMerger/forward_merger.ts b/src/plugins/ForwardMerger/forward_merger.ts
index 70fe574..500a4b9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/ForwardMerger/forward_merger.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/ForwardMerger/forward_merger.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ import { PayloadRepository } from "../../types";
 import { isVersionedBranch, getVersionFromBranch } from "../../shared";
 import { basename } from "path";
 import { Context } from "probot";
+import { Octokit } from "@octokit/rest"
+
 
 export class ForwardMerger extends OpsBotPlugin {
   context: Context;
@@ -61,7 +63,8 @@ export class ForwardMerger extends OpsBotPlugin {
 
     try {
       this.logger.info("Merging PR");
-      await this.context.octokit.pulls.merge({
+      const gpuTesterClient = this.initNewClient(); // see https://github.com/rapidsai/ops/issues/3159#issue-2198146626 for why we're initializing a new client.
+      await gpuTesterClient.pulls.merge({
         owner: this.repo.owner.login,
         repo: this.repo.name,
         pull_number: pr.number,
@@ -82,6 +85,10 @@ export class ForwardMerger extends OpsBotPlugin {
     );
   }
 
+  initNewClient(): InstanceType<typeof Octokit> {
+    return new Octokit({ auth: process.env.GPUTESTER_PAT });
+  }
+
   async getBranches(): Promise<string[]> {
     const branches = await this.context.octokit.paginate(
       this.context.octokit.repos.listBranches,
diff --git a/test/forward_merger.test.ts b/test/forward_merger.test.ts
index 07f49cf..6b612f1 100644
--- a/test/forward_merger.test.ts
+++ b/test/forward_merger.test.ts
@@ -126,6 +126,9 @@ describe("Forward Merger", () => {
     mockCreatePR.mockResolvedValue(pr);
 
     mockMerge.mockResolvedValue(true);
+    const mockNewClient = jest.fn().mockName("initNewClient");
+    mockNewClient.mockReturnValue({ pulls: { merge: mockMerge } });
+    forwardMerger.initNewClient = mockNewClient;
     const mockIssueComment = jest
       .fn()
       .mockName("issueComment")
@@ -162,7 +165,11 @@ describe("Forward Merger", () => {
       .mockReturnValue(nextBranch);
     const pr = { data: { number: 1, head: { sha: 123456 } } };
     mockCreatePR.mockResolvedValue(pr);
+
     mockMerge.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("error"));
+    const mockNewClient = jest.fn().mockName("initNewClient");
+    mockNewClient.mockReturnValue({ pulls: { merge: mockMerge } });
+    forwardMerger.initNewClient = mockNewClient;
     const mockIssueComment = jest
       .fn()
       .mockName("issueComment")