diff --git a/apps/api/src/services/git-token-service.ts b/apps/api/src/services/git-token-service.ts
index bf284c78..8a7ecb60 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/services/git-token-service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/services/git-token-service.ts
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ export async function getGitToken(
   context: GitTokenContext,
 ): Promise<string> {
   if (platform === "github") {
-    if (context.server) return getGitHubToken({ server: true });
+    if (context.server) return getGitHubToken({ server: true, workspaceId: context.workspaceId });
     if (context.userId)
       return getGitHubToken({ userId: context.userId, workspaceId: context.workspaceId });
-    return getGitHubToken({ server: true });
+    return getGitHubToken({ server: true, workspaceId: context.workspaceId });
   }
 
   // GitLab: try user-scoped token, then workspace/global GITLAB_TOKEN
diff --git a/apps/api/src/services/github-token-service.test.ts b/apps/api/src/services/github-token-service.test.ts
index 7dc2b32f..f50e0efc 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/services/github-token-service.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/services/github-token-service.test.ts
@@ -216,7 +216,16 @@ describe("github-token-service", () => {
       db: {
         select: () => ({
           from: () => ({
-            where: (...args: unknown[]) => mockDbWhere(...args),
+            where: () => {
+              const res = {
+                limit: (...args: unknown[]) => mockDbWhere(...args),
+                // Handle direct execution after where() without limit()
+                then: (cb: any) => mockDbWhere().then(cb),
+              };
+              // @ts-expect-error Mocking async iterator for Drizzle query result
+              res[Symbol.iterator] = [][Symbol.iterator];
+              return res;
+            },
           }),
         }),
       },
@@ -228,6 +237,11 @@ describe("github-token-service", () => {
         createdBy: "created_by",
         workspaceId: "workspace_id",
       },
+      secrets: {
+        id: "id",
+        name: "name",
+        workspaceId: "workspace_id",
+      },
     }));
 
     vi.doMock("./secret-service.js", () => ({
@@ -335,7 +349,7 @@ describe("github-token-service", () => {
   });
 
   it("resolves task creator's token", async () => {
-    mockDbWhere.mockResolvedValue([{ createdBy: "user-5", workspaceId: "ws-2" }]);
+    mockDbWhere.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ createdBy: "user-5", workspaceId: "ws-2" }]);
     const futureDate = new Date(Date.now() + 60 * 60 * 1000).toISOString();
     mockRetrieveSecret
       .mockResolvedValueOnce("ghu_task_user_token")
@@ -360,6 +374,8 @@ describe("github-token-service", () => {
 
   it("falls back to PAT when GitHub App not configured (server context)", async () => {
     mockIsConfigured.mockReturnValue(false);
+    // Return no token found by the new fallback logic
+    mockDbWhere.mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
     mockRetrieveSecretWithFallback.mockResolvedValue("ghp_server_pat");
 
     const token = await getGitHubToken({ server: true });
@@ -372,6 +388,22 @@ describe("github-token-service", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("falls back to any available PAT when GitHub App not configured (server context, no workspaceId)", async () => {
+    mockIsConfigured.mockReturnValue(false);
+    // Simulate finding an existing token in a different workspace
+    mockDbWhere.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ workspaceId: "ws-other" }]);
+    mockRetrieveSecretWithFallback.mockResolvedValue("ghp_other_pat");
+
+    const token = await getGitHubToken({ server: true });
+
+    expect(token).toBe("ghp_other_pat");
+    expect(mockRetrieveSecretWithFallback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "GITHUB_TOKEN",
+      "global",
+      "ws-other",
+    );
+  });
+
   it("storeUserGitHubTokens stores 3 secrets", async () => {
     await storeUserGitHubTokens("user-6", {
       accessToken: "ghu_access",
diff --git a/apps/api/src/services/github-token-service.ts b/apps/api/src/services/github-token-service.ts
index 7c329ac6..7216458d 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/services/github-token-service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/services/github-token-service.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { eq } from "drizzle-orm";
 import { db } from "../db/client.js";
-import { tasks } from "../db/schema.js";
+import { tasks, secrets } from "../db/schema.js";
 import {
   retrieveSecret,
   retrieveSecretWithFallback,
@@ -16,24 +16,40 @@ const TOKEN_REFRESH_BUFFER_MS = 10 * 60 * 1000;
 export type GitHubTokenContext =
   | { taskId: string }
   | { userId: string; workspaceId?: string | null }
-  | { server: true };
+  | { server: true; workspaceId?: string | null };
 
 export async function getGitHubToken(context: GitHubTokenContext): Promise<string> {
-  if ("server" in context) return getServerToken();
+  if ("server" in context) return getServerToken(context.workspaceId);
   if ("taskId" in context) return getTokenForTask(context.taskId);
   return getTokenForUser(context.userId, context.workspaceId);
 }
 
-async function getServerToken(): Promise<string> {
+async function getServerToken(workspaceId?: string | null): Promise<string> {
   if (isGitHubAppConfigured()) {
     try {
       return await getInstallationToken();
     } catch (err) {
       logger.warn({ err }, "Installation token failed, falling back to PAT");
-      return getPatFallback();
+      return getPatFallback(workspaceId);
     }
   }
-  return getPatFallback();
+  // If no GitHub App, and no workspace context provided (e.g. repo-init),
+  // try to find ANY global GITHUB_TOKEN to use as a server-level fallback.
+  // This handles the case where a token exists but is scoped to a workspace,
+  // preventing AAD decryption failures during system-level clones.
+  if (!workspaceId) {
+    const [anyGlobalToken] = await db
+      .select({ workspaceId: secrets.workspaceId })
+      .from(secrets)
+      .where(eq(secrets.name, "GITHUB_TOKEN"))
+      .limit(1);
+
+    if (anyGlobalToken) {
+      return getPatFallback(anyGlobalToken.workspaceId);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return getPatFallback(workspaceId);
 }
 
 async function getTokenForTask(taskId: string): Promise<string> {