diff --git a/.github/workflows/stale-cleanup.yml b/.github/workflows/stale-cleanup.yml
index 0384c0d0..346fb6c4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/stale-cleanup.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/stale-cleanup.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ jobs:
   stale:
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     permissions:
+      actions: write  # needed to clean up the saved action state
       issues: write
       pull-requests: write
     steps: