diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f070f90..cbdc116 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -286,11 +286,21 @@ largest feature change in it. Each feature's own version still comes from
 its `devcontainer-feature.json`, and that is what consumers pin, not the
 collection tag.
 
-Publishing needs, once, in the repository's Actions settings: the
-`OCI_REGISTRY` variable set to `ghcr.io`, and the `OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME`
-(the token owner's GitHub login) and `OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD` (a classic
-personal access token with `write:packages`) secrets; `OCI_IMAGE_NAME` is
-optional and defaults to `craftainer/devcontainer-features`. Without
+Publishing needs, once, in the repository's Actions settings, only the
+`OCI_REGISTRY` variable set to `ghcr.io`; no secrets. `make publish` then
+pushes with the release job's `GITHUB_TOKEN` (as `GITHUB_ACTOR`), which
+works once template-sync has brought in a base `release.yml` whose `build`
+job grants `packages: write`; until then GHCR denies the push and
+`make publish` fails
+([ADR 0005](docs/adrs/0005-publish-to-ghcr-with-github-token.md)).
+`OCI_IMAGE_NAME` is optional and defaults to
+`craftainer/devcontainer-features`. The `OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME` and
+`OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD` secrets, when set, take precedence (both are then
+required), and are needed for any registry other than `ghcr.io`; to move
+`ghcr.io` from them to `GITHUB_TOKEN`, delete both. A feature package that
+already exists on GHCR and wasn't first pushed by this repository's
+workflow needs, once, this repository given the Write role under the
+package's "Manage Actions access" settings, or GHCR denies the push. Without
 `OCI_REGISTRY`, a full release publishes nothing and warns.
 
 To try the targets locally: `make build release-assets release-check`;
diff --git a/docs/adrs/0004-collection-github-releases.md b/docs/adrs/0004-collection-github-releases.md
index be63b47..a17b928 100644
--- a/docs/adrs/0004-collection-github-releases.md
+++ b/docs/adrs/0004-collection-github-releases.md
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@
 Accepted. Amends [0001](0001-one-collection-repo-released-with-devcontainers-action.md):
 features are published by base's `release.yml` through the `Makefile`
 contract, on a full collection release, not by `devcontainers/action` on
-every push to `main`.
+every push to `main`. Partly superseded by
+[0005](0005-publish-to-ghcr-with-github-token.md): on `ghcr.io`, `publish`
+authenticates with the job's `GITHUB_TOKEN` when the registry secrets are
+empty, so the secrets are no longer required there.
 
 ## Context
 
diff --git a/docs/adrs/0005-publish-to-ghcr-with-github-token.md b/docs/adrs/0005-publish-to-ghcr-with-github-token.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b566c99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/adrs/0005-publish-to-ghcr-with-github-token.md
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+# 0005. Publish to GHCR with the release job's `GITHUB_TOKEN`
+
+## Status
+
+Accepted. Partly supersedes
+[0004](0004-collection-github-releases.md).
+
+## Context
+
+[ADR 0004](0004-collection-github-releases.md)'s `publish` authenticates
+only with the `OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME` / `OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD` secrets,
+which on `ghcr.io` means a classic personal access token with
+`write:packages`. It did so because `release.yml`'s `build` job, where
+`make publish` runs, had `contents: write` only. A classic token is
+long-lived, tied to one person and broader than this repository.
+
+Base's `release.yml` now grants the `build` job `packages: write`, and
+GitHub's guidance ("Publishing and installing a package with GitHub
+Actions") recommends the job's `GITHUB_TOKEN` over a personal access token
+for pushing to the repository's own GHCR packages.
+
+## Decision
+
+We will have `publish` pick its credential this way, still passing it to
+the Dev Container CLI only through `DEVCONTAINERS_OCI_AUTH`
+(`registry|user|token`) and still rejecting a `|` or `,` in any part of it:
+
+- Either registry secret set: both secrets, as before (one alone fails).
+  Explicit secrets always win.
+- Neither set and `OCI_REGISTRY` is `ghcr.io`: `GITHUB_TOKEN` as
+  `GITHUB_ACTOR`. Without either of them it fails.
+- Neither set and any other registry: fails, as before.
+
+`GITHUB_TOKEN` is removed from the CLI's environment either way, so the
+only credential it sees is the one chosen here. `OCI_REGISTRY` stays the
+opt-in: unset still skips with a warning, a pre-release still pushes
+nothing, and only the amd64 leg publishes.
+
+A features-only publish job triggered by `workflow_run` was considered
+instead and rejected: it would split this repo's release path from every
+other craftainer repo's.
+
+## Consequences
+
+- On GHCR, publishing needs only the `OCI_REGISTRY` variable, once this
+  repo's synced `release.yml` carries `packages: write`. Until
+  template-sync brings it in, GHCR denies a full release's push when the
+  secrets are empty, and `publish` fails naming that cause.
+- Moving an existing setup from the secrets to `GITHUB_TOKEN` means
+  deleting both secrets; leaving one fails, and leaving both keeps using
+  them.
+- A feature package that already exists and wasn't first pushed by this
+  repository's workflow needs, once, this repository given the Write role
+  under the package's "Manage Actions access" settings, or GHCR denies the
+  push.
+- Any other registry still needs both secrets.
diff --git a/scripts/release-features.sh b/scripts/release-features.sh
index c35f679..ba92ef4 100755
--- a/scripts/release-features.sh
+++ b/scripts/release-features.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
 #                                `devcontainer features publish`, only for a
 #                                full release (no pre-release suffix)
 #
+# publish authenticates with the OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME/OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD
+# secrets when either is set (both are then required). With neither set and
+# OCI_REGISTRY=ghcr.io, it uses the job's GITHUB_TOKEN as GITHUB_ACTOR, which
+# needs release.yml's build job to grant `packages: write` (template-sync
+# brings that in from the template-base release that adds it). Any other
+# registry needs the secrets.
+#
 # The Dev Container CLI is the version pinned in
 # scripts/develop.d/10-devcontainer-cli.sh (one pin, which Renovate bumps). A
 # `devcontainer` on PATH (or DEVCONTAINER_CLI) is used when it is that version;
@@ -207,7 +214,7 @@ cmd_check() {
 }
 
 cmd_publish() {
-    local version namespace
+    local version namespace registry_user registry_token auth_source denied_hint=""
     version="${RELEASE_VERSION:-${RELEASE_TAG:-}}"
     version="${version#v}"
 
@@ -219,7 +226,7 @@ cmd_publish() {
     fi
     if [ -z "${OCI_REGISTRY:-}" ]; then
         if [ -n "$version" ]; then
-            echo "::warning::OCI_REGISTRY is not set, so full release ${version} publishes no features; set the OCI_REGISTRY variable and the OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME/OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD secrets (README.md, \"Releasing the collection\"), then re-run this run's build job to publish them."
+            echo "::warning::OCI_REGISTRY is not set, so full release ${version} publishes no features; set the OCI_REGISTRY variable (ghcr.io needs no secrets; any other registry needs the OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME/OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD secrets; README.md, \"Releasing the collection\"), then re-run this run's build job to publish them."
         fi
         echo "release-features: OCI_REGISTRY not set -- skipping publish."
         return 0
@@ -227,12 +234,27 @@ cmd_publish() {
     [ -n "$version" ] || die "RELEASE_VERSION (or RELEASE_TAG) is not set"
     [[ "$version" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]] || die "'${version}' is not a full release version (x.y.z)"
 
-    [ -n "${OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME:-}" ] || die "OCI_REGISTRY is set but the OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME secret is empty"
-    [ -n "${OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD:-}" ] || die "OCI_REGISTRY is set but the OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD secret is empty"
+    # Explicit secrets win; on ghcr.io without them, the job's GITHUB_TOKEN.
+    if [ -n "${OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME:-}" ] || [ -n "${OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD:-}" ]; then
+        [ -n "${OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME:-}" ] || die "the OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD secret is set but OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME is empty; set both, or (on ghcr.io) delete both to publish with GITHUB_TOKEN"
+        [ -n "${OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD:-}" ] || die "the OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME secret is set but OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD is empty; set both, or (on ghcr.io) delete both to publish with GITHUB_TOKEN"
+        registry_user="$OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME" registry_token="$OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD"
+        auth_source="the OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME/OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD secrets"
+    elif [ "$OCI_REGISTRY" = ghcr.io ]; then
+        [ -n "${GITHUB_TOKEN:-}" ] || die "OCI_REGISTRY is ghcr.io and the OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME/OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD secrets are empty, but GITHUB_TOKEN is not set either; release.yml's build job needs \`permissions: packages: write\` and GITHUB_TOKEN in its env (template-sync it from the template-base release that adds it), or set both secrets"
+        [ -n "${GITHUB_ACTOR:-}" ] || die "OCI_REGISTRY is ghcr.io and publish would use GITHUB_TOKEN, but GITHUB_ACTOR is not set"
+        registry_user="$GITHUB_ACTOR" registry_token="$GITHUB_TOKEN"
+        auth_source="GITHUB_TOKEN as ${GITHUB_ACTOR} (needs packages: write on release.yml's build job)"
+        # In CI GITHUB_TOKEN is always set, so a missing `packages: write`
+        # only shows up as the registry denying the push.
+        denied_hint="; if the registry denied the push, release.yml's build job needs \`permissions: packages: write\` (template-sync it from the template-base release that adds it), and each feature package that already exists needs this repository given Write in its \"Manage Actions access\" settings"
+    else
+        die "OCI_REGISTRY is ${OCI_REGISTRY}, not ghcr.io, so the OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME and OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD secrets are required; both are empty"
+    fi
     # DEVCONTAINERS_OCI_AUTH is "registry|user|token[,...]"; a '|' or ',' in
     # a value would split it in the wrong place.
-    case "${OCI_REGISTRY}${OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME}${OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD}" in
-        *'|'* | *,*) die "OCI_REGISTRY, OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME and OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD must not contain '|' or ','" ;;
+    case "${OCI_REGISTRY}${registry_user}${registry_token}" in
+        *'|'* | *,*) die "OCI_REGISTRY and the registry user and token must not contain '|' or ','" ;;
     esac
 
     namespace="${OCI_IMAGE_NAME:-${GITHUB_REPOSITORY:-}}"
@@ -246,13 +268,14 @@ cmd_publish() {
     load_ids
     run_checks
     resolve_cli
-    echo "release-features: publishing release ${version}'s features to ${OCI_REGISTRY}/${namespace}/<id> (versions already in the registry are skipped)."
+    echo "release-features: publishing release ${version}'s features to ${OCI_REGISTRY}/${namespace}/<id> (versions already in the registry are skipped), authenticating with ${auth_source}."
     # The credentials reach the CLI through the environment only, never its
-    # command line. GITHUB_TOKEN is dropped so the CLI can't fall back to the
-    # job's token (contents: write, no packages: write) for ghcr.io.
-    DEVCONTAINERS_OCI_AUTH="${OCI_REGISTRY}|${OCI_REGISTRY_USERNAME}|${OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD}" \
+    # command line. GITHUB_TOKEN is dropped either way, so the only
+    # credential the CLI sees is the one chosen above, in DEVCONTAINERS_OCI_AUTH.
+    DEVCONTAINERS_OCI_AUTH="${OCI_REGISTRY}|${registry_user}|${registry_token}" \
         env -u GITHUB_TOKEN -u OCI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD \
-        "$DEVCONTAINER" features publish src --registry "$OCI_REGISTRY" --namespace "$namespace" --log-level info
+        "$DEVCONTAINER" features publish src --registry "$OCI_REGISTRY" --namespace "$namespace" --log-level info ||
+        die "devcontainer features publish failed, authenticating with ${auth_source}${denied_hint}"
 }
 
 case "${1:-}" in