diff --git a/cmd/governctl/pr/merge.go b/cmd/governctl/pr/merge.go
index e8c4721..7f35342 100644
--- a/cmd/governctl/pr/merge.go
+++ b/cmd/governctl/pr/merge.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 package pr
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
@@ -288,14 +289,24 @@ func (opts *Merge) Run(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
 		var output []byte
 		cmd = exec.Command("gh", "auth", "token")
 		cmd.Stderr = log.G(ctx).WriterLevel(logrus.ErrorLevel)
+		stderr, _ := cmd.StderrPipe()
+		scanner := bufio.NewScanner(stderr)
 		if output, err = cmd.Output(); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("could not backup token: %w", err)
+			if scanner.Scan() {
+				if strings.HasPrefix(scanner.Text(), "no oauth token found") {
+					log.G(ctx).Warn("no token to back up, skipping")
+					token = ""
+				} else {
+					return fmt.Errorf("could not backup token: %w", err)
+				}
+			} else {
+				return fmt.Errorf("could not read error to backup token: %w", err)
+			}
+		} else {
+			token = string(output)
 		}
-		token = string(output)
 
-		if strings.HasPrefix(token, "no oauth token found") {
-			token = ""
-		} else if !strings.HasPrefix(token, "gh") {
+		if token != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(token, "gh") {
 			return fmt.Errorf("could not backup token, invalid format (try running `gh auth token` manually): %w", err)
 		}