Github actions getting stuck in limbo, never starting. No fear! There is a solution!

If this status check is necessary before merging, use a Personal Access Token instead of the default secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN for creating this PR in your github action:

- name: Create Pull Request
  uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v3
  with:
    token: ${{ secrets.YOUR_PAT }}

If not, simply uncheck this under repo setting, in your protected branch:

Reasons

There’re restrictions on github actions triggering other github actions, by design. So if you have the setting x must pass before branch can be merged, some actions could get stuck in limbo forever.

This is also why “push an empty commit” or “close and reopen the PR” can unstuck it–because then the PR is no longer purely action triggered. This is also why switching to PAT works, because using secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN implies this PR is github-action-initiated. While using a PAT, it’s initiated by a user.