diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/auto-merge-docs.yml b/.gitea/workflows/auto-merge-docs.yml
index 8c72489..14ecd76 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/auto-merge-docs.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/auto-merge-docs.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Check if all changes are markdown
         id: check
         env:
-          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: |
           PR_NUMBER=${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
           API_URL="${{ github.server_url }}/api/v1/repos/${{ github.repository }}/pulls/${PR_NUMBER}/files"
@@ -42,21 +42,42 @@ jobs:
       - name: Approve and merge
         if: steps.check.outputs.docs_only == 'true'
         env:
-          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: |
           PR_NUMBER=${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
           API_BASE="${{ github.server_url }}/api/v1/repos/${{ github.repository }}/pulls/${PR_NUMBER}"
 
           # Approve the PR
-          curl -sf -X POST "${API_BASE}/reviews" \
+          curl -s -X POST "${API_BASE}/reviews" \
             -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
             -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
             -d '{"event": "APPROVED", "body": "Auto-approved: docs-only changes (all .md files)."}'
 
+          echo "Attempting merge..."
+
           # Merge the PR
-          curl -sf -X POST "${API_BASE}/merge" \
+          MERGE_RESPONSE=$(curl -s -w "\nHTTP_STATUS:%{http_code}" -X POST "${API_BASE}/merge" \
             -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
             -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-            -d '{"Do": "merge", "merge_message_field": "Auto-merge: docs-only PR #'"${PR_NUMBER}"'"}'
+            -d '{"Do": "merge", "merge_message_field": "Auto-merge: docs-only PR #'"${PR_NUMBER}"'"}')
+
+          HTTP_STATUS=$(echo "$MERGE_RESPONSE" | tail -1 | sed 's/HTTP_STATUS://')
+          BODY=$(echo "$MERGE_RESPONSE" | sed '$d')
+
+          echo "Merge response (HTTP ${HTTP_STATUS}):"
+          echo "$BODY"
+
+          if [ "$HTTP_STATUS" -ge 400 ]; then
+            echo "Merge failed, retrying with rebase strategy..."
+            MERGE_RESPONSE=$(curl -s -w "\nHTTP_STATUS:%{http_code}" -X POST "${API_BASE}/merge" \
+              -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+              -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+              -d '{"Do": "rebase"}')
+            HTTP_STATUS=$(echo "$MERGE_RESPONSE" | tail -1 | sed 's/HTTP_STATUS://')
+            BODY=$(echo "$MERGE_RESPONSE" | sed '$d')
+            echo "Rebase response (HTTP ${HTTP_STATUS}):"
+            echo "$BODY"
+            [ "$HTTP_STATUS" -ge 400 ] && exit 1
+          fi
 
           echo "PR #${PR_NUMBER} auto-approved and merged."
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 9487024..fc10341 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -17,3 +17,6 @@ load the relevant dev CONTEXT: `.py` → `development/python-CONTEXT.md`,
 - New tech without a directory → offer to create `/{tech}/` structure
 - New error solved → offer to add to `{tech}/troubleshooting.md`
 - New scripts created → offer to update `{tech}/scripts/CONTEXT.md`
+
+## CI/CD
+- Docs-only PRs (all `.md` files) are auto-approved and merged by the `auto-merge-docs` workflow