diff --git a/packages/backend/src/plugins/scaffolder.ts b/packages/backend/src/plugins/scaffolder.ts
index c5b36ab8da..90667bfb16 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/plugins/scaffolder.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/plugins/scaffolder.ts
@@ -47,13 +47,12 @@ export default async function createPlugin({
   templaters.register('cra', craTemplater);
 
   const filePreparer = new FilePreparer();
-  const githubPreparer = new GithubPreparer();
+
   const gitlabPreparer = new GitlabPreparer(config);
   const azurePreparer = new AzurePreparer(config);
   const preparers = new Preparers();
 
   preparers.register('file', filePreparer);
-  preparers.register('github', githubPreparer);
   preparers.register('gitlab', gitlabPreparer);
   preparers.register('gitlab/api', gitlabPreparer);
   preparers.register('azure/api', azurePreparer);
@@ -75,6 +74,10 @@ export default async function createPlugin({
         token: githubToken,
         repoVisibility,
       });
+
+      const githubPreparer = new GithubPreparer({ token: githubToken });
+
+      preparers.register('github', githubPreparer);
       publishers.register('file', githubPublisher);
       publishers.register('github', githubPublisher);
     } catch (e) {
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/stages/prepare/github.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/stages/prepare/github.ts
index ba4adcabd9..54265736f3 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/stages/prepare/github.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/stages/prepare/github.ts
@@ -21,11 +21,18 @@ import { parseLocationAnnotation } from '../helpers';
 import { InputError } from '@backstage/backend-common';
 import { PreparerBase } from './types';
 import GitUriParser from 'git-url-parse';
-import { Clone } from 'nodegit';
+import { Clone, Cred } from 'nodegit';
 
 export class GithubPreparer implements PreparerBase {
+  token: string;
+
+  constructor(params: { token: string }) {
+    this.token = params.token;
+  }
+
   async prepare(template: TemplateEntityV1alpha1): Promise<string> {
     const { protocol, location } = parseLocationAnnotation(template);
+    const { token } = this;
 
     if (protocol !== 'github') {
       throw new InputError(
@@ -46,7 +53,13 @@ export class GithubPreparer implements PreparerBase {
     );
 
     await Clone.clone(repositoryCheckoutUrl, tempDir, {
-      // TODO(blam): Maybe need some auth here?
+      fetchOpts: {
+        callbacks: {
+          credentials() {
+            return Cred.userpassPlaintextNew(token, 'x-oauth-basic');
+          },
+        },
+      },
     });
 
     return path.resolve(tempDir, templateDirectory);