diff --git a/.changeset/famous-items-travel.md b/.changeset/famous-items-travel.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a0aa02732d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/famous-items-travel.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend': patch
+---
+
+Update URL auth format for Gitlab clone
diff --git a/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/helpers.ts b/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/helpers.ts
index 901aea533a..fcf5a4f194 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/helpers.ts
+++ b/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/helpers.ts
@@ -146,8 +146,18 @@ export const checkoutGitRepository = async (
 
   if (token) {
     const type = getGitRepoType(repoUrl);
-    const auth = type === 'github' ? `${token}:x-oauth-basic` : `:${token}`;
-    parsedGitLocation.token = auth;
+    switch (type) {
+      case 'gitlab':
+        // Personal Access Token
+        parsedGitLocation.token = `dummyUsername:${token}`;
+        parsedGitLocation.git_suffix = true;
+        break;
+      case 'github':
+        parsedGitLocation.token = `${token}:x-oauth-basic`;
+        break;
+      default:
+        parsedGitLocation.token = `:${token}`;
+    }
   }
 
   const repositoryCheckoutUrl = parsedGitLocation.toString('https');