diff --git a/bin/git-fork b/bin/git-fork
index 05a4841f..04eb3a80 100755
--- a/bin/git-fork
+++ b/bin/git-fork
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@ read -r user
 # personal access token
 # config name is github-personal-access-token '_' is not allowed in git config
 
-if test -z "${GITHUB_TOKEN}"; then
-  github_personal_access_token=$(git config git-extras.github-personal-access-token)
+if test -n "${GITHUB_TOKEN}"; then
+  github_personal_access_token="$GITHUB_TOKEN"
 else
-  github_personal_access_token=$GITHUB_TOKEN
+  github_personal_access_token=$(git config git-extras.github-personal-access-token)
 fi
 
 test -z "$github_personal_access_token" && abort "GITHUB_TOKEN, or git config git-extras.github-personal-access-token required"
diff --git a/bin/git-pull-request b/bin/git-pull-request
index 2730d2ee..3b51608b 100755
--- a/bin/git-pull-request
+++ b/bin/git-pull-request
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ EOF
 # personal access token
 # config name is github-personal-access-token '_' is not allowed in git config
 
-if test -z "${GITHUB_TOKEN}"; then
-  github_personal_access_token=$(git config git-extras.github-personal-access-token)
+if test -n "${GITHUB_TOKEN}"; then
+  github_personal_access_token="$GITHUB_TOKEN"
 else
-  github_personal_access_token=$GITHUB_TOKEN
+  github_personal_access_token=$(git config git-extras.github-personal-access-token)
 fi
 
 test -z "$github_personal_access_token" && abort "GITHUB_TOKEN or git config git-extras.github-personal-access-token required"
diff --git a/man/git-fork.1 b/man/git-fork.1
index e259745e..805fbf9b 100644
--- a/man/git-fork.1
+++ b/man/git-fork.1
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ A personal access token is required for making the API call to create a new fork
 Make sure the personal access token has the right \fBOAuth\fR scopes for the repo(s)
 .
 .P
-Use \fBgit config \-\-global \-\-add git\-extras\.github\-personal\-access\-token <your\-personal\-access\-token>\fR
+Use \fBGITHUB_TOKEN\fR environment variable, or \fBgit config \-\-global \-\-add git\-extras\.github\-personal\-access\-token <your\-personal\-access\-token>\fR
 .
 .P
 If using multiple accounts, override the global value in the specific repo using \fBgit config git\-extras\.github\-personal\-access\-token <other\-acc\-personal\-access\-token>\fR