diff --git a/dist/src/common.py b/dist/src/common.py
index d763a65..99f3f7c 100644
--- a/dist/src/common.py
+++ b/dist/src/common.py
@@ -9,16 +9,20 @@ def get_random_string(length=7, chars=string.ascii_lowercase + string.digits):
 
 
 def parse_github_repository(url):
-    # Parse the github repository from a URL
-    # e.g. peter-evans/create-pull-request
-    pattern = re.compile(r"^https://github.com/(.+/.+)$")
+    # Parse the protocol and github repository from a URL
+    # e.g. HTTPS, peter-evans/create-pull-request
+    https_pattern = re.compile(r"^https://github.com/(.+/.+)$")
+    ssh_pattern = re.compile(r"^git@github.com:(.+/.+).git$")
 
-    # Check we have a match
-    match = pattern.match(url)
-    if match is None:
-        raise ValueError(f"The format of '{url}' is not a valid GitHub repository URL")
+    match = https_pattern.match(url)
+    if match is not None:
+        return "HTTPS", match.group(1)
 
-    return match.group(1)
+    match = ssh_pattern.match(url)
+    if match is not None:
+        return "SSH", match.group(1)
+
+    raise ValueError(f"The format of '{url}' is not a valid GitHub repository URL")
 
 
 def parse_display_name_email(display_name_email):
diff --git a/dist/src/create_pull_request.py b/dist/src/create_pull_request.py
index 41b0b9e..301e9b2 100755
--- a/dist/src/create_pull_request.py
+++ b/dist/src/create_pull_request.py
@@ -31,11 +31,12 @@ def get_git_config_value(repo, name):
         return None
 
 
-def get_github_repository():
+def get_repository_detail():
     remote_origin_url = get_git_config_value(repo, "remote.origin.url")
     if remote_origin_url is None:
         raise ValueError("Failed to fetch 'remote.origin.url' from git config")
-    return cmn.parse_github_repository(remote_origin_url)
+    protocol, github_repository = cmn.parse_github_repository(remote_origin_url)
+    return remote_origin_url, protocol, github_repository
 
 
 def git_user_config_is_set(repo):
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ repo = Repo(path)
 
 # Determine the GitHub repository from git config
 # This will be the target repository for the pull request
-github_repository = get_github_repository()
+repo_url, protocol, github_repository = get_repository_detail()
 print(f"Target repository set to {github_repository}")
 
 # Determine if the checked out ref is a valid base for a pull request
@@ -173,8 +174,10 @@ except ValueError as e:
     print(f"::error::{e} " + "Unable to continue. Exiting.")
     sys.exit(1)
 
-# Set the repository URL
-repo_url = f"https://x-access-token:{github_token}@github.com/{github_repository}"
+# Set the auth token in the repo URL
+# This supports checkout@v1. From v2 the auth token is saved for further use.
+if protocol == "HTTPS":
+    repo_url = f"https://x-access-token:{github_token}@github.com/{github_repository}"
 
 # Create or update the pull request branch
 result = coub.create_or_update_branch(repo, repo_url, commit_message, base, branch)
diff --git a/dist/src/test_common.py b/dist/src/test_common.py
index 15764b0..bd8419a 100644
--- a/dist/src/test_common.py
+++ b/dist/src/test_common.py
@@ -10,9 +10,16 @@ def test_get_random_string():
 
 
 def test_parse_github_repository_success():
-    repository = cmn.parse_github_repository(
+    protocol, repository = cmn.parse_github_repository(
         "https://github.com/peter-evans/create-pull-request"
     )
+    assert protocol == "HTTPS"
+    assert repository == "peter-evans/create-pull-request"
+
+    protocol, repository = cmn.parse_github_repository(
+        "git@github.com:peter-evans/create-pull-request.git"
+    )
+    assert protocol == "SSH"
     assert repository == "peter-evans/create-pull-request"
 
 
diff --git a/src/common.py b/src/common.py
index d763a65..99f3f7c 100644
--- a/src/common.py
+++ b/src/common.py
@@ -9,16 +9,20 @@ def get_random_string(length=7, chars=string.ascii_lowercase + string.digits):
 
 
 def parse_github_repository(url):
-    # Parse the github repository from a URL
-    # e.g. peter-evans/create-pull-request
-    pattern = re.compile(r"^https://github.com/(.+/.+)$")
+    # Parse the protocol and github repository from a URL
+    # e.g. HTTPS, peter-evans/create-pull-request
+    https_pattern = re.compile(r"^https://github.com/(.+/.+)$")
+    ssh_pattern = re.compile(r"^git@github.com:(.+/.+).git$")
 
-    # Check we have a match
-    match = pattern.match(url)
-    if match is None:
-        raise ValueError(f"The format of '{url}' is not a valid GitHub repository URL")
+    match = https_pattern.match(url)
+    if match is not None:
+        return "HTTPS", match.group(1)
 
-    return match.group(1)
+    match = ssh_pattern.match(url)
+    if match is not None:
+        return "SSH", match.group(1)
+
+    raise ValueError(f"The format of '{url}' is not a valid GitHub repository URL")
 
 
 def parse_display_name_email(display_name_email):
diff --git a/src/create_pull_request.py b/src/create_pull_request.py
index 41b0b9e..301e9b2 100755
--- a/src/create_pull_request.py
+++ b/src/create_pull_request.py
@@ -31,11 +31,12 @@ def get_git_config_value(repo, name):
         return None
 
 
-def get_github_repository():
+def get_repository_detail():
     remote_origin_url = get_git_config_value(repo, "remote.origin.url")
     if remote_origin_url is None:
         raise ValueError("Failed to fetch 'remote.origin.url' from git config")
-    return cmn.parse_github_repository(remote_origin_url)
+    protocol, github_repository = cmn.parse_github_repository(remote_origin_url)
+    return remote_origin_url, protocol, github_repository
 
 
 def git_user_config_is_set(repo):
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ repo = Repo(path)
 
 # Determine the GitHub repository from git config
 # This will be the target repository for the pull request
-github_repository = get_github_repository()
+repo_url, protocol, github_repository = get_repository_detail()
 print(f"Target repository set to {github_repository}")
 
 # Determine if the checked out ref is a valid base for a pull request
@@ -173,8 +174,10 @@ except ValueError as e:
     print(f"::error::{e} " + "Unable to continue. Exiting.")
     sys.exit(1)
 
-# Set the repository URL
-repo_url = f"https://x-access-token:{github_token}@github.com/{github_repository}"
+# Set the auth token in the repo URL
+# This supports checkout@v1. From v2 the auth token is saved for further use.
+if protocol == "HTTPS":
+    repo_url = f"https://x-access-token:{github_token}@github.com/{github_repository}"
 
 # Create or update the pull request branch
 result = coub.create_or_update_branch(repo, repo_url, commit_message, base, branch)
diff --git a/src/test_common.py b/src/test_common.py
index 15764b0..bd8419a 100644
--- a/src/test_common.py
+++ b/src/test_common.py
@@ -10,9 +10,16 @@ def test_get_random_string():
 
 
 def test_parse_github_repository_success():
-    repository = cmn.parse_github_repository(
+    protocol, repository = cmn.parse_github_repository(
         "https://github.com/peter-evans/create-pull-request"
     )
+    assert protocol == "HTTPS"
+    assert repository == "peter-evans/create-pull-request"
+
+    protocol, repository = cmn.parse_github_repository(
+        "git@github.com:peter-evans/create-pull-request.git"
+    )
+    assert protocol == "SSH"
     assert repository == "peter-evans/create-pull-request"